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Vice Chancellor of the University of Auckland Professor Dawn Freshwater Visits Peking University
At the invitation of Professor Gong Qihuang, President of Peking University, Vice Chancellor of the University of Auckland Professor Dawn Freshwater paid a visit to Peking University with her colleagues on September 13. During her visit to Peking University, President Gong Qihuang had a meeting with Vice Chancellor Dawn Freshwater, along with Deputy President and Provost of Peking University Professor Wang Bo. President Gong Qihuang welcomed Vice Chancellor Dawn Freshwater to revisit Peking University as a follow-up move of the New Zealand Prime Minister Hon. Chris Hipkins’ visit and address at Peking University on June 28. Vice Chancellor Dawn Freshwater said this was her first visit to China when she commenced her role at the University of Auckland in March 2020, but she had fond memory of her 2018 visit to Peking University at its 120th university, as Vice Chancellor of the University of West Australia and Chair of the Board of the Group of Eight Australian universities. President Gong Qihuang and Vice Chancellor Dawn Freshwater both expressed shared interests in enhancing academic engagement and collaboration when the impact of the pandemic has waned.
Group Photo of President Gong Qihuang, Vice Chancellor Dawn Freshwater, Deputy President and Provost of Peking University Wang Bo and colleagues from Peking University and the University of Auckland
Having reviewed more than two dozen of years of continuing and productive collaboration between the two universities, President Gong Qihuang and Vice Chancellor Dawn Freshwater discussed possibilities of working together in some new fields including medical science and digital innovation. Both sides agreed to prioritize enhancing cooperation in both institutional and personal engagements between scholars, student exchanges, and post-doctoral programmes. As Director of the New Zealand Centre at Peking University Professor Liu Shusen, Dr Zhou Manli as Deputy Director of the PKU Office of International Relations, Mr. Cui Zhe as Chief of the Office of International Engagement attended the meeting.
On her visit to Peking University, Vice Chancellor Dawn Freshwater also visited the New Zealand Centre with her colleagues including Ms Bebe Fu, International Recruitment and Development Manager and Vivi Peng, UoA Senior In-country Manager-China. Professor Liu Shusen and Associate Professor Liu Hongzhong introduced the development of the Centre since its establishment in 2007 and the significant support and contribution of colleagues of the University of Auckland, including the late Professor Stuart McCutcheon, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Auckland from 2005 to 2020. Vice Chancellor Dawn Freshwater stressed that the University of Auckland would remain a strong supporter of New Zealand Centre, and she also discussed with New Zealand Centre colleagues about what NZC initiates when international visits resume.
From Right to Left: NZC Director Liu Shusen, Secretary A/Professor Liu Hongzhong, Vice Chancellor Dawn Freshwater,Managers Bebe Fu and Vivi Peng
Then Associate Professor Liu Hongzhong briefed the forthcoming visits of scholars of the University of Auckland to New Zealand Centre and had a campus tour along with Vice Chancellor Dawn Freshwater.
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