Nanjing University will continue its cooperation with University of Tennessee’s Institute of Agriculture in research on green economy and green environment, according to the memorandum signed on November 6 by the two schools from China and the United States.

Before they signed the memo, Professor Zhang Yibin, chancellor of Nanjing University, met with Tim Cross, the American agricultural institute’s chancellor, and his delegation during their visit on November 6.

Also attending the meeting were representatives of the university’s School of Environmental Sciences and Office of International Exchange and Cooperation.

University of Tennessee is known as a top-class American public university. Zhang reviewed the collaborations in environmental studies between the two universities including the U.S.-China Joint Doctoral Program on Environment and Energy and the Systematic and Cooperative Network of Food, Energy and Water.

Nanjing University always attaches importance to social services. Under the guidance of the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress, the university hopes that more collaborations be set up with overseas universities in the fields of eco-economy and sustainable development so as to promote the development of Jiangsu Province and better serve society.

Zhang also briefed the guests on how Nanjing University was included in the “Double First-Class initiative of China’s higher education development, in which the program of environmental sciences will be a leading discipline in the new round of university development.

Cross commended Nanjing University on the construction of Xianlin Campus and briefed the Chinese hosts on the history of University of Tennessee’s Institute of Agriculture and its key fields of development at present.

He agreed to Zhang’s proposal and reaffirmed the important obligations of U.S. and China as two leading economies in the international community to developing a green economy.

Bill Brown, dean of the Agriculture School, briefed on the current situation with the implementation of the two projects, the U.S.-China Joint Doctoral Program on Environment and Energy and the Systematic and Cooperative Network of Food, Energy and Water.

He emphasized that the down-to-earth and effective cooperation between the two universities has laid a solid foundation for the implementation of these two projects.

At the end of the meeting, Zhang and Cross signed the memorandum of cooperation on behalf of the two universities.

Both sides agreed to continue the substantive cooperation on the basis of the new memorandum.

Zhang Yibin and Tim Cross sign the memorandum of cooperation

During the visit, the delegation also held working meetings with the School of Environmental Sciences on the implementation of various joint projects.