MOU Signing Ceremony Marks Alliance of Tohoku and Tianjin University

On June 8th, 2007, Professor Akihisa Inoue, President of Tohoku University, Japan, and Mr. Yasuo Kainai, Director of International Affairs Department, accompanied by Dr. Xinmin Wang, TU alumnus and now staff of Institute for Materials Research at Tohoku University, visited Tianjin University. President Ke Gong met the delegation.

Present at the meeting were VP Xianjin Yang, Professor Zhenduo Cui, Dean of School of Materials Science and Technology, Professor Shuxin Wang, Director of Office of Science and Technology and Professor Fuling Yang, Director of International Cooperation Office. President Gong extended his welcome to the delegation on their second visit to TU.

In the meeting, both Presidents gave a brief review of the history, research situation and recent academic exchanges of each university, and discussed the cooperation possibilities between the two universities on student exchange and joint research. Later, President Gong and President Inoue signed the Agreement on Academic Exchange between the two universities and the MoU on Student Exchange.

After the signing ceremony, Director Shuxin Wang delivered a presentation on TU Research Capabilities. Then the two parties discussed in details in the specific areas of joint research. Taking this opportunity, President Inoue extended a cordial invitation to President Gong for attending the 100th Anniversary of Tohoku University to be held in Japan on August 27th.

After the meeting, the delegation accompanied by VP Xianjin Yang, visited Feng Jicai Research Institute of Art and Literature, some labs in the School of Materials Science & Engineering, School of Sciences, and the exhibition in the School of Architecture. During the visit, Mr. Jicai Feng presented one of his autographed works to President Inoue and took photographs with the delegation.

Director Jiajun Li, from Tianjin Municipal Commission of Science and Technology, met the delegation in the evening. Founded in 1907, Tohoku University is one of the 7 earliest national universities in Japan. The university is specialized in the area of materials, and keeps ahead in the world in the research of amorphous materials.

In 2006, Tianjin University conferred the position of Honorary Professor on Professor Akihisa Inoue. In the same year, Cooperation Agreement was signed between the School of Materials Science and Engineering of Tianjin University and Institute for Materials Research of Tohoku University.