Vice President Chen of Donghua University made a notable first visit to Edinburgh College of Art on 17 September. Accompanying him were Dean Li Jun and Jade Xiang from our Joint Institute, Shanghai International College of Fashion and Innovation (SCF). This visit highlights the continuing academic ties between our two institutions and our shared commitment to transnational education and cultural exchange. 

In the afternoon the delegates from SCF were joined by representatives from the Shanghai Changning government who paid a brief visit to the University of Edinburgh (UoE). They personally followed up on the Hongqiao Friendship Award which had been given to SCF Director of Faculty and International Dean, Professor Juliette MacDonald, in 2020 for her work as an ambassador for transnational education. This meeting had been delayed by the global Covid pandemic so this was a welcome opportunity to meet in person and for the representatives to be introduced to the City of Edinburgh, our university and to ECA.

The visit included a round table meeting chaired by Alan Mackay, Deputy Vice Principal International, UoE. The discussions focussed on strengthening the Joint Institute partnership and exploring new avenues for collaboration in the creative arts and fostering strong links between Edinburgh and Shanghai.

The successful meetings provided an ideal opportunity for ECA and UoE to showcase our ongoing commitment to global cultural engagement and to reinforce the importance of building on the links held between Edinburgh and Shanghai.