During a trip to New Zealand and Australia in mid-April 2024, the NSFC delegation led by Vice President, Dr. Lan Yujie, visited 10 organizations, including Royal Society of New Zealand, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), Australian Academy of Science (AAS), Australian Research Council (ARC), and Malaghan Institutes of Medical Research, Victoria University of Wellington (VUW), University of Queensland (UQ), University of Technology Sydney (UTS), University of Sydney (USYD),  University of New South Wales (UNSW), etc.

While in New Zealand, Dr. LAN spoke with Dr. Brent Clothier, the President of Royal Society, and Mr. Paul Atkins, the CEO of Royal Society. The two sides reached a preliminary consensus on signing an agreement and establishing a mechanism for policy discussion and working-level exchange. Dr. Lan also met with the managers of research and international cooperation of MBIE. The two sides agreed to start the cooperation by organizing academic workshops in the areas of agriculture and environment.

While in Australia, Dr. Lan talked with Prof. Jim Williams, Council member and Spokesperson for Integrity of AAS, and Ms. Nancy Pritchard, Director of International Programs. They both agreed that China and Australia are important partners in S&T cooperation. The two organizations agreed to have further discussions on establishing partnerships and promoting scientific cooperation and exchange after the China-Australia Joint S&T Commission Meeting in later this year. Dr. Lan also discussed with Ms. Claire Forsyth, Branch Manager of Research Evaluation and Policy of ARC on international cooperation strategies of both sides. The two sides agreed to maintain close contact in renewing the agreement, organizing academic workshops and resuming the partnership to provide a long-term and stable framework for the bilateral cooperation on science and technology.

The delegation also had extensive and fruitful discussions with leadership, senior staff and researchers of New Zealand and Australian universities and research institutes, who greatly appreciated NSFC’s reforms on the integrated development for education, S&T and talent, expressed their strong desires to cooperate with China, and provided valuable suggestions. They said they would advocate for a stable and sustainable mechanism for cooperation with China to their funding agencies. Dr. Lan’s visits refreshed the ties with funding agencies, universities and research institutes of New Zealand and Australia, opening a new chapter for NSFC’s international cooperation in the Australasian region.

Dr. Lan discusses with Royal Society of New Zealand