A delegation from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, led by Deputy Vice-Chancellor Logan Bannister, visited Huazhong Agricultural University (HZAU) on March 19 to discuss further cooperation.
Qing Ping, vice-president of HZAU, met the visitors, supported by faculty members and experts from relevant departments.
Qing welcomed the guests and reviewed the existing forms of cooperation between the two universities since they signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in 2023, including joint postgraduate training, academic exchanges and research collaboration.
He expressed hope that both sides would expand cooperation into new areas such as information engineering, finance, marketing and the social sciences, while exploring new models of joint education programs.
Bannister introduced Victoria University of Wellington, noting that it ranks first in New Zealand for research intensity under the latest Performance-Based Research Fund (PBRF) assessment, with 15 disciplines among the top 1 percent globally. She expressed interest in strengthening practical cooperation at multiple levels.
Xiong Hang, vice-dean of the College of Economics and Management, highlighted a joint talent training program supported by the China Scholarship Council (CSC) that focuses on upgrading the agricultural industry in the digital economy. He also discussed ways to collaborate in business-related disciplines such as enterprise management and accounting.
Both sides agreed to accelerate the implementation of cooperation initiatives and to promote exchanges in talent development and research, thereby supporting sustainable growth.

Qing Ping and Logan Bannister exchange souvenirs on behalf of their respective universities. [Photo/news.hzau.edu.cn]