A delegation from the Faculty of Arts at the University of British Columbia (UBC) visited Huazhong Agricultural University (HZAU) on April 30 to discuss academic collaboration and cultural exchange. As one of Canada's leading universities, UBC is internationally recognized for its humanities and social sciences.
During the symposium, HZAU vice-president Qing Ping proposed establishing a long-term partnership since the two universities share complementary strengths and research interests in these fields. Qing expressed hopes of broadening cooperation in areas such as joint student training, scholar exchanges, and shared curriculum resources. He also aims to deepen joint research on urban-rural integration, social governance, and public policy to bring new energy to Sino-Canadian educational ties.
Tian Beihai, dean of HZAU's College of Humanities and Social Sciences, outlined an approach integrating humanities research with agricultural sciences, particularly in rural governance and agricultural law. In response, Clare Haru Crowston, dean of the UBC Faculty of Arts, introduced the faculty's academic strength in history, sociology, and Asian studies, underscoring a shared commitment to interdisciplinary research and public engagement.
After extensive discussions, both parties agreed to promote future cooperation through regular academic and cultural exchanges.
Later that afternoon, Christiane Andrea Hoppmann, vice-dean of the UBC Faculty of Arts, delivered a lecture titled "Social Dynamics and Solitude in Older Adulthood: Evidence from Daily Life Assessments", sharing empirical research on older adults' social interactions and experiences of solitude.

Visitors from UBC take a group photo with members of HZAU's College of Humanities and Social Sciences. [Photo/new.hzau.edu.cn]