
The unveiling ceremony of the China-Hungary Joint Laboratory for Veterinary Medicine. [Photo/news.hzau.edu.cn]
Led by Party secretary Yao Jianglin of Huazhong Agricultural University (HZAU), a delegation visited France and Hungary from Sept 14 to 20 to advance international scientific collaboration and talent cultivation. Officials from relevant colleges and offices accompanied the delegation.
In Paris, the delegation met with UNESCO officials to broaden multilateral agricultural cooperation channels. At the Institute of Plant Sciences of Paris-Saclay, discussions with Director Abdel Bendahmane centered on collaborative doctoral training, stress-tolerance breeding, and joint research platforms. The delegation also hosted an overseas session of South Lake Forum for International Young Scholars to recruit global talent. During their visit to the École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, members explored frontiers in floral morphogenesis and established regular academic exchange mechanisms.
In Hungary, the delegation visited the University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest. Yao and Rector Sótonyi Péter Tamás jointly inaugurated the China-Hungary Joint Laboratory for Veterinary Medicine, focusing on zoonotic disease control and antimicrobial resistance. Both institutions also signed a student exchange agreement to build a multi-tiered global training framework. Furthermore, Yao engaged with local faculty regarding exotic pet medicine and doctoral joint degrees, while meeting with Chinese students to discuss career development.
The visit strengthened HZAU's ties with partner institutions in France and Hungary, with cooperation spanning joint research, student exchanges and academic training.