Tan Tieniu, Chair of Nanjing University CPC Council and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, led a delegation to Brazil and Mexico from September 29 to October 3. The visit focused on strengthening scientific, educational cooperation and cultural exchanges between NJU and the Latin American region. This marks the first time that NJU leaders have led a delegation to visit these two countries. During this trip, the delegation visited higher education institutions and research organizations including the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, the University of São Paulo, the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials, and the National Autonomous University of Mexico. They met with alumni, renowned professors, and young scholars in various locations, promoting practical cooperation with the two countries in scientific research, talent cultivation, and social services. During the visit, the delegation also conducted discussions at the China National Offshore Oil Corporation Petroleum Brasil Ltda and Xinhua Latin America Bureau, and Xinhua News Agency's Latin America Regional Bureau, expanding important resources for the further advancement of NJU's "Forging Ahead Initiative" implementation plan, achieving a series of fruitful results.
Visiting Brazil: Deepening Scientific and Educational Cooperation to Jointly Address Global Challenges
On the morning of September 29, Tan Tieniu and his delegation visited the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) in Brazil. UFRJ is Brazil's largest federal university and the first university established by the federal government, with a hundred-year history. Tan Tieniu provided a detailed introduction to NJU's latest achievements in scientific research, talent cultivation, and international exchanges. He stated that under the strategic guidance of the two countries' leaders, bilateral relations are at their best historical period, and he looks forward to developing cooperation with UFRJ and fully explore the potential for collaboration between the two universities across multiple disciplines. Roberto Medronho, President of UFRJ, warmly welcomed Tan Tieniu and his delegation, and highly praised the development achievements of NJU. He stated that signing the framework cooperation agreement and planning future cooperation directions not only demonstrates the scientific and educational strength of both universities but also highlights their social responsibility and global influence as leading institutions in their respective regions.
Subsequently, the delegation visited the Instituto Alberto Luiz Coimbra de Pós-Graduação e Pesquisa de Engenharia of UFRJ, engaging in in-depth exchanges with Vice Dean Marcello Campos, and Head of the Department of Nuclear Engineering Su Jian, reaching consensus on establishing joint research centers in fields such as energy and sustainable development, artificial intelligence, and other areas.
Both parties signing the framework cooperation agreement
NJU Delegation at the Instituto Alberto Luiz Coimbra de Pós-Graduação e Pesquisa de Engenharia
In the afternoon of the same day, the delegation visited the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC Rio), where they received a warm welcome from President Anderson Pedroso and others. PUC Rio is Brazil's oldest private university with a high degree of internationalization. Tan Tieniu introduced NJU's long history, advantageous disciplines, and latest achievements in Chinese-foreign cooperative education. He also mentioned that NJU is actively promoting international initiatives such as the International Visiting Scholars Program, and looks forward to welcoming faculty and students from PUC Rio for exchanges. Pedroso highly praised NJU's high-quality development and expressed hope that the two universities would expand their areas of cooperation and deepen collaborative content. Both sides engaged in in-depth discussions on future scientific research cooperation and faculty and student exchanges in fields such as artificial intelligence and international relations. After the meeting, Tan Tieniu was invited to deliver a keynote speech on campus, where the atmosphere was enthusiastic with every seat filled.
Tan Tieniu and Anderson Pedroso exchanging gifts
Roundtable Discussion at PUC Rio
Tan Tieniu delivering an invited keynote speech
Subsequently, Tan Tieniu and his delegation visited the China National Offshore Oil Corporation Petroleum Brasil Ltda (CNOOC Petroleum Brasil). Tan Tieniu stated that NJU has maintained a good university-enterprise relationship with CNOOC for a long time. He highly praised the contributions made by CNOOC Petroleum Brasil to the local socioeconomic development and expressed hope that both sides would deepen cooperation in scientific research, platform construction, talent cultivation, and other areas to achieve mutual benefits and win-win outcomes. Lin Qingyi, Manager of the Comprehensive Support Department of CNOOC Petroleum Brasil, provided a detailed introduction to the company's business characteristics, organizational structure, and recent major social responsibility projects. He stated that CNOOC Petroleum Brasil would strongly support cooperation between NJU and relevant Brazilian institutions.
Roundtable discussion at the CNOOC Petroleum Brasil
On the morning of September 30, the delegation visited the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials and toured the Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNano). LNNano focuses on nanoscience and sustainable development technologies, with certain international influence in fields such as solar photovoltaic materials and green hydrogen energy. Both sides discussed cooperation prospects in material characterization, biosensing, and other directions, reaching multiple consensuses.
In the afternoon of the same day, the delegation visited the National Institute for Space Research (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais, INPE) and met with Joaquim Costa, Director of the Space Weather Bureau of INPE, and others. INPE is a core institution for space science research in South America, with research directions including space geophysics, meteorology, remote sensing technology, and more. The delegation visited the China-Brazil Joint Laboratory for Space Weather jointly established by INPE and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
On the morning of October 1, Tan Tieniu and his delegation visited the University of Campinas (Unicamp) in Brazil, meeting with President Paulo Montagner and others. Unicamp is a top public research university in Brazil with strong capabilities in science and engineering fields. Tan Tieniu stated that China and Brazil, as important representatives of the "Global South" and members of the G20 and BRICS countries, are jointly addressing global challenges such as climate change and sustainable development. He hoped that the two universities would further strengthen scientific and educational cooperation to jointly contribute university wisdom to addressing global challenges. Montagner warmly welcomed Tan Tieniu and his delegation, and introduced the university's basic situation and achievements in friendly cooperation with Chinese universities. The two sides signed a memorandum of cooperation and will carry out practical cooperation in fields such as anthropology, biomedical engineering, drug development and delivery, energy and sustainable development in the future. Tan Tieniu and his delegation also visited the university's Center for Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, and had cordial conversations with the director Rafael Borges and representatives of scientific researchers.
Both parties signing the framework cooperation agreement
The delegation visiting the Center for Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering
Subsequently, the delegation visited the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil, holding talks with Sergio Proença, USP's Provost for International Cooperation and Ricardo Trindade, Director of the USP China Center, among others. USP is Brazil's first and currently largest comprehensive higher education institution, highly renowned in Latin America. Tan Tieniu expressed hope that the two universities would conduct deeper exchanges and cooperation in multiple fields such as education, culture, and scientific research, jointly injecting new momentum into the development of education and cultural exchanges between China and Brazil. Proença stated that the university attaches great importance to exchanges and cooperation with top Chinese universities and hopes to join hands with NJU in the future to create a model for higher education cooperation between China and Brazil. During the meeting, heads of the School of Artificial Intelligence, School of Astronomy and Geology, and School of Philosophy and Humanities of USP successively introduced the basic situation of teaching, scientific research, and international exchanges in their respective schools. The two sides conducted extensive communication and discussions on strengthening personnel exchanges and teaching cooperation in fields such as social sciences, foreign languages and literature, astronomy and space sciences, and signed a memorandum of cooperation. After the talks, Tan Tieniu was invited to deliver a keynote speech at the USP China Center and engage in discussions with faculty and students present. The atmosphere was enthusiastic, with many students expressing strong desire to study at NJU.
Tan Tieniu presenting a commemorative gift to Ricardo Trindade
Tan Tieniu delivering an invited keynote speech
Tan Tieniu answering students' questions
Visiting Mexico: Focusing on Talent Cultivation and Continuously Expanding Cooperation
On the morning of October 3, Tan Tieniu and his delegation visited the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), meeting with Vice President William Lee and other faculty and students. UNAM is Latin America's largest and oldest comprehensive university, with over 270,000 students and a total of over 46,000 faculty and staff. Tan Tieniu pointed out that NJU has a rich cultural and historical foundation with solid basic research, and its comprehensive strength has consistently remained in the first echelon of Chinese universities. He expressed admiration for UNAM's excellent performance and international reputation in multiple fields. He hoped that both sides would strengthen cooperation to jointly cultivate high-quality talents with international vision and innovation capabilities, leading educational and technological cooperation between the two countries to a higher level. William Lee welcomed the NJU delegation and stated that cooperation and exchanges between Chinese and Mexican universities would certainly help promote friendly exchanges between the two countries and have important significance for developing the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Mexico. Heads of colleges from both universities conducted in-depth discussions around fields such as anthropology, renewable energy, astronomy and space sciences, reaching many consensuses on faculty and student exchanges, joint scientific research, and other areas. After the talks, Tan Tieniu was invited to deliver a keynote speech, introducing NJU's educational achievements and the development history and trends of artificial intelligence, patiently answering questions from online and offline faculty and students. Subsequently, Tan Tieniu met and cordially conversed with international students who had participated in the "Global Research Immersion Program for Young Scientists" at NJU.
Tan Tieniu presenting a commemorative gift to William Lee
Tan Tieniu delivering an invited keynote speech
In the afternoon of the same day, the delegation held discussions with Gloria Soberón, Financial Director of the Academia Mexicana de Ciencias, Rafael Bojalil, Director of the Research Institute of the Metropolitan Autonomous University, and Janet Murbartián, Planning Director of the Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute. Tan Tieniu introduced NJU's latest achievements in scientific research, technological innovation, and international cooperation, and emphasized that NJU attaches great importance to cooperation with Mexican universities and research institutions in scientific research, technological cooperation, educational exchanges, and talent cultivation. Soberón, Bojalil, and Murbartián all stated that there are extensive opportunities for cooperation with Nanjing University in multiple disciplinary fields, and they respectively introduced the situations of their institutions, hoping to use this discussion as a new starting point to jointly enhance scientific research capabilities and international influence.
Tan Tieniu presenting a commemorative gift to the Academia Mexicana de Ciencias
Roundtable discussion with Soberón and others
Subsequently, Tan Tieniu and his delegation visited Xinhua Latin America Bureau, holding discussions with Director Jiang Yan and others. Tan Tieniu reviewed the fruitful results achieved between NJU and Xinhua News Agency in talent cultivation, academic exchanges, platform construction, and other fields, and expressed gratitude for Xinhua News Agency's support in promoting NJU and enhancing its influence and reputation. He pointed out that NJU has always adhered to breathing with the times and sharing the destiny of the nation, accumulating deep foundations in regional and country studies, international communication talent cultivation, and other fields, making important contributions to national prosperity and national rejuvenation, which highly aligns with Xinhua News Agency's original aspiration of "telling China's stories well and serving national development." Jiang Yan warmly welcomed the NJU delegation's visit and highly recognized NJU's advantages in basic research and talent cultivation. Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation in personnel exchanges, student internships and practical training, joint think tank construction, and other aspects, jointly making new and greater contributions to strengthening China-Latin America humanistic exchanges and promoting the construction of national international communication capabilities.
Roundtable Discussion at Xinhua Latin America Bureau
This visit further deepened the cooperative relationship between Nanjing University and key universities and research institutions in Latin America, expanded new space for international cooperation, and enhanced NJU's international reputation and influence. Relevant personnel from the School of Sustainable Energy and Resources, School of Astronomy and Space Science, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, School of Social and Behavioral Sciences and International Affairs Office accompanied the visit.
