Our college leads the establishment of a joint laboratory for sustainable development with the University of Waikato, New Zealand.

On November 17, 2025, Prof. Chen Xiangsheng, President of the Academy and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and Prof. Geoffrey Holmes, Deputy Vice Chancellor of the Department of Science and Technology of the University of Waikato, New Zealand, on behalf of the two universities, signed the “SZU-University of Waikato Joint Laboratory for Sustainable Development Cooperation Agreement”. This cooperation aims to promote scientific research and advanced technology research and development in the fields of ecological environment sustainability such as soil and water degradation mechanism and restoration, ocean and deep geothermal energy utilization, intelligent construction, intelligent transportation, etc., and to build a high-level international scientific research cooperation and international innovative talent training base.

Mr. Chao Naipeng, Vice President of SZU, met with the guests and witnessed the signing ceremony, discussing the signing of the contract as an opportunity to promote in-depth cooperation between the two universities in the areas of talent cultivation, scientific research and achievement transformation. Representatives from the University of Waikato's China Co-operative Education Business Development Program and representatives from SZU's Department of International Exchange and Cooperation, School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, and School of Artificial Intelligence participated in the meeting and witnessed the signing ceremony.

New Zealand is the first western developed country to sign a document with China on strengthening cooperation related to the Belt and Road Initiative. Founded in 1964, The University of Waikato is one of New Zealand's eight government-funded public universities, with more than 12,500 students and 2,200 international students from more than 70 countries around the world. The University of Waikato has a strong reputation in the fields of management, law, computing, natural sciences and education. The University of Waikato cooperates with a number of universities in China to set up Chinese-foreign cooperative education institutions and programs. Ranked 281st globally in the QS World University Rankings 2026, with 13 subjects ranked in the top 300 (top 1%) globally.

In June this year, Academician Chen Xiangsheng, President of the Academy, was invited to visit the University of Waikato. During the visit, the two sides reached a preliminary cooperation intention on the establishment of a joint laboratory in the field of sustainable development.

Contributed by: Fei Jianbo

First review: Lu Qiuyue

Second reviewer: Zuo Yingzi

Third review: Zuo Yingzi