The year 2026 marks the 120th anniversary of the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology (USST) and the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Sino-British College (SBC). On the morning of 19 May, a delegation of nine, led by Robert Molloy, Finance Director of Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), and Alderman Gary Millar, President and Chairman of the Liverpool China Partnership, visited SBC. ZHANG Hua, Vice President of USST and a member of the SBC Management Council, welcomed the delegation at the Administration Building on the Fuxing Road Campus. The meeting was attended by CHEN Qi, Director of the International Affairs Office of USST, the SBC Executive, as well as heads of internal departments and academic representatives of SBC. The meeting was chaired by CHEN Qi.
Meeting in Progress
On behalf of USST, ZHANG Hua extended a warm welcome to the delegation. He briefly introduced the University’s 120‑year heritage, its strengths in key academic disciplines, and its international development strategy. He fondly reviewed the two decades of deep collaboration and fruitful achievements shared between the two institutions. He noted that USST has consistently pursued an open approach to international education, with particularly outstanding outcomes from its partnerships with UK universities. Since the establishment of SBC in 2006, the two universities have worked closely together to deliver high‑quality engineering programmes, producing a large number of excellent engineering graduates with strong professional competence and a global outlook. He expressed the hope that, with the 20th anniversary of the partnership marking a new beginning, both sides would continue to expand the breadth and depth of their cooperation, bringing their friendly relationship to a higher level. He also sincerely invited Liverpool John Moores University to join USST in celebrating its 120th anniversary this October, and to look ahead together to the future, opening a new chapter in the partnership between the two universities.
Robert Molloy expressed his sincere gratitude for the warm reception. He spoke highly of USST’s academic strengths, its internationalisation strategy, and the achievements of SBC in collaborative education. He shared recent developments at LJMU, noting that the University has been honoured with the 2026 Queen Elizabeth Prize – the nation’s highest award for education. He observed that the two universities share a strong alignment in their commitment to high‑quality education, serving regional development, and advancing international education. With broad scope for collaboration, he looked forward to continuing practical, multi‑level cooperation between the two institutions, working together to promote high‑quality development in educational exchange.
A dedicated academic seminar was held between the two universities’ engineering teaching teams in the meeting room of the History Pavilion on the Fuxing Road Campus. Christian Matthews, Director of the School of Engineering and Built Environment at LJMU, together with colleagues from LJMU, and Adrian Chong, Head of the School of Engineering and Computing at SBC, along with SBC academic representatives, engaged in in-depth discussions on curriculum design, quality assurance in teaching and learning, and student development. LJMU shared its philosophy and practical experience in the framework for high‑quality teaching and learning and student experience landscape. Drawing on their own teaching contexts, both sides exchanged views on integrating artificial intelligence into engineering education, enhancing students’ employability and practical skills, improving responsive support services, and galvanising staff engagement.
Academic Seminar between the Engineering Teams of Both Sides
A launching ceremony for the 20th anniversary logo of the Sino-British College was held on site. ZHANG Hua and Robert Molloy jointly unveiled the logo. Centred on the number “20”, the design incorporates flowing ribbons and open pages. It both continues the 120‑year academic heritage of USST and reflects the international character of SBC. The logo symbolises the College’s determination to build on two decades of educational foundation and stride forward into a new era. It also carries the deep bond forged over twenty years of close cooperation between USST and LJMU, and the shared journey and vision of win‑win partnership.
Launching Ceremony of the 20th Anniversary Logo of SBC
The delegation then toured the History Pavilion of Fuxing Campus and the SBC campus, gaining an appreciation of the University’s heritage and the College’s campus culture. The delegation also met with LJMU students participating in the 2026 SBC International Summer School, listening attentively to their experiences of studying and living in Shanghai, and expressed strong recognition of the College’s international and educational environment.
Campus Tour
The visit of the Liverpool John Moores University delegation further consolidated the two decades of educational cooperation between the two universities and deepened their shared educational vision. It not only established an effective and practical platform for deeper collaboration in talent cultivation, research and innovation, and academic exchanges, but also laid a solid foundation for broader and more extensive future cooperation. The partnership is well positioned to move forward with greater impact and tangible outcomes.
Group Photo
