Strategic Partnership Established Between Tsinghua and the University of California at Berkeley

By Li Han

Professor Robert J. Birgeneau, Chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley, visited Tsinghua University on October 30th. Tsinghua President Chen Jining held discussions with Professor Birgeneau, exchanging ideas on the further promotion of cooperation between the two universities. An Agreement on Strategic Partnership between Tsinghua and UC Berkeley, was signed on the same day.

Tsinghua University President Chen Jining speaks on the signing ceremony.

Professor Birgeneau speaks on the signing ceremony.

On the basis of extensive cooperation and exchange between the two universities, a decision was made to develop a strategic partnership, turning over a new page in the relations between the two sides.

In 1979, Tsinghua and the UC Berkeley signed an academic exchange agreement. In more than 30 years since then, the two universities have collaborated in areas which include energy, the environment, health, and economic and social development. The ‘Berkeley Week at Tsinghua’ and ‘Tsinghua Week at Berkeley’ events provided opportunities for faculty members and students from the two universities to meet and strengthen academic and cultural ties, while promoting cooperation in various fields.

During his stay, Professor Birgeneau visited several parts of the campus, including a special tour of the Tsinghua–Foxconn Nanotechnology Research Center. Professor Birgeneau became the ninth chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley, on September 22nd, 2004, and is an internationally distinguished physicist and a leader in higher education, who is well known for his commitment to diversity and equity in the academic community.