On 14 May, a delegation led by Susannah Roddick, Vice-Chancellor of Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, visited our university. The two sides held friendly talks on deepening international exchanges and expanding practical cooperation, and conducted an on-site inspection of the relevant facilities at the School of Intelligent Engineering, which is the venue for the joint Sino-foreign programme. Vice-Chancellor Li Zhenghui attended the symposium and delivered an address, whilst relevant officials from the International Exchange Office and the School of Intelligent Engineering also participated in the discussions.
On behalf of the university, Li Zhenghui extended a warm welcome to the guests. He outlined the university’s educational mission, disciplinary strengths and vision for international development. He noted that, as an applied undergraduate institution, the university remains committed to expanding avenues for international cooperation in education and looks forward to further deepening collaboration with Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology in New Zealand in areas such as joint curriculum development and joint student training, with a view to jointly establishing a model for Sino-New Zealand educational cooperation.
Susannah Roddick reviewed the history of exchanges and cooperation between the two institutions and spoke highly of the significant role Zhejiang University of Water Resources and Electric power has long played in promoting bilateral cooperation, optimising teaching resources and cultivating applied professionals. She expressed her hope for deeper collaboration in areas such as talent development, innovation in teaching and research, and cultural exchanges, with a view to jointly nurturing high-calibre applied professionals for the new era.
The head of the School of Intelligent Engineering reported on the school’s development, and both parties focused their discussions on topics such as disciplinary development and talent cultivation objectives in the AI era. Subsequently, the delegation toured the Qiantang Campus and visited some of the smart classrooms at the School of Intelligent Engineering. Through in-depth exchanges and thorough discussions, both sides further consolidated their shared consensus on jointly advancing the high-quality development ofthe School of Intelligent Engineering.
The collaboration between Zhejiang University of Water Resources and Electric power and Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (New Zealand) is a significant achievement resulting from both institutions’ response to the China–New Zealand Education and Cultural Exchange Initiative. In 2005, the two institutions established friendly cooperative relations, initiating exchanges between staff and students as well as joint academic programme development. In May 2025, the Nelson Marlborough School of Intelligent Engineering, a joint venture between the two institutions, was officially approved by the Ministry of Education.In September 2026, the College will welcome its first cohort of students, marking the entry of the joint programme into its substantive operational phase.
