From July 19 to 20, President Cheng Haibo led a delegation to the United Kingdom to attend the 1st Global Alumni Forum of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine (NJUCM) and the European TCM Alumni Union Academic Conference, and to conduct a series of exchange activities. This visit aimed to deepen connections with overseas alumni, gather global alumni wisdom, and jointly chart a new chapter for the inheritance, innovation, and internationalized development of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
Opening Ceremony of the 1st Global Alumni Forum of NJUCM and the European TCM Alumni Union Academic Conference
On July 19, the 1st Global Alumni Forum of NJUCM and European TCM Alumni Union Academic Conference was held in Manchester, UK. Tang Rui, Consul General of the Chinese Consulate General in Manchester; Cllr Robin Garrido, Mayor of Salford; Cllr Faisal Rana, Mayor of Rochdale; and Tahir Rafiq, Mayor of Bury (Greater Manchester, UK) attended the event. Qin Xiangdong, Vice Consul General of the Chinese Consulate General in Manchester, and President Cheng Haibo delivered welcoming remarks at the opening ceremony.
In his speech, Cheng Haibo reviewed the university’s glorious history and outstanding development achievements, stating that the university is embracing the world with a more open attitude and continuously expanding the international influence of TCM higher education. He emphasized that alumni are the university’s precious wealth and an important bridge for TCM to reach the world. He hoped that through this forum, global alumni power would be further united, academic exchanges would be promoted, and joint efforts would be made to push the overseas inheritance of TCM to new heights. He stated that the university will continue to support the construction and development of overseas alumni associations, continuously build high-level, multi-dimensional, and deep-level international exchange platforms, and constantly expand the breadth and depth of global TCM cooperation, striving to create more opportunities and provide stronger support for alumni development. The university is willing to work with its vast alumni to stick to the roots of TCM, embrace the changes of the times, uphold fundamental principles and break new ground in inheritance, continue to develop in innovation, and jointly write a brand-new chapter of NJUCM stepping onto the world stage.
President Cheng Haibo delivering a speech
Prof. Tang Shulan, Chair of the NJUCM European Alumni Association, thanked her alma mater for its long-term support and help. She stated that the European Alumni Association will take this forum as an opportunity to continue playing its role as a bridge and link, gather the strength of European alumni, and boost the high-quality development of TCM overseas.
Group photo of attendees of the 1st Global Alumni Forum of NJUCM and the European TCM Alumni Union Academic Conference
The forum was hosted by NJUCM, organized by the NJUCM European Alumni Association and the university-affiliated Kanion Pharmaceutical, and co-organized by the European TCM Alumni Union. Themed “Inheritance, Innovation, Cooperation, and Development,” the forum brought together over 100 alumni representatives and industry experts and scholars from around the world, including the UK, the US, Canada, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, and Australia. Attendees renewed their friendships in the inheritance of TCM, shared academic innovation achievements, and engaged in in-depth discussions and exchanges on clinical practices and research explorations of TCM in various professional fields.
During their stay in the UK, President Cheng Haibo and his delegation visited King’s College London (KCL), touring the metabolism center, cardiovascular center, and renal disease center. They engaged in in-depth exchanges on talent cultivation and overseas talent recruitment, reaching several cooperative intentions.
Visiting the King’s College London
Exchange and discussion with King’s College London
This UK trip not only further strengthened the ties between NJUCM and its overseas alumni but also laid a solid foundation for the university’s academic exchanges and cooperation in Europe.
Principal officials from the President’s Office, the Human Resources Office, the Graduate School, the Office of International Cooperation and Exchanges, and the School of Artificial Intelligence and Information Technology accompanied the delegation on the visit.