On the afternoon of July 4, the signing ceremony for cooperation between SCMU and Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) was held at the Academic Exchange Center. You Zheng, President of HUST and Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Wen Jinyu, Member of the Standing Committee of the HUST Party Committee and Vice‑President; Xu Yeqin, Secretary of our SCMU Party Committee, Liu Yi, Deputy Secretary of our SCMU Party Committee and President, Qin Rui and Fang Debin, Members of the Standing Committee of our SCMU Party Committee and Vice‑Presidents, attended the signing ceremony.

Signing ceremony venue. Photo by Tian Yuan

The ceremony was presided over by Xu Yeqin. He extended a warm welcome to Academician You Zheng and his delegation, and expressed sincere gratitude to HUST for its generous support over the years. He pointed out that HUST has long provided robust support for our university with its strong disciplinary strengths, top‑tier faculty and high‑quality research platforms, injecting strong impetus into our high‑quality development. Particularly following the bilateral meeting between the two universities in November 2025, both sides maintained continuous communication on key matters including joint talent training, disciplinary upgrading, collaborative research and faculty co‑development, yielding remarkable outcomes. This signing marks a vital step for the two institutions to consolidate consensus on cooperation, deepen all‑round coordinated development, and jointly advance the dual national strategies of building China into a powerhouse in education and fostering the sense of community for the Chinese nation, carrying far‑reaching significance.

In his address, Liu Yi remarked that as a top‑tier higher‑education institution, HUST has rendered comprehensive and in‑depth support and assistance to SCMU with an open‑minded and pragmatic approach. He expressed the hope that the signing would serve as a new starting point for further broadening and deepening cooperation to achieve win‑win results and boost the overall advancement of SCMU’s development capacity. He put forward four proposals for delivering tangible outcomes under the cooperation agreement: translate cooperation priorities into itemized tasks and concrete projects; establish regular communication mechanisms to ensure efficient cooperation; pursue development through collaboration to jointly respond to the contemporary proposition “What should universities do for building an education powerhouse?”; and strengthen service support to foster a sound ecosystem for win‑win cooperation.

Subsequently, witnessed by leaders from both sides, Wen Jinyu signed theStrategic Cooperation Agreement between Huazhong University of Science and Technology and South‑Central Minzu University and theCooperation Agreement on Joint Undergraduate Training between Huazhong University of Science and Technology and South‑Central Minzu University together with Fang Debin and Qin Rui respectively.

Signing between the two universities. Photo byTian Yuan

In his concluding remarks, You Zheng noted that the two universities enjoy geographical proximity, close human ties, shared missions and complementary strengths. The strategic cooperation features clear objectives and pragmatic measures. The signing represents not only a practical move aligned with national strategic needs, but also a heartfelt commitment for brother universities to pursue long‑term development hand‑in‑hand. He stated that HUST will give full play to its strengths, integrate the distinctive advantages of South‑Central Minzu University in ethnic higher education, boost joint talent cultivation via interdisciplinary integration and empower social services through collaborative research. Both sides will strive to build a model for coordinated development among universities under central ministries and commissions, and contribute greater wisdom and strength to building China into an education powerhouse.

In‑depth discussions on specific cooperative initiatives were also held during the meeting. Under the strategic cooperation agreement, the two sides will carry out in‑depth cooperation in talent training, disciplinary development, scientific research, faculty development, resource sharing, and education on “fostering the sense of community” for the Chinese nation. In terms of joint undergraduate training, HUST will admit 100 academically outstanding undergraduates from our university each year for exchange studies in its flagship majors, and offer support in areas such as postgraduate recommendation.

After the meeting, You Zheng and his delegation visited SCMU’s Museum of Ethnology. Responsible officials from relevant functional departments and colleges of both universities took part in the day’s events.

Editor‑in‑charge: Liu Qiong Reviewed by: Lei Changsheng Uploaded by: Liu Hong Release Date: July 6, 2026