Soochow University and Université Grenoble-Alpes Forge Stronger Ties with New Memorandum of Understanding

A delegation from the prestigious Université Grenoble-Alpes (UGA), France, led by President Yassine Lakhnech, visited Soochow University (SU) on July 18. SU President Zhang Qiao met with the delegation. Attendees included Tao Yuguang, Fourth-Level Researcher from the Suzhou Foreign Affairs Office; Chen Yao, Director of the European and African Affairs Division; Li Yanguang, Director of the SU Office of International Cooperation and Exchange; Lu Xun, Vice Dean of the College of Foreign Languages; Zhong Zhiyuan, Dean of the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences; Xu Guoqiang, Vice Dean; and Deng Pan, Dean’s Assistant.

President Zhang Qiao welcomed the delegation. He highlighted the existing strong foundation for the cooperation between the two universities, emphasizing the alignment in talent cultivation, disciplinary structure, research focus, and industrial needs. “Looking ahead, we are eager to engage in multi-level, interdisciplinary collaboration across education, research, and industry,” President Zhang stated, “Our common goal is to build a globally competitive talent development system and drive scientific innovation and industrial advancement together.”

UGA President Yassine Lakhnech expressed gratitudefor the warm reception and reviewed the collaborative achievements between the UGA and SU College of Pharmaceutical Sciences. He emphasized that the visit aimed to explore deeper cooperation, reaffirming UGA’s commitment to maintaining its strong partnership with SU. “We hope to actively promote substantive collaboration in faculty-student exchanges, joint talent training, and industry-academia-research initiatives,” President Lakhnech stated.

The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding formally solidified the shared commitment to enhance inter-university cooperation, with a particular focus on strengthening joint efforts in talent development, scientific research, and the translation of research outcomes.

Professor Zhong Zhiyuan, Dean of the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, accompanied the UGA delegation on a tour of the Soochow University Museum, showcasing SU’s history in talent development, research, social service, and cultural innovation. Following the tour, detailed discussions centered on expanding faculty and student exchanges, joint postgraduate programs, and academic-industrial partnerships. Both sides are focused on jointly creating an internationally competitive talent cultivation system and fostering robust industry-academia-research collaborations in this field.

The collaboration between the Pharmacy faculties of UGA and SU has been consistently strong since its inception. Key milestones include:

·  Multiple visits by UGA Faculty of Pharmacy delegations to SU since 2016.

·  Prof. Michel Sève, Dean of UGA’s Faculty of Pharmacy, participated in the “International Forum on Pharmaceutical Research and Education” at Soochow University in 2017.

·  Successful joint application for the EU Erasmus+ Key Action 1 multilateral joint master's program in 2019.

These interactions have not only advanced academic cooperation in pharmaceutical sciences but also served as a vital link reinforcing the sister-city relationship between Suzhou and Grenoble, creating a powerful synergy between institutional partnership and city diplomacy, fostering comprehensive linkages in research, education, and industry.

About Université Grenoble-Alpes (UGA):

Université Grenoble-Alpes (UGA) is a leading French research university and a permanent member of France's “Initiatives d’Excellence” (IDEX). Ranked within the global top 150 (Top 5 in France) in the 2024 Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), UGA is a core member of the world’s 7th largest DeepTech innovation ecosystem, leveraging its location in Grenoble, known as the “European Silicon Valley”.  In pharmaceutical sciences, UGA excels in drug discovery, molecular biology, and clinical research, supported by outstanding research capabilities, collaborative innovation, and a strong technology transfer network, solidifying its leadership in cutting-edge medical science and driving new momentum for the biopharmaceutical industry.