From June 14 to 16, StijnCoenen, President of ThomasMore University of Applied Sciences in Belgium, visited Xi’an Medical University to discuss future cooperation. Party Committee Deputy Secretary and President Gong Shouping, as well as Vice President Li Xueping, attended the meeting.

Li Xueping reviewed the fruitful academic and cultural exchanges between the two universities and the deep friendship between Shaanxi Province and Antwerp. She also introduced the basic profile of Xi’an Medical university and our efforts in international cooperation and education. She noted that President Xi Jinping has called for building more “bridges”  between China and Europe. In this spirit, the two universities should work together to deepen student and faculty exchange programs through diligence, pragmatism, and mutual trust, while exploring medium-and long-term cooperation models in various fields.

Gong Shouping welcomed President Coenen warmly. He highlighted that Coenen chose our university as the sole destination of his first visit to China demonstrating a sincere commitment and deep appreciation for the friendship between the two institutions. Over the past eight years, the two universities have continuously explored and achieved notable outcomes. Based on this strong foundation, the two sides should further enhancing cooperation, expanding educational exchange opportunities under the EU framework, and promoting joint teaching and research programs. He emphasized integrating international resources into programs such as ICC project to build a solid core partnership.

Coenen expressed his sincere gratitude for the warm welcome and shared an overview of ThomasMore University. He noted that ThomasMore University is the largest university of applied sciences in the Flanders region, a member of the KU Leuven Association, and the current chair unit of the European University of Applied Sciences Network (HEROES). The university maintains collaborative relations with hundreds of institutions worldwide, and Xi’an Medical University is one of its most important partners in China. He expressed the hope that this visit would further deepening the friendship, reaffirming his commitment to collaboration, and serving as a model for international exchanges for faculty and students. He pledged strong support for ongoing and future joint projects. Coenen also introduced upcoming visiting scholar opportunities for our university and the new round of EU “Erasmus+” student exchange programs. He elaborated on the internationalization goals outlined inThomasMore University’s strategic plan.

After the meeting, the two sides signed a Letter of Intent to establish a core partnership. Representatives from the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Nursing and Rehabilitation and Office of International Cooperation and Exchange participated in the meeting.

During the visit, Coenen visited the Second Affiliated Hospital, the School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, and the Human Science Museum.