On April 7, a delegation from Otago Polytechnic, New Zealand, comprising Ying Mao, International Business Development Manager; Shaun Li, Transnational Education Advisor; and John Findlay, Principal Lecturer from the College of Construction and Life Sciences, visited Hunan Institute of Engineering (HIE). The visit focused on conducting on-site inspections and in-depth discussions regarding the collaborative establishment of the Hunan Institute of Engineering – Otago Polytechnic Joint Institute (hereinafter referred to as the "Otago Institute").
During the visit, the delegation first toured the College of Mechanical Engineering, where they received a detailed briefing from the program leader on the development of the mechanical engineering program. They conducted on-site inspections of the functional layout and operational status of the PLC Laboratory, Mechanical Design Laboratory, and Virtual Simulation Laboratory. Subsequently, the delegation visited the university's canteens, teaching areas, and office spaces, gaining insight into the campus environment and educational atmosphere of HIE.
Following the on-site inspections, a dedicated symposium was held in Conference Room E105 to deliberate on the construction of the Sino-New Zealand cooperative education institution. Luo Yiping, University Council member, Vice President, and Head of the Otago Institute Preparatory Working Group, attended the meeting. He expressed confidence in the broad development prospects of the cooperative education institution and conveyed high expectations for its success. Subsequently, Cao Liying, Deputy Head of the Otago Institute Preparatory Working Group, delivered a special report on the preparatory progress of the Otago Institute, elaborating in detail on the work plan for the next phase.
The delegation from Otago Polytechnic highly commended the outcomes of this visit, expressing strong recognition of HIE's well-established educational conditions, excellent campus environment, and solid work in program development. They fully appreciated the speed and tangible effectiveness of the preparatory work for the Otago Institute. The delegation noted that this visit had further facilitated communication channels between the two institutions and expressed confidence in the depth and breadth of the cooperation. Both sides reached consensus on key issues related to the establishment of the cooperative education institution, laying a solid foundation for the smooth construction and future stable operation of the Otago Institute.
All members of the Otago Institute Preparatory Working Group and representative faculty from relevant programs attended the exchange activities.
(Reviewed by: Yang Huan, Cao Liying, Liu Dongbo)
