November 27, 2025 | Chengdu—A delegation from Durham University Business School, led by Prof. Sarah Xiao, Head of the Department of Management and Marketing, and Prof. Xinming He, International Coordinator, visited the School of Economics and Management (SEM) on Thursday for a fruitful meeting on deepening international cooperation.

The talks were attended by key university and school leaders, including Dr. YANG Anwen, Deputy Director of the Office of International Cooperation and Exchanges, and Ms. LIU Ying, Director, Office of Academic Affairs, Graduate School from Southwest Jiaotong University. They were joined by the leadership of SEM, including Secretary of the Party Committee Ms. JIANG Jia, Dean Prof. HAN Ke, Associate Dean Prof. LI Liang, and directors from the school’s education and administrative centers. The meeting was moderated by Ms. JIANG.

Ms. JIANG moderates the meeting

Prof. YANG outlines the university’s internationalization strategy

On behalf of the university, Prof. YANG extended a warm welcome to the Durham delegation. He provided an overview of Southwest Jiaotong University’s long history, its deep-rooted international DNA, and its multidisciplinary development strategy focused on “Excellence in Engineering, a Strong Foundation in Sciences, and Revitalization of the Humanities.” He emphasized that the university is vigorously advancing its internationalization strategy by encouraging high-level partnerships with world-renowned institutions, and expressed his hope that this meeting would serve as a catalyst for establishing a solid collaborative relationship with Durham.

Dean HAN introduces the School and outlines prospects for cooperation

Welcoming the delegation on behalf of SEM, Dean HAN briefly introduced the school’s foundational history and deep industry connections, highlighting its prominent strength in fields such as Management Science and Engineering. He noted that enhancing internationalization is a key growth driver for the school and expressed his hope that the talks would open a new chapter of cooperation for both institutions.

Representatives from both institutions present overviews of their respective schools

Following the welcome remarks, Prof. XIAO and Prof. HE delivered a detailed presentation on Durham University’s rich history, its unique collegiate system, the business school's strong academic reputation, and its international features. Building on this in-depth exchange, both sides engaged in a productive discussion on future prospects, shared perspectives on deepening the relationship between the two schools, and reached a preliminary consensus on potential areas of cooperation.

A group photo concludes the successful meeting

The meeting, which concluded in a friendly and pragmatic atmosphere, not only deepened mutual understanding but also laid a solid foundation for future international cooperation between the two business schools.