Shanghai, June 10 - A distinguished delegation from the University of York, led by Royal Academy of Engineering Fellow Professor Andy Tyrrell FREng, visited ECUST for comprehensive discussions on academic collaboration. Upon this visit, two universities have reached an initial consensus on the cooperation in Joint-Multi Degree program, Intelligent Manufacturing and Bioengineering (Biopharmaceuticals) two majors. The delegation included Professor Stephen Smith, Dean of the School of Physics, Engineering and Technology, Dr. Zhu Jihong, Assistant Professor in Robotics, Dr. Hadi El Daou and Ms. Feng Haiyue from the China Office.
ECUST Vice President Yan Haifeng warmly welcomed the visitors, accompanied by key faculty members including Professor Shi Hongbo, Vice Chairman of the Council of School of Information Science and Engineering (SISE), Mr. Li Xiaopeng, Dean of the College of International Education (CIE), Professors Lu Jingyi and Gu Zhen and Ms. Shi Xiaoman, International Program Director of CIE.

During the welcoming ceremony, Vice President Yan Haifeng extended a warm welcome to the delegation and provided an overview of ECUST’s recent developments and scientific achievements. He emphasized the potential for collaboration, stating: “This partnership should deepen synergistic innovation across multiple areas including joint research projects, international talent cultivation, and shared academic resources.” Professor Andy Tyrrell FREng expressed his honor at visiting ECUST for the first time, mentioning the strong academic atmosphere, outstanding research accomplishments and the intellectual vitality displayed by ECUST’s faculty and students. He further posed his expectations for strengthening the bilateral relationship and laying solid foundations for cooperation in engineering applications and joint student training programs.


The York delegation toured several advanced laboratories in SISE, where they gained firsthand insight into ECUST’s cutting-edge research in relevant fields. The tour provided valuable opportunities for technical exchange and demonstration of ECUST’s research capabilities.

As part of the visit, Professor Tyrrell and his team from University of York delivered an academic lecture on robotics technology applications. The session included lively Q&A interactions, allowing ECUST students and faculty to engage directly with the visiting scholars and learn about international research trends in artificial intelligence.

[Institution Information]
The University of York, established in 1963, is a renowned public research university located in Yorkshire, England. As a member of the prestigious Russell Group, it has been awarded Gold rating in the UK’s Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF 2023). The university ranks among the top 10 in the UK for research quality (REF 2021) and leads the Russell Group in student satisfaction with academic support (2024 National Student Survey).