On October 16, Vice President Wang Chongchun of Shanghai University, along with other members of the delegation, visited Okayama University's Tsushima campus and paid a courtesy visit to President NASU Yasutomo.

The purpose of the visit was to discuss matters related to the universities' collaboration agreement and to exchange opinions in advance regarding the annual "Japan-China Medical Exchange Forum." During the meeting, Vice Executive Director SATOH Norito (in charge of Research and Industry-Academia Collaboration), Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Senior URA, and Associate Professor Huang Peng from the university's Neutron Therapy Research Center were also present. They discussed potential plans to promote educational exchange, including human resource development in the humanities and social sciences, based on the inter-university agreement. Further discussions were held on expanding the scope of medical exchange between the two universities.

During the meeting, President Nasu commented, "Last month, as a representative of the National University Corporation Association of Japan, I participated in the '2024 International Forum on Higher Education' held in China, where I introduced the activities of Japan’s national universities. In the subsequent discussions, there were active exchanges on various topics, including not only human resource development but also strengthening research and development. I sense that Japan and China share some common challenges, as well as similar expectations of universities. Moving forward, I hope we can continue to promote the development of new value and human resources, leveraging our respective strengths." Vice President Wang expressed his gratitude for the past exchanges with Okayama University and shared updates on the new medical school and the management of research centers in the humanities and social sciences at Shanghai University.

After the meeting, the delegation toured the Tsushima campus, including visiting the Okayama Visionary Commons (OUX) and other facilities.

Okayama University and Shanghai University signed a collaboration agreement in May 2023. The two institutions have been conducting various exchanges based on a commitment to research integrity, ensuring the soundness, fairness, and security of academic internationalization and openness. Moving forward, both universities plan to strengthen their research capabilities and innovation, as well as nurture human resources to support academia under the principles of research integrity. We look forward to continued progress in these areas, and to the ongoing efforts of Okayama University as a regional hub and distinctive research university.

○Shanghai University
Shanghai University, a national university in Shanghai, China, is jointly operated by the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China and the Shanghai Municipal Government. It is one of the "211 Project" universities, a designation for key national universities. Founded in 1922, the university has undergone several mergers, and in 1994, it was formed through the consolidation of Shanghai Industrial University, Shanghai University of Science and Technology, and other institutions. The university currently has three large campuses in Shanghai, with 30 faculties and 86 majors, including fields such as literature, philosophy, economics, law, science, engineering, and the arts.

Currently, the university has approximately 3,100 faculty members and researchers with doctoral degrees, as well as 20,500 undergraduate students, 16,500 graduate students, and 16,000 adult learners. Over 15,000 international students from 115 countries have graduated, with approximately 3,000 international students currently enrolled. In recent years, Shanghai University has seen significant growth in education and research, and was ranked first in mainland China in the "World's Top Young Universities" by the UK-based QS World University Rankings. The university's first president, Wei-zang Chien (1913-2010), known as the "Father of China's Mechanics," was a renowned scientist who had a significant impact on solid mechanics and rational mechanics.