Senior representatives of China’s Hangzhou Dianzi University (HDU) visited Frederick University on Tuesday, 28 July, for a strategic meeting with the University's Rectorate and senior officials, aimed at strengthening cooperation between the two institutions.

Frederick University has already established a partnership with the Hangzhou Dianzi University, Information Engineering College (HZIEE)  to offer a joint undergraduate programme in Computer Science in China, commencing in September.

HDU is a public research university based in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang Province, China, and is widely recognised as one of the region's leading universities. With particular strengths in computer science and engineering, HDU maintains close ties with Hangzhou's technology sector and innovation ecosystem, one of China's foremost technology hubs. The University is especially renowned for educating highly skilled professionals in technology and innovation and is regarded as a leading incubator of entrepreneurship and technological advancement.

The meeting was attended, on behalf of HDU, by Mr Wang Yaoxiang, Chairman of the University Council; Professor Wu Jian, Director of the International Office; Professor Wu Huifeng, Dean of the School of Computer Science; Professor Chen Long, Associate Dean of the School of Electronic Information; Professor Guan Liming, Dean of the College of Information Engineering; and Professor Simon Su, Honorary Professor of the University. Representing Frederick University were Professor George Demosthenous, Rector; Professor Michalis Komodromos, Vice Rector for Research, Development and International Relations; Professor Costas Kyriakou, Vice Rector for Academic Affairs and Quality Assurance; Professor Christos Themistos, Dean of the School of Engineering; Professor Andreas Poullikkas, member of the academic staff of the School of Engineering; and Dr Harris Papadopoulos, member of the academic staff of the Department of Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering and Informatics and Coordinator of the joint Computer Science programme.

Welcoming the delegation, Professor George Demosthenous, Rector of Frederick University, gave a brief overview of higher education in Cyprus and outlined the University's vision for expanding its collaboration with HDU: "The existing collaboration between our institutions has created a strong basis of mutual trust, academic understanding and institutional confidence. We see your visit as an opportunity to further deepen this relationship and to explore together the next steps of a broader and more ambitious partnership. We are confident that, through constructive dialogue and mutual understanding, we can build a partnership that will be of strategic value to both institutions and beneficial to our students, faculty, and wider academic communities”.

Professor Andreas Poullikkas presented an overview of the collaboration between the two institutions, highlighting the significant progress already achieved and the positive momentum that has developed. He also outlined opportunities for expanding cooperation in both academic and research activities, with a particular focus on joint initiatives, programmes and projects of mutual interest, as well as the development of additional joint degree programmes in various engineering disciplines to be offered at HDU. The HDU delegation expressed their strong appreciation for the collaboration to date, noting that the joint Computer Science programme is the first joint undergraduate programme offered by their institution. They also highlighted the enthusiasm of the Chinese students who have been admitted to the programme and will commence their studies in the upcoming academic semester.

Mr Wang Yaoxiang, Chair of the HDU University Council, stated: "This visit has further strengthened the longstanding partnership between Hangzhou Dianzi University and Frederick University. We are particularly pleased to see the successful launch of the Bachelor's Programme in Computer Science jointly delivered by Hangzhou Dianzi University Information Engineering College and Frederick University. The programme has attracted an outstanding first cohort of students, with admission results exceeding our expectations, demonstrating both its strong appeal and the shared commitment of our two institutions to developing internationally competitive talent. Building on this success, we look forward to expanding our collaboration by introducing additional joint academic programmes and jointly establishing a Sino-foreign Cooperative Education Institute. We envision this institute as a comprehensive platform integrating high-quality education, scientific research, technological innovation, entrepreneurship, and international exchange. At the same time, we look forward to further strengthening our cooperation in postgraduate education by exploring joint supervision and training opportunities for Master's and PhD students, while expanding collaboration in research, innovation, and academic exchange. We are confident that these initiatives will elevate our partnership to a new level and serve as a model for China–Cyprus cooperation in higher education. Together, we can make meaningful contributions to talent development, scientific advancement, and innovation, while fostering stronger educational and people-to-people ties between our two countries."

During the meeting, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed by the Rector of Frederick University and the Dean of HZIEE. The Memorandum provides for a range of collaborative activities, including the exchange of know-how and best practices in education, research collaboration, the provision of scholarships, and the implementation of exchange programmes.

The delegation's visit also included high-level meetings with government officials. On Tuesday, 28 July, the delegation and the Rector of Frederick University met with Dr Athena Michaelidou, Minister of Education, Sport and Youth, who welcomed the collaboration between the two institutions and expressed the Ministry's support as part of its internationalisation strategy. On Wednesday, 29 July, the delegation met with Dr Nicodemos Damianou, Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, who highlighted the Deputy Ministry’s bilateral cooperation with China and expressed support for academic and research partnerships, such as the collaboration between Frederick University and HDU.