Date: June 5, 2020
Source: Liaison Office
Author: Huang Yanan, Zheng Fan
Photographer: Chen Lian

The signing ceremony for strategic cooperation between Jinan University and Aier Eye Hospital Group, a Hunan-based company that seeks expansion, was held in the alumni building on June 5. The two sides signed the cooperation agreement and officially opened three jointly built hospitals in Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Dongguan, critical cities in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The two sides will work together to establish JNU and Aier Optometry Medical School, one of a series of cooperation programs, as they seek to build a first-class, internationally renowned industry-university-research platform for ophthalmology. Present at the ceremony were JNU Party Secretary Lin Rupeng; President Song Xianzhong, Vice Presidents Ye Wencai and Hong An; and, from Aier, Chairman Chen Bang, Global President Li Li, and President Zhang Yuewen.
 

(Lin Rupeng speaking)
Lin expressed hope that both sides could take this opportunity to give full play to the institutional advantages of university-industry cooperation and promote the development of ophthalmology. At the same time, he said he expected that through this strategic cooperation, the two sides would share resources in medicine, education and research; connect industrial capital with high-quality educational resources; and realize a win-win outcome by strengthening medical education at JNU and eye care at Aier.
 

(Chen Bang speaking)
Chen stressed that the strategic cooperation between JNU and Aier has met with a rare historical opportunity as China now works actively to promote the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Belt and Road Initiative. He added that the Aier Eye Hospitals newly built in Guangdong would make full use of the Aier group's global network and international advantages, as well as JNU's strong faculty and research capabilities, to achieve the coordinated development of medicine, teaching and research and enhance the hospitals' clinical research capabilities. In this way, he said, Aier is expected to be the first-class international ophthalmology center in the Greater Bay Area, to the benefit of both Aier and JNU, allowing both to earn a greater reputation and influence internationally.

(Song Xianzhong and Li Li signing a framework agreement)
 

(The opening ceremony of three hospitals affiliated with Jinan University: Guangzhou Aier Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Aier Eye Hospital and Dongguan Aier Eye Hospital)