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The University of Sussex and the University of Sussex Business School recently welcomed a senior delegation from the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) during an official visit to the United Kingdom.

The delegation was led by Mr Baoying Huang, Chair of the University Council, and included Professor Tianyi Wang, Dean of the School of Finance; Professor Bo Wang, Vice Dean of the School of Artificial Intelligence and Data Science; Ms Yuan Huo, Deputy Director of the Office of International Cooperation and Exchange; and Dr Chenxing Jing from the School of Finance.

The visit marked an important step in strengthening collaboration between the two institutions following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in December 2025. During the visit, Sussex and UIBE signed a Letter of Intent outlining plans for deeper academic cooperation and a long-term partnership.

The agreement focuses on expanding collaboration between the Business School and three key UIBE schools: Finance, Economics, and Artificial Intelligence & Data Science. Discussions explored opportunities for joint curriculum development, innovative teaching approaches, enhanced student experience, research collaboration, and academic quality assurance.

The UIBE delegation was welcomed by Professor Sasha Roseneil, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sussex, and Professor Robin Banerjee, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Global and Civic Engagement). Academic discussions were chaired by Professor Banerjee and also brought together colleagues from across the Business School, including:

• Professor Ingrid Woolard, Executive Dean of the Business School;
• Dr Xiaoxiang Zhang, Associate Dean (Global and Civic Engagement);
• Professor Gonul Colak, Head of Accounting and Finance;
• Professor Sambit Bhattacharyya, Head of Economics;
• Professor Vassiliki Bamiatzi, Head of Strategy and Marketing;
• Professor Adrian Smith, Associate Dean for Research and Innovation;
• Dr Rashaad Shabab, Associate Dean for Education and Students; and
• Dr Casey Chen from the Department of Accounting and Finance.

During the visit, both institutions also discussed opportunities to develop joint research platforms, expand academic exchange programmes, and strengthen collaboration with industry partners. These initiatives aim to build a comprehensive partnership spanning education, research, and innovation.

Professor Sasha Roseneil noted that Sussex values collaboration with leading global institutions and recognises UIBE as a distinguished partner with strong expertise in economics and business education. She emphasised that the partnership represents an important opportunity to deepen UK–China academic exchange and contribute to addressing shared global challenges.

Chair Huang Baoying highlighted the strong alignment between the two universities in academic strengths, internationalisation strategies, and educational vision. He noted that the Letter of Intent marks a new stage in cooperation and expressed hope that the institutions will work together to develop high-quality joint education initiatives in areas such as digital intelligence and finance, helping to cultivate globally oriented talent for the digital future.

A reciprocal visit by a Sussex delegation to UIBE is planned in the coming weeks, during which both sides will continue to develop the partnership and explore further opportunities for collaboration.

Through initiatives such as this, the University of Sussex and the Business School continue to expand their global engagement and strengthen partnerships with leading international institutions.