Verna Yiu, provost and vice-president of the University of Alberta (U of A) in Canada and Cen Huang, vice-provost and associate vice-president of U of A, visited Zhengzhou University on July 2.
Both parties held a meeting and signed a cooperation memorandum of understanding, a framework agreement for the "2+2" undergraduate program in economics, and an academic cooperation agreement for the University Preparation Program under the 1+3 joint training project.
In her speech, Li Peng, president of ZZU, said that ZZU has a rich history and culture, a large-scale talent cultivation system, and strong research and innovation capabilities. After nearly a century of development, the university has forged distinct advantages in various fields. It has established friendly cooperative relationships with more than 270 universities in 52 countries and regions, gradually forming a comprehensive and open international education pattern.
She emphasized that as a top research university in Canada, U of A has outstanding advantages in disciplines such as medicine, energy, and engineering, and enjoys a good reputation in international education. She expressed hope that the signing of these agreements would serve as an opportunity for both sides to expand cooperation in the fields of medicine, engineering, and other disciplines, achieve complementary advantages, and deepen their strategic partnership.
Yiu expressed gratitude for the warm reception from ZZU and introduced the basic situation at U of A. She said that internationalization is one of the university's foundational principles, and it values strategic cooperation with ZZU, looking forward to more collaboration in student exchanges, faculty exchanges, research cooperation, and other areas.
U of A, founded in 1908, is ranked 94th in the QS World University Rankings 2026 and enjoys a strong international reputation in humanities, sciences, creative arts, business, engineering, and health sciences.