On August 29, Professor Li Xun, Vice President of Lanzhou University, Dean of the Medical Faculty, and President of the First Hospital, led a seven-member delegation to the University of Oxford in the UK. The delegation engaged in academic exchanges with Professor Richard Hobbs, Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons and Vice President of the University of Oxford, as well as experts and scholars from the Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences and the Cancer Research Centre. The two sides held in-depth discussions in areas such as medical education, clinical training, and scientific research collaboration, aiming to build a high-level platform for international medical cooperation and achieve resource sharing and complementary advantages.

Professor Richard Hobbs extended a warm welcome to the delegation and expressed hope for comprehensive and multi-level collaboration with Lanzhou University, particularly in faculty and student exchanges, clinical cooperation, and joint research, to lay a foundation for future partnerships.

Professor Freddie Hamdy, Head of the Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, introduced the department’s history, disciplinary features, and talent development model. Professor Simon Buczacki, Colorectal Surgery Specialist, shared the latest innovations in scientific research and the operational mechanisms of multidisciplinary teams. Vice President Li Xun elaborated on the disciplinary layout and talent development plans of the Medical Faculty and the First Hospital, in line with Lanzhou University’s “Double First-Class” initiative and medical development strategy. Subsequently, both sides reached consensus on specific issues including joint doctoral and postdoctoral training, short-term exchanges for undergraduate and master’s students, faculty visits, and research collaboration. Vice President Li Xun invited the University of Oxford delegation to visit Lanzhou in the first half of 2026.

During the visit, accompanied by Professor Sheraz Markar and others, the delegation toured the research facilities of the Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, the Churchill Hospital, and the Oxford BioEscalator. They gained insights into cutting-edge achievements and innovative systems in the diagnosis and treatment of digestive system cancers, organ transplantation, and research translation.

Professor Li Xun stated that this visit provided a deep understanding of the advanced practices in surgical medical education, scientific research, and clinical training at the University of Oxford, laying a solid foundation for future collaboration. The Medical Faculty and the First Hospital of Lanzhou University will actively promote cooperation between the two institutions to advance medical talent development and scientific innovation.

  Edited by the Office of Foreign Affairs