Graham Baldwin, vice-chancellor of the University of Lancashire in the United Kingdom, visited Beijing International Studies University (BISU) with his delegation on June 15.

Delegation from the University of Lancashire visits BISU for exchanges.

Ji Jinbiao, BISU's president, welcomed Baldwin on his first visit. He highlighted BISU's status as a high-level foreign language university jointly established by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Beijing Municipal Government, emphasizing its commitment to internationalization and its active role in the "Study in Beijing" program.

Ji also noted the long-standing success of the Confucius Institute at University of Lancashire, one of the seven Confucius Institutes co-founded by BISU, and expressed hope for continued collaboration across multiple fields through this platform.

Baldwin expressed gratitude for the reception and acknowledged the fruitful cooperation between the two universities over the past two decades. He appreciated BISU's contributions in providing excellent management and teaching faculty to support the partnership and the development of the Confucius Institute.

Baldwin emphasized the University of Lancashire's dedication to international cooperation and creating a multicultural environment, which aligns closely with BISU's development philosophy. He expressed hope for strengthened collaboration in various academic fields, leveraging the Confucius Institute to offer more exchange opportunities for faculty and students from both universities.

Ji Jinbiao (right) awards Baldwin an honorary professorship.

At the event, Ji awarded Baldwin an honorary professorship at BISU's School of Artificial Intelligence and Language Sciences, anticipating his valuable guidance in talent development, scientific research, and academic construction.

In addition, both sides attended the 2026 board meeting of the Confucius Institute at the University of Lancashire, engaging in in-depth discussions on the institute's distinctive growth and the further deepening of bilateral cooperation.

Zheng Chengjun, BISU's vice-president, emphasized the institute's role in facilitating educational exchanges between the two countries and suggested exploring unique development pathways to support its continued progress.

Baldwin acknowledged the significant contributions of the Confucius Institute in enhancing bilateral exchanges. He stressed that the institute's work should be closely integrated with the development goals of both universities and expressed a desire for broader cooperation in the future.

The delegation also toured BISU's history museum and the School of Artificial Intelligence and Language Sciences during the visit.