(Correspondents: Yang Mengyao and Ma Yuankai)On the afternoon of July 3, the signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding between the School of Economics and Management of Xidian University and Professor Stephen Flowers of the Business School of the University of Kent and George Tsekouras, Director of the “Transformation, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management Center” of the Business School of the University of Brighton was held in the conference room of the School of Economics and Management. Both parties signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly explore the possibility of further cooperation in scientific research, teaching, and MBA/MPA/MEM courses. Li Yaoping, Secretary of the Party Committee of the School, Professor Zhou Xiaoyang of the School, Associate Professor Dong Ming, Office Director Ma Yuankai, and Foreign Affairs Officer Yang Mengyao attended the meeting and conducted in-depth exchanges with the two professors.

Communication and negotiation between both parties

Li Yaoping, Secretary of the Party Committee of the School, signed the MOU with Professor George Tsekouras

Li Yaoping, Secretary of the Party Committee of the School, signed the MOU with Professor Stephen Flowers

At the beginning of the ceremony, Dong Ming introduced the qualifications and background of Professor Stephen Flowers and Director George Tsekouras and he gave an overview of the cooperation projects to the participants. Li Yaoping delivered a speech, extended a warm welcome to the two professors and introduced the development plan of the School. He stated that the School of Economics and Management was founded based on the profound advantages of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) of Xidian University; it was required to develop the features of the School under the background of ICT, and closely combine it with dominant disciplines of Xidian University; in addition, taking the 40th anniversary of the School and the fifth round of first-class discipline evaluation as an opportunity, the School should sort out its achievements, value the international cooperation, gather social resources, improve its discipline level, and further enhance its social influence. He emphasized that the School should focus on the development strategies at country, city and school levels, seize the opportunity, and contribute its wisdom and energy to regional economic development.

George Tsekouras and Stephen Flower expressed that they had a comprehensive understanding of the construction and development of the XDU and the School, and fully recognized the School’s development achievements and development plans in the past three years during their participation in the School’s International Entrepreneurship and Innovation Practice Week. Based on the development history of the United Kingdom, they pointed out that regional development should focus on the characteristics and advantages of the region. Similarly, the School should also explore its own advantages, find the right place suitable for it, and exert its efforts on a concentrated manner.

Both parties conducted in-depth exchanges on the development direction and prospects of the cooperation project. Afterwards, Li Yaoping signed the MOU with the two professors respectively and reached an agreement on the cooperation project. Both parties expressed that this project would be a good beginning for long-term cooperation, aiming to complement each other’s advantages and achieve win-win cooperation.

After the meeting, the participants took a group photo.