During 2023 SDU Global Partners’ Week, delegations of the University of Bristol (UOB), the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Kumamoto University, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW–Madison) visited the School of Mathematics of Shandong University from October 23 to October 25 for cooperative talks. Vice Dean Tianyang Nie, Vice Dean Penghui Wang, as well as Xiaoli Li, Assistant to the Dean of the School of Mathematics, attended the meetings.

At the meeting with the UOB delegation, Vice Dean Tianyang Nie gave an overall introduction to the School of Mathematics from four aspects, including an overview, scientific research, faculties and platforms, as well as talent cultivation and internationalization while Vice Dean Penghui Wang briefly introduced undergraduate education of the School from perspectives of majors, characteristic cultivation patterns, number of current students, and the percentage of students who choose to study overseas. Florencia Migone, Officer of Center for Study Abroad (Inbound) of Bristol and Susanna Batten, International Partnerships Officer of Bristol, reviewed the history of cooperation between each other and introduced the School of Mathematics of Bristol, various joint cultivation patterns such as "2+2 ", "3+2", "3+1" programs as well as the vision for cooperation in the near future.

The two sides had an in-depth discussion on the details of "2+2", "3+2" and "3+1" programs, the renewal of previous cooperation agreement, summer programs of STEM Research Projects, academic exchanges and cooperation, etc.

At the symposium with the UIC delegation, Jeff Wang, Director of Programs for International Partnerships (PIP) of UIC, presented the overall introduction of the university, the planning of the Office of Global Engagement, geographical advantages of Chicago, where the institution is located, and “3+1+1” program design.

Both sides exchanged their opinions on the proposed "3+2" statistics program of UIC, including the curriculum, the requirements of admission and graduation for SDU students, as well as the enrollment timeline.

During the meeting with the delegation of Kumamoto University, Prof. Kita Naoyasu, the chief of the committee of international transfer program of the university, reviewed the history of cooperation on China-Japan-Korea Symposium of Engineering Sciences as well as the agreement on dual degree program, and introduced in detail the university’s newly signed dual degree program in the field of engineering sciences.

Furthermore, Vice Dean Tianyang Nie and Xiaoli Li, the Assistant to the Dean, had academic talks with Prof. Kita Naoyasu in the fields of Computational Mathematics, Partial Differential Equation, and Computational Fluid Dynamics, and expressed the willingness to enhance academic cooperation between each other.

At the symposium with the UW-Madison delegation, Matthew Greenberg, Assistant Director of VISP Program of the University, introduced UW-Madison’s achievements in academic strength, rankings and talent cultivation, the differences between the "3+1+1" program and the normal way of enrollment, the requirements of VISP programs, and detailed information of 2024 summer programs.

The two sides exchanged views on the enrollment requirements, curriculum, tuition and fees, students’ choices after graduation and so on in terms of the previously established agreement on the "3+1+1" program. Consensus was reached upon joint efforts of talent cultivation, the forthcoming UW-Madison online information session, the collaboration on academic research, the willingness of information sharing and so on.

Program Officers from the Department of International Affairs and the School of Mathematics attended the meetings as well.