The delegation of Artesis Plantijn University College Antwerp (AP) led by Prof. Richard Sleeckx, dean of Faculty of Health and Social Care, and  Prof. Wim Lauwers, dean of Faculty of Science and Technology, paid a visit to Shenzhen Technology University (SZTU) on March 28. President of SZTU Prof. Ruan Shuangchen extended a warm hearted welcome to the guests from Antwerp, and said that SZTU looks forward to cultural exchanges and academic cooperation with universities of Belgium.

Delegation of Artesis Plantijn University College Antwerp from Belgium visits SZTU. [Photo by Party Affairs Committee Publicity Office]

At the meeting, Prof. Ruan said that SZTU was listed as a key construction project in the “13th Five-Year Plan” university establishment in Guangdong Province. He noted that SZTU strives to cultivate high-quality applied talents with the spirit of craftsman and innovation capacity, and attaches great importance to close cooperation with European universities.

Prof. Wim Lauwers gives a brief introduction to Faculty of Science and Technology. [Photo by Party Affairs Committee Publicity Office]

Prof. Lauwers is confident in AP’s teaching and research in the field of Applied Information Technology, Biomedical Laboratory Technology, Chemistry, Electromechanics, and Graphic and Digital Media. He also expressed willingness to promote the construction of comprehensive partnership between AP and SZTU.

Belgian professors took a tour of SZTU after the meeting, and were impressed by rapid growth of the campus. They were especially interested in the distinctive labs and the souvenir shop, The Artisan’s Loft.

Prof. Sleeckx and Prof. Lauwers visit labs of SZTU. [Photo by Party Affairs Committee Publicity Office]

Prof. Sleeckx and Prof. Lauwers pay a visit to SZTU souvenir shop, The Artisan’s Loft. [Photo by Party Affairs Committee Publicity Office] 

Artesis Plantijn University College (AP) originated from Artesis University College and Plantijn University College. Currently, AP has 11.000 students, 24 vocational educations and 8 art programmes, which are clustered into 4 faculties and 2 schools of arts. Although AP is very young, it has two famous schools of arts with a long history: the Royal Conservatoire Antwerp which was founded in 1898, and the Royal Academy of Fine arts which is 350 years old.