Following an invitation by the Beijing University of Chemical Technology – BUCT, the University of Western Macedonia participated in the International Forum for Academic and Industrial Cooperation, which was organized in the beginning of December, in Beijing, in the framework of the global initiative “One Belt – One Road”.
The Rector of UOWM, Professor Theodoros Theodoulidis, was the only Rector of a Greek University who participated in the “Belt and Road International Forum on Academic and Industrial Cooperation”. The proceedings were attended by representatives of governments, universities, research institutes, and companies from all industrial sectors from several countries.
As an invited speaker, Prof. Theodoulidis presented the strategy of dynamic development and extroversion of Greek universities in the international environment and in particular UOWM’s implemented planning for the promotion of new, beneficial international collaborations, emphasizing the university’s competitive advantages in cutting-edge scientific fields and the opportunities it has created by evolving into a hub of green innovation and research in the wider Mediterranean and European region. Additionally, he referred to the collaborations that UOWM has already established with six Chinese Universities and Institutions.
Within the framework of the visit to Beijing, Prof. Theodoulidis and Nikolaos Charisiou, Assistant Professor of the Department of Chemical Engineering, met with the rectorate authorities of the Beijing University of Chemical Technology (BUCT). Over this meeting it was agreed to extend the existing five-year cooperation between the two Universities with a series of new joint actions.
In particular, the establishment of a joint English-language undergraduate study program was discussed to attract international students to UOWM.
At the same time, the two universities plan to submit joint research proposals under the national action “Bilateral and Multilateral S&T Cooperation between Greece and China”, as well as Horizon Europe, the EU framework program for research and innovation for the period 2021-2027.
It was also agreed to initiate the submission of a joint Erasmus+ (ICM) proposal to facilitate the exchange of faculty members and students across all academic cycles between BUCT and UOWM for research purposes.
The potential establishment of a Confucius Institute in the city of Kozani was also discussed, with the intention of serving as a bridge (conduit) for collaboration and communication between Greece and China, contributing to the strengthening of cultural ties and the further development of educational, research, and economic collaborations.
University of Western Macedonia and BUCT collaboration commenced in 2018 and has thus far produced the following results:
- the establishment of the Chinese-Greek Joint Research Centre for Bioenergy
- the production of joint research results through the “Integrated management and exploitation of multi-dispersed agricultural residues – application to energy production, SYNAGRON” project corresponding to more than 25 joint publications in international peer reviewed journals and 2 patents, with Professor Maria Goula as the scientific supervisor.
- the hosting of the “8th International Conference on Biorefinery and Biomanufacturing—ICB2023” in July 2023 in Athens, which was co-organized by BUCT, the University of Patras and UOWM.
University of Western Macedonia
