From July 29 to August 3, President Zheng Nanning was in Australia to attend the 2012 joint meeting between the presidents of the Chinese C9 universities (a coalition of 9 Chinese universities which are working to build themselves into top rank world class universities) and the Vice-Chancellors of the eight Australian universities known as the Group of Eight (Go8), which was held in Sydney. Prior to the meeting, President Zheng also toured the five campuses of the member universities of the Go8.

The 2012 joint meeting was hosted by the Union of 8 Australian Universities and its aim was to promote cooperation in research, faculty exchanges, graduate education, undergraduate student exchanges, as well as exchange of administrative officials among C9 and Go8.

Members of the Australian Ministry of Education also attended the meeting, and the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research, the Honorable Senator Chris Evans delivered a key-note speech. Other representatives of Chinese C9 universities who attended the meeting were: Zhang Jie, president of Shanghai Jiaotong University, Chen Jun, president of Nanjing University, Wang Shuguo, president of Harbin Polytechnic University, Yuan Si, the vice president of Tsinghua University, Lu Fang, vice president of Fudan University and Cheng Guangxu, vice president of Xi'an Jiaotong University.