The delegation of XJTU learns about equipment and facilities at CERN.

Zhang Liqun, president of Xi'an Jiaotong University (XJTU) and academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, led a delegation to Switzerland and France from May 26 to 28.

The delegation engaged with several prestigious institutions, including the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), the Samuel C.C. Ting AMS Laboratory, the University of Strasbourg, SKEMA Business School, and the French Academy of Technologies.

At CERN on May 26, Professor Joachim Mnich, director for Research and Computing at CERN, highlighted the center's role as the world's largest particle physics hub. He expressed eagerness to deepen academic exchanges with XJTU, emphasizing CERN's commitment to frontier research and global scientific collaboration.

On May 27, Zhang met with Rémi Barillon, vice-president of the University of Strasbourg, to review existing partnerships. Both parties explored strategies to broaden faculty-student exchanges and academic cooperation.

Zhang also spoke at the E-MRS Global Dialogue Forum on "Sustainable Materials and Circular Economy," addressing topics including energy efficiency and carbon-reduction technologies.

The delegation held in-depth discussions with the team of Nobel Prize-winning Professor Jean-Marie Lehn. Zhang conferred upon Lehn the title of Honorary Professor of XJTU and invited him to serve as a mentor for the university's "Zhufeng Plan" talent initiative.

SKEMA Business School's President Alice Guilhon welcomed the delegation on May 28. Both sides discussed establishing joint research centers and cultivating globally competitive management talent.

On the same day, the delegation visited the French Academy of Technologies Dialogue‌. During talks with the academy's President Patrick Pélata, Zhang shared XJTU's achievements in industry-university integration and the Chinese Academy of Engineering's role as a national high-end think tank. Both sides agreed to utilize complementary strengths to advance Sino-French scientific and technological progress.