Law School Delegation Visits the UK for Academic Exchange

Li Songfeng

From 30 September 2019 to 5 October 2019, an 8-person delegation of the Institute for Constitutional Law Studies, School of Law, China University of Political Science and Law (“CUPL”) paid a visit to the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London (“SOAS”) and Queen's University Belfast on invitation.

On 1 October 2019, on arrival in London, the delegation immediately co-held the “Constitutional Review: China and the UK” seminar with School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. At the seminar, Professor Peter Leyland of SOAS delivered a keynote speech on Brexit. Professor Jiao Hongchang and Professor Li Shuzhong expressed their views concerning Brexit with the British profession. After the seminar, the two sides held a meeting on cooperation in education. Dean Jiao Hongchang introduced Law School’s conditions, and Vice Dean Xue Xiaojian exchanged views with the relevant the responsible person of SOAS in terms of specific arrangements such as scholar mutual visits and student exchanges.

From 2 October to 4 October, the delegation took flight to Belfast for visit. On 3 October, the delegation held talks with the Vice-Chancellor, Dean of Internationalisation, Head of School of Law and relevant professors of Queen’s University Belfast. Dean Jiao Hongchang expressed great thanks to the warm welcome of the British side. He said that School of Law, CUPL pays high attention to international communication and is willing to cooperate with Queen’s University in the area of big data, artificial intelligence, sports arbitration, food safety, etc. Vice Dean Xue Xiaojian and Professor Li Shuzhong exchanged views with the responsible person of Queen’s University on specific issues relating to future cooperation and reached preliminary cooperation consensus.

After the meeting, the two schools held the “Relationship between Central and Local Governments” seminar. Professor Gordon Anthony of Queen’s University Belfast delivered a speech on the devolution in Northern Ireland. Then Professor Xue Xiaojian and Associate Professor Zhang Jin respectively addressed speeches on the dividing of law-making power between central and local governments in China and the comparative study of the relationship between central and local governments between China and Europe. Professor Yao Guojian, Associate Professor Zhou Qingfeng and Associate Professor Li Songfeng also participated in the discussion. The whole seminar was translated by Doctor Zhu Zheng.

On 4 October, before departure, the delegation visited Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Belfast. The delegation held talks with Deputy Consul Zhu Songhua and Educational Consul Li Changhua in terms of deepening cooperation between CUPL and Northern Ireland’s universities.

This visit enhanced academic communication between China and the UK in the constitutional law field. It also laid the foundation for various cooperation between School of Law, CUPL and British colleges and universities in terms of scholar mutual visits, student exchanges, co-hosting summer schools and academic conferences, etc.