A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Wenzhou Medical University (WMU) and Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, South Africa (SMU) on May 10. Peter Mbati, President of SMU, and Lyu Yijun, Chancellor of WMU, signed the agreement. Tandi Matsha-Erasmus, Vice President of SMU, heads of relevant schools and departments including the Technology Department, International Affairs Office, School of International Studies, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and attended the meeting.

Lyu Yijun stated that the signing of the MoU marked the beginning of a new chapter in the collaboration between the two universities. Wenzhou Medical University will fully leverage its strengths in medical education, research, and healthcare to engage in multi-level cooperation with SMU, promoting faculty and student exchanges, joint research, academic exchanges, and more. He firmly believed that the two universities could jointly build a China-South Africa model for medical education and research cooperation, promoting the development of medicine and improving health and well-being of people in both countries, as well as contributing to the construction of a global community of health for all.

Peter Mbati stated that China and South Africa are both developing countries with significant influence in the world. Since establishing diplomatic ties in 1998, the two countries has formed a comprehensive strategic partnership. He hopes that the two universities can strengthen exchanges and cooperation, promote mutual learning and development of advanced disciplines, actively explore new models of industry-university-research collaboration, and make positive contributions to the development of higher education and scientific research innovation in both universities.

Subsequently, the two universities held a meeting to discuss scientific research cooperation, joint education programs, academic exchanges, and other collaborations in the fields of ophthalmology and optometry, pharmaceutical sciences, and traditional medicine, and reached preliminary consensus.

SMU is currently the only independent medical university in South Africa, established in 2015. In December 2022, with the support of the Chinese Embassy in South Africa, WMU and SMU jointly held the "China-South Africa Ophthalmology & Optometry Advanced Training Program," with outstanding faculty from both sides giving lectures for more than 30 young clinicians in South Africa.

Text translated by Hong Yanggang and reviewed by Chen Huan