May 6-7 witnessed a convergence of minds as Wenzhou Medical University and University of Alberta convened a series of International Medical Education events at WMU Chashan Campus. Drawing over 200 global medical education experts, the events fostered international dialogue on medical education advancements and practical insights and explored joint talent development initiatives between Chinese and foreign institutions, enriching the pursuit of excellence in medical education globally.

Present were esteemed figures including Shu Peidong, Deputy Director of the Department of Education of Zhejiang Province; Wang Cailian, Deputy Mayor of Wenzhou Municipal People's Government; Verna Yiu, Provost and Vice-President (Academic) of the University of Alberta; Cen Huang, Deputy Provost and Associate Vice-President (International Affairs) of the University of Alberta; Brenda Hemmelgarn, Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, Dean and Vice-Provost of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta; Dennis Kunimoto, Special Advisor to the Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic) on Faculty Relations at the University of Alberta; Chen Guoqiang, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Dean of Hainan Medical University; Feng Feng, Vice-President of Nanjing Medical University; Lu Di, Vice-President of Kunming Medical University; Lyu Yijun, Party Secretary of Wenzhou Medical University; Li Xiaokun, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and President of Wenzhou Medical University; Song Weihong, Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and Academic Vice-President of Wenzhou Medical University; Jin Shengwei and Zhu Xuebo, Vice-Presidents of Wenzhou Medical University; along with representatives of teachers from medical institutions such as the University of Alberta, Nanchang University, Nanjing Medical University, Chongqing Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Kunming Medical University, and Hainan Medical University.

Opening Remarks

Shu Peidong highlighted that Zhejiang presently hosts over 20,000 international students and holds the nation's second position in the count of Chinese-foreign cooperative education institutions. The Alberta Institute, WMU, since inception, has embarked on numerous innovative endeavors and experiments in talent cultivation, disciplinary advancement, and community engagement, thereby consistently elevating the caliber and reach of its educational programs. We earnestly invite all experts to engage in insightful dialogues and share their visions, thereby contributing valuable insights and strategies towards the global innovation in medical education.

Wang Cailian emphasized that the series of Sino-Canadian international medical education events have ushered in a fresh vista for Wenzhou's medical education, broadening the scope of international collaboration. We anticipate this gathering to facilitate a fertile exchange of insights on medical education, global perspectives, and emerging trends among scholars from both sides, thereby energizing the growth of Wenzhou's life and health sector and presenting novel prospects for cultivating medical talents on a national and international scale.

Verna Yiu remarked, "My visit to Wenzhou to witness the Sino-Canada International Medical Education Conference, co-hosted with Wenzhou Medical University, brings me great pleasure." The Alberta Institute, a collaborative venture with WMU, fuses Chinese and Canadian resources, innovates educational methodologies, and nurtures students equipped with a global medical perspective and competencies. Our aspiration is to fortify our partnership, probing uncharted territories for more profound and extensive collaboration, while endeavoring to establish an international medical education ecosystem that is open, diverse, and cooperative.

In his speech, Chen Guoqiang expressed his admiration for the "Wenzhou Spirit" and acknowledged the achievements of Wenzhou Medical University in talent training, educational teaching, scientific innovation, discipline construction, and international exchanges, as well as the educational accomplishments of Alberta Institute, WMU. We hope to fully leverage its role as a bridge and bond, continuing to promote the ongoing extension and development of Sino-Canada medical education cooperation.

Lyu Yijun stated that the path of cooperation in medical education between China and foreign countries is filled with challenges, yet it also harbors infinite opportunities. We hope that through a series of activities, both parties will fully exchange, share, and learn from the new experiences in open management and new approaches to talent cultivation of medical schools in China and Canada. Together, we aim to create a bright future for Sino-Canadian cooperation in medical education and make new, greater contributions to promoting the development of a new framework for global higher medical education.

Theme Report: Diverse and Brilliant

Verna Yiu, speaking on How Team-based Education Results in Better Patient Outcomes, emphasized the importance of teamwork in clinical medical practice and shared insights on the team-based medical education reforms and practices at the University of Alberta in Canada.

Li Xiaokun, in his presentation titled Internationalization Promotes the Development of High-Level Discipline Construction, shared the recent scientific achievements of Wenzhou Medical University in the field of FGF. He elaborated on the crucial role of internationalization in fostering high-level pharmaceutical talent, cultivating high-quality outcomes, and integrating industry, academia, research, and medical development.

Brenda Hemmelgarn delivered a keynote report on The Okanagan Charter: A Strategy to Support Learner, Faculty and Staff Wellbeing, sharing six perspectives on promoting a healthy atmosphere in university medicine.

Zhu Xuebo delivered a keynote report on Exploration and Practice of Internationalization of Medical Education, introducing the scale, talent cultivation system, and current development status of clinical medical education in China. The report focused on the new trends in innovative development of medical education in the new era, shared and exchanged the achievements of Wenzhou Medical University's international education practices, and proposed future paths for the development of open education.

Jeff Johnson delivered a report on the topic of School of Public Health: Research & Education, outlining the talent cultivation, professional development, research systems, and international cooperation at the School of Public Health and Management, University of Alberta.

Luo Zhijun, the Dean of Nanchang University Queen Mary School, delivered a keynote report titled Training Clinical-Research Compound Medical Talents in Localized International Mode. He shared the localized international training model of the cooperative education program between Nanchang University and Queen Mary University of London, covering various aspects such as curriculum, faculty, teaching, and management.

Zhu Dan, the Dean of Academic Affairs Office and Deputy Dean of the International Medical College of Chongqing Medical University, delivered a keynote report titled One Body, Two Wings, Six Integrations -- Exploring the Reforms of Localized International Medical Education at Chongqing Medical University. In the report, Zhu shared the innovative talent training situations in the joint education program with the University of Leicester in the UK.

Jin Shengwei hosted the opening segment, while Song Weihong, Dennis Kunimoto, Feng Feng, and Zhu Xuebo chaired the thematic reporting session.

Parallel Sessions To Jointly Promote Development

From the afternoon of May 6 to 7, a series of exciting and diverse parallel sessions were held to jointly seek development.

During the strategic cooperation talks, Wenzhou Medical University and the University of Alberta conducted in-depth exchanges on disciplinary cooperation, faculty and student exchanges, regular academic conferences, and the development of Alberta Institute. They reached a consensus on accelerating the sharing and co-development of high-quality medical education and research resources between the two institutions.

△ Sino-Canadian Medical Education Symposium

△ Faculty Workshop

△ The Undergraduate-Supervisor Meet and Greet at Alberta Institute

△ Cooperation and Exchange Conference of the School of Public Health and Management and Comprehensive Health Forum Series Special Lectures

△ Academic Lectures and Exchanges at the School of Psychiatry

In recent years, the university has actively promoted the internationalization of education and established good exchange and cooperation relations with more than 170 overseas universities and educational and research institutions, including over 20 of the world's top 100 universities. Substantial exchanges and collaborations have been carried out in areas such as student overseas exchanges and joint training, faculty academic exchanges and research cooperation, Chinese-foreign cooperative education, and education for international students in China. The Alberta Institute, WMU, established in collaboration with the University of Alberta in Canada, is the first Chinese-foreign cooperative educational institution in China focusing on clinical medicine. Currently, institute currently hosts four academic programs: an undergraduate in Clinical Medicine alongside Master's and PhD programs in Psychiatry, and a Master's in Dentistry, with a combined enrollment of 256 students spanning bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels.

This joint medical education series between WMU and the University of Alberta in Canada not only summarizes and showcases the achievements of our earlier cooperation but also marks a new beginning for deepening our collaboration across a broader scope and wider fields. Moreover, it represents a new chapter in aligning with the global comprehensive health development strategy and seeking mutual development. In the next step, both sides will consider expanding cooperation in new academic fields and enhance cooperation in training high-level medical personnel, to prepare strategic design and planning for introducing more high-quality educational resources from top global universities in the future.