On Thursday, September 25, 2025, as part of its internationalization and outreach strategy, the University of Crete welcomed a high-level delegation from Central South University (CSU) in China, which consisted of the following members: the Chancellor Prof. YI Hong, the Director of the University Administration Office Prof. YAN Hongjie, the Director of the Office of International Cooperation and Exchanges Prof. YIN Gang President, the President of the Second Xiangya Hospital Prof. LYU Ben, the Lecturer of the School of Resources and Safety Engineering Dr. REN Qifan, and the Program Manager, Office of International Cooperation and Exchanges Ms. WEN Ning.

The Vice-Rector for Development, International Relations and Outreach, Professor Melina Tamiolaki, welcomed the CSU representatives and emphasized the importance of international academic cooperation in both education and research. The CSU Chancellor expressed his appreciation for the invitation and reaffirmed his university’s commitment to deepening bilateral collaboration.

The collaboration with CSU began through the Erasmus+ KA171 program, under which the Department of Mathematics hosted a researcher from CSU. Attending the meeting were the Chair of the Department, Alkis Tersenov and Professor Stavros Komineas, both from the Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics.

The meeting was attended by Professor G. Chamilos, Vice-Dean of the School of Medicine; Professor D. Papazoglou, Chair of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering; and Professor E. Georgantas, Chair of the Department of Political Science. Each presented the academic profile, priorities, and international outlook of their academic departments.

A highlight of the visit was the presentation by Dr. G. Moraitis (Department of Political Science), entitled “Shanghai Under the Greek Flag: Emmanuel Yannoulatos, China Hellenic Lines, and Greek Shipping in Wartime China” offering unique insights into historical ties between Greece and China.

The visit ended with a brief ceremony about the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two institutions, which is expected to be approved by the next UoC Senate, marking the beginning of a long-term academic partnership between the two institutions.