To celebrate the 70th anniversary of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, the Launching Ceremony of Sino-German Consortium on Medical Research and Education was held in Tongji Medical College on October 5. President of HUST, Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, Prof. YOU Zheng and Vice President of Heidelberg University, Prof. Dr. Weller attended the ceremony. Vice President of HUST, Prof. CHEN Jianguo, chaired the meeting.

President YOU Zheng made a keynote speech entitled Win-win Cooperation to Strengthen Sino-German Friendship in New Era. He said the establishment of the Consortium between Chinese and German universities is a requirement for high-quality medical education and research, and the key to promote the reform and innovation of the new medicine. The establishment of the Consortium is conducive to improving the healthcare and well-being of the two peoples, and a timely call to build a community of shared future for mankind. President YOU Zheng hopes universities can make full use of the platform to carry out all-round, multi-level and multi-channel medical exchanges, and achieve breakthroughs in basic research, clinical diagnosis and treatment, drug and vaccine development and other medical related issues. He also encourages the two sides explore the module of co-schooling in terms of mutual credits recognition and degrees awarding.

Vice-President of Heidelberg, Prof. Weller delivered a speech on behalf of German side. He reviewed the long history and fruits of collaboration between Heidelberg and HUST. He pointed out that the establishment of this Consortium on Medical Research and Education is another milestone to deepen friendly exchanges and pragmatic cooperation between China and Germany. He envisaged that all members should take the opportunity promoting partnership under this multilateral framework and jointly improve the level of collaborative innovation, to make positive contribution to health undertakings in the two countries.

Mrs. Ruth Schimanowski, Director of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Beijing Office, Prof. TANG Qizhu, Vice President of Wuhan University, Prof. HU Yiqun, Vice Chancellor of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Prof. Dr. Harald Renz, former CMO of Affiliated Hospital of Phillip-Marburg University, Prof. Dr. Hermann Haller, Vice-Dean of Medical University of Hannover, Prof. Reinhard Burger, First Vice President of the German-Chinese Medical Society, Former President of the Robert Koch Institute, Prof. LIU Jihong, Chairman of the Sino-German Medical Association and President of Tongji Hospital affiliated to Tongji Medical College, all delivered speeches on behalf of related units. They shared the experience of Sino-German cooperation and looked forward to the future development. It is agreed that under the umbrella of the Consortium, joint efforts should be made to integrate resources, launch projects and form synergy to produce 1 + 1 > 2 effects and better serve the reform and innovation of medical education and research in China and Germany.

After the Launching Ceremony, the Sino-German Medical Education Forum was held. Prof. Dr. Oliver Cornely, President of the European Confederation of Medical Mycology of University of Cologne, gave an academic report entitled A Global Effort: Registry Studies on Fungal Infections to Improve Patient Care. Prof. WANG Weimin, Deputy Director of the Peking University Health Science Center, gave a report entitled The Current Situation, Reform and Development of Medical Education in China.

Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Peking University, Fudan University, Shandong University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Sichuan University, Wuhan University, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Central South University, Sun Yat-Sen University. Heidelberg University, Hanover Medical School, University of Cologne, University of Marburg, Dusseldorf University, Augsburg University, A total of 120 representatives from nearly 20 Chinese and German universities and units attended the meeting on-line or off-line.

It is known that facing the New Challenge of the Covid-19 Pandemic, in order to better adapt to the new requirements of world medical development and to build a community of shared human healthcare, the Chinese and German medical professionals co-sponsored the Consortium. The Purposes of the Consortium is to build a long-term, sustainable and mutually beneficial international platform to promote cooperation in medical research and education, to strengthen the innovative development of medicine in China and Germany.