On the morning of 30 September 2022, at the invitation of the School of Medicine and Health Management of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Professor LI Bingqin from the University of New South Wales (UNSW),also an Honorary Professor at the Centre for Chinese Studies at the University of Sydneygave a lecture on "Social integration and the reduction of loneliness in old age in Australia". The event was funded by the International Research Joint Platform Incubation Program of HUST and fully supported by the Social Policy Research Center of UNSW. It was hosted by Professor TAO Hongbing, Vice Dean of the School of Medicine and Health Management, HUST.

In this presentation, Professor Li pointed out the demographic fragmentation and cultural and linguistic diversity of Australia compared to China, and details the impact based on path dependency theory. Then she introduced a case study on the involvement of the non-governmental organization CASS in an elderly volunteer project, and also highlighted the effectiveness of the 'volunteer incubator' concept in mobilizing older people to volunteer in the community as a vehicle to increase social inclusion and reduce loneliness.

During the Q&A, Professor LI Bingqin answered questions from our faculty and students. All parties actively communicated hot issues such as population ageing and population mobility between urban and rural areas in China.

At the end of the presentation, Professor ZHANG Zhiguo and Professor XU Juan of the School of Medicine and Health Management summarized the lecture, thanking Professor LI Bingqin for her insights and many cutting-edge research works from abroad, and hoping to have more opportunities to discuss with Professor Li in depth in academic exchanges in the future.