On August 26, a delegation from Murdoch University led by Prof. Simon McKirdy, Pro-Vice-Chancellor at the Harry Butler Institute, and Prof. Peter Davies, Pro-Vice-Chancellor at the Food Futures Institute, visited IPP-CAAS. The 2019 Annual Meeting of “the China-Australia Joint Center for the prevention and Management of Exotic Invasive” was held at IPP-CAAS. Prof. Zhou Xueping, Director General of IPP-CAAS, met the delegation. Prof. Chen Julian, Director of the Department of International Cooperation and Graduate Students, Prof. Liu Wanxue, Director of the Department of Biological Invasion, and Prof. Zhang Feng, Director of East-Asia CABI joined the meeting.

DG Zhou Xueping warmly welcomed Prof. Simon McKirdy and the delegation. He briefly introduced the progress in scientific research and international cooperation of IPP-CAAS. Prof. Simon McKirdy gave an overview of the Harry Butler Institute of Murdoch University. Dr. Yang Nianwan from the Department of Biological Invasion presented recent work progress in prevention and control of invasive alien species.Prof. Zhang Feng’s presentation focused on the strategic cooperation partnership between CABI and China, and the achievements made in the past ten years. The two parties then exchanged ideas on establishing joint Ph.D program between CAAS and Murdoch University. Prof. Wan Fanghao summarized the meeting by presenting next year’s work plan for the joint center.

After the meeting, the delegation visited the National Agricultural Biological Security Science Center. Prof. Treena Burgess, Research Dean of the Burges College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Prof. Yonglin Ren, Principal Scientist of Stored Grain Research Laboratory, and Dr. Chang Cai, International Research Collaboration Officer (Asia) were in the delegation. Prof. Zhang Guifen, Assoc. Profs. Guo Jianyang, Lv Zhichuang, and Dr. Zhang Yibo from the Department of Biological Invasion, Assoc. Prof. Tian Fang from the Department of International Cooperation and Graduate Students, and Dr. Li Hongmei from the CABI East-Asia attended this meeting.