On October 29, 2026, a meeting between Ghent University and the College of Food Science & Technology of Nanchang University was held in Conference Room 201 of the State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources at Qingshan Lake Campus. This meeting aimd to explore potential cooperation between the two sides in the field of food science and human health. The visiting delegation from Ghent University included Prof. Zhang Wei-Hong from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Prof. Roos Vandenbroucke from the Faculty of Sciences, Mr. Zhang Chi, the China representative of Ghent University’s East Asia Platform, Assistant Professor Bogdan Parakhonskiy, and Postdoctoral Researchers Ludovica Marinelli and Cristiano Lucci from the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering. Attendees from Nanchang University’s College of Food Science & Technology included Dean Prof. Yin Junyi, Vice Dean Prof. Huang Xiaojun, Assistant Researcher Li Qiqiong, Prof. Xie Junhua from the State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, and Assistant Researcher Feng Yinong from the International Institute of Food Innovation. The meeting was chaired by Xie Junhua.

At the meeting, Prof. Yin Junyi warmly welcomed the delegation from Ghent University on behalf of the College of Food Science & Technology. He noted that Ghent University has outstanding international influence in areas such as biotechnology, gut microbiota, and health. Nanchang University's food science discipline is steadily advancing in line with the 'Healthy China' strategy and toward building a world-class discipline. The two sides have closely aligned research directions, offering broad cooperation opportunities. Prof. Huang Xiaojun then introduced the development history of the College of Food Science & Technology, its disciplinary layout, research platform development, international cooperation, and talent cultivation.

Prof. Zhang Wei-Hong, drawing on his experience with China-EU science and technology cooperation projects, shared valuable insights and reflections on China-EU scientific collaboration, including project design, partner matching, and joint applications. Mr. Zhang Chi gave a detailed introduction to the functional positioning of the East Asia Platform at Ghent University in Belgium and its cooperation network in China, with a focus on showcasing Ghent University's specific models and implementation paths for joint student training. Both sides agreed that China and Belgium are highly complementary in food and health and that the China Partners Academic Forum (CPAF) series has already established a stable dialogue mechanism. The next steps could include concrete cooperation plans in areas such as joint international research project applications, exchanges of young scholars, and joint graduate training. During the interactive session, both sides exchanged ideas on potential future cooperation opportunities.

This meeting was a concrete step for the two sides to move from academic exchanges to practical cooperation. Both sides agreed that this meeting should be a new starting point to further refine shared research interests, and to promote collaboration beyond conference discussions to joint research, platform building, and talent development, contributing to the integration of technological and industrial innovation in the China-Belgium food science and health field.