Li Sidian (right), deputy secretary of SXU's Party committee, shares an academic report at the University of Birmingham on May 31. [Photo/sxu.edu.cn]

Three professors from Shanxi University (SXU) visited the University of Birmingham, University of Leeds and Cambridge University from May 27 to June 6 on invitations for academic exchanges from the United Kingdom.

The SXU delegation visited the schools of chemistry, chemical engineering and nano materials at the University of Birmingham, discussing research topics with local experts. Professor Li Sidian, deputy secretary of SXU's Party committee, shared a report on the chemistry of boron.

During the tour of the University of Leeds, the SXU group signed an agreement with the university to further teamwork on student training, exchange visits for teachers and collaborations in scientific research. Yang Hengquan, vice-dean of the College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at SXU, gave a lecture on aqueous interface catalysis at the university.

The SXU delegation then went to learn of Cambridge University's professional training, discipline systems and social service systems at the university's science park. The two parties reached a agreement on the research of borospherene, a cluster molecule containing 40 boron atoms.