On October 29, 2020, Prof. Dr. Fusuo Zhang, Director of International Magnesium Institute (IMI), Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, and the Professor of China Agricultural University, and Dr. Yanliang Guo, Chinese Regional Managing Director of Germany K+S Group, visited Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University (FAFU). They discussed and negotiated the second-phase cooperation of IMI, which jointly funded by FAFU and Germany K+S Group.

Jinjing Yan (Party Secretary of FAFU) and Baodong Zheng (Vice President of FAFU) met with lineup of Academician Fusuo Zhang and General Manager Guo Yanliang in the VIP hall of Mingde Building of the University. The secretary Yan welcomed them on behalf of FAFU and appreciated their long-lasting supports on school graduate students training and scientific research. He also spoke highly of IMI’s magnesium nutrition research and innovative training patterns for graduate students relying on the “Science and Technology Backyard” in recent years.

Party Secretary Jinjing Yan met with lineup of Academician Fusuo Zhang and General Manager Guo Yanliang

The Academician Fusuo Zhang and the General Manager Yanliang Guo listened to the report of IMI’s achievement of the past four years in the IMI, lined with FAFU Vice President Baodong Zheng, Qingfan Lin (Director of Personnel), Hui Chen (Dean of the Scientific Research Institute), Shunrong Huang (Dean of Graduate School), Qingman Tong (Secretary of Resources and Environment College), and Shungui Zhou (Dean of Resources and Environment College). The participants also included Prof. Rongfeng Jiang (Deputy Dean and Professor of College of Resources and Environment in China Agricultural University, and Head of the Quzhou Experimental Station), Prof. Chunjian Li (Executive Deputy Director of IMI), as well as IMI young researchers and staff.

The main leaders of university level and department level, Academician Fusuo Zhang and General Manager Yanliang Guo listened to the report

At the meeting, both parties expressed strong willing for the second-phase cooperation. Vice President Baodong Zheng made a speech on behalf of the FAFU Party Secretary, hoping that IMI would further promote the talent cultivation and industrial development model of “Science and Technology Backyard”; innovate the industry-university-research cooperation, cultivating more compound talents for the country. Meanwhile, he also expected that IMI would continue to conduct in-depth research on magnesium nutrition to provide theoretical bases for guidance on national fertilization that would help China's agricultural development, and make greater contribution to local economic and social development. The main leaders also expressed their strong support for IMI second-phase cooperation.

Through the discussion, FAFU gained a better understanding of the IMI’s achievements and its positive social impact in the field of graduate students training, scientific research, industry-university-research integration, and achievement transformation since its establishment. IMI also put forward specific ideas and plans for the next five years, and hoped to further strengthen the cooperation with FAFU to improve the training quality of professional postgraduates; insist new talents cultivation by the support of “Science and Technology Backyard” model with the aimed at solving the agricultural production problem, to cultivate innovative interdisciplinary talents urgently needed in the production line. Moreover, to further elucidate the contribution of magnesium fertilizer in improving crop yield, IMI would also prove the potential impact of magnesium fertilizer in improving the crop yield and quality by minimizing fertilizer use and would play a significant role in economic development.

During the break, Academician Fusuo Zhang, and General Manager Yanliang Guo had face-to-face communication with many postgraduates, doctoral and postdoctoral students of IMI, and discussed their respective research schemes and experimental plans.

Academician Zhang and IMI teachers and students enthusiastically exchange ideas

Academician Zhang and General Manager Yanliang Guo with part of IMI teachers and students