SFU President Andrew Petter was recently in Asia visiting the university’s partner schools in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Singapore, looking at ways to bridge more connections with the institutions.

“By strengthening our ties in Asia, we will provide our students, researchers, and community partners with new and exciting opportunities to connect and collaborate on the world stage,” stated Petter in a press release.

On October 30, Petter signed a new memorandum of understanding with Hong Kong Baptist University, one of Simon Fraser University’s partner institutions in the region, as part of his visit. The agreement will facilitate new collaborations between the institutions.

The city of Hong Kong is home to the largest concentration of Simon Fraser University alumni — approximately 2,500 — outside of Vancouver. Signing the new deal will increase opportunities for SFU students and staff to participate in interdisciplinary and international projects, according to a press release provided to The Peak.

Petter also paid a visit to Hong Kong Polytechnic University, where he discussed ways to provide more collaborative projects for the institution’s staff and students.

The university has established a total of six partnerships with universities in the international financial hub and is considering the potential for pan-pacific programming in business in culture to link the two cities.

“The new [memorandum of understanding] with [Hong Kong Baptist University] reflects our mutual commitment to forge new collaborations, including double degree programs, to enhance opportunities for student exchange,” said Petter in the press release.

“Developing relationships in Asia has been a long-standing priority of SFU’s international engagement strategy, and we look forward to broadening and strengthening these relationships in the future.”

Petter will be reporting to SFU Senate in early December about his delegation to Asia, expanding on SFU’s collaboration with Fairchild Group in Hong Kong and mainland China, a renewed student mobility agreement with Renmin University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and the new regional SFU engaged alumni leadership award.