On October 21, 2017, the International Higher Education seminar and the Grand Opening ceremony of International Campus Zhejiang University (Haining International Campus) took place in the multi-function hall at the International Campus.

The Executive Vice President of Zhejiang University, Song Yonghua, the Mayor of Haining people's government, Cao Guoliang, the Executive Vice President of International Campus Zhejiang University, He Lianzhen, Assistant Principal of Zhejiang University, Secretary of Party Working Committee and deputy Dean of International Campus, Fu Qiang, as well as Vice President of ZJU-UOE Institute, Sue Welburn and Executive Dean of ZJU-UIUC Institute, Philip T. Krein lit the startup screen together, and announced the International Campus Zhejiang University officially open.

The UIUC delegation, which included John Wilkin, interim Provost; Kevin Pitts, Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education; Patty Lam, Senior Director of International Advancement; Andreas Cangellaris, Dean of College of Engineering; Fengsheng Hu, Dean of College of Arts and Sciences; Martin Wong, Executive Associate Dean of College of Engineering; William Sanders, Head of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering; and Anthony Jacobi, Head of the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, all attended the event.

Experts and scholars of Harvard University, the University of Edinburgh, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Bath and other world-famous universities participated in the International Higher Education seminar held that day. They discussed the focal issues of international education development such as the internationalization of higher education, general and liberal education, and others. This collaboration will accelerate Zhejiang University’s rise as a world-renowned research and teaching institution. They also offered advice and suggestions in order to promote Zhejiang University to a world-class university with Chinese characteristics. Experts and scholars from renowned universities in the world also witnessed the unveiling of the commemorative sculpture in honor of the campus’s grand opening.