Advancing China-UK Medical Exchange: PUMCH President Zhang Shuyang Leads Delegation to the UK
CopyFrom: PUMCH UpdateTime: 2026.07.01
From June 9 to 16, 2026, Zhang Shuyang, President of Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), led a delegation on an official visit to the United Kingdom at the invitation of host institutions. The delegation visited the University of Oxford and University College London Hospitals (UCLH), participating in a series of symposia on medical education, healthy aging, and rare diseases. Through in-depth academic exchanges, the visit further expanded the hospital's global collaborative network and created new opportunities for practical cooperation across multiple fields.
At the symposium on healthy aging, experts from China and the UK examined global aging trends, sharing insights and engaging in discussions on topics including mechanisms of aging, prevention and management of chronic diseases in older adults, and cardiovascular disease intervention—offering fresh perspectives on advancing healthy aging worldwide. The opening remarks were delivered by Professor Irene Tracey, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford; Professor Richard Cornall, Head of the Nuffield Department of Medicine at Oxford; Academician Ji Xunming, President of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College; Zhang Shuyang, President of PUMCH; and Minister Counsellor Ding Mingqin, Chief of the Science and Technology Section at the Chinese Embassy in the UK.
In her remarks, Vice-Chancellor Tracey noted that Oxford has a substantial community of Chinese students and alumni and places great importance on collaboration with China, expressing the university's commitment to deepening cooperation to jointly address shared global health challenges such as healthy aging. President Zhang highlighted the strong alignment between China and the UK on healthy aging as a healthcare priority, arguing that closer bilateral collaboration could offer new solutions to a challenge facing populations worldwide. Dr. Kang Lin, Director of the Department of Geriatrics at PUMCH, presented the hospital's research progress in sarcopenia among older adults and the development of the Department of Geriatrics, which was well received among attending experts.
Following the symposium, Academician Ji Xunming, President Zhang Shuyang, Academician Liu Depei of the Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, and Academician Cheng Tao, Director of the Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, held discussions with senior leadership of the CAMS-Oxford Institute (COI), including its Director (Oxford) Professor Dong Tao, Ita Askonas Professor of Translational Immunology at Oxford.
▲The delegation at the healthy aging symposium, together with Oxford Vice-Chancellor Irene Tracey and attending experts
At the rare diseases forum, experts from both sides engaged in in-depth discussion on the development of rare disease care systems, clinical diagnosis and treatment, basic research, and drug development. Dr. Shen Min, Director of the Department of Rare Diseases, Dr. Tian Zhuang, Director of the International Medical Services (Dongdan Campus), and Dr. Han Xiaohong, Director of the Clinical Pharmacology Center, presented China's approach to rare disease diagnosis and treatment, along with the hospital's progress in cardiovascular rare diseases and clinical drug trials, earning high praise from participating experts.
▲The delegation at the rare diseases forum
The delegation held in-depth discussions with Professor Julian Knight, Associate Head (Education) of Oxford's Medical Sciences Division, and Minister Counsellor Zhou Wei, Chief of the Education Section at the Chinese Embassy in the UK, on topics including curriculum design and talent development in medical education. The delegation also attended a meet-and-greet with students in the China Scholarship Council–CAMS Oxford Institute MD/PhD Programme, engaging warmly with current Chinese students and alumni at Oxford to learn more about the programme and share updates on the hospital's recent development.
▲The delegation at the medical education symposium
▲The delegation at the student meet-and-greet
During the visit, the delegation also visited University College London Hospitals (UCLH), meeting with Chief Executive David Probert to learn about the institution’s overall operations, as well as its work in nursing care and digital health. The delegation toured the Emergency Department, the Royal National ENT Hospital, and the intensive care unit, exchanging views on hospital management, specialty development, emergency and critical care, and smart healthcare operations.
▲The delegation with UCLH Chief Executive David Probert
The visit strengthened mutual understanding with leading institutions including the University of Oxford and UCLH, and identified concrete new drivers of collaboration across several frontier fields. PUMCH will build on this momentum to solidify the bedrock of trust between the Chinese and British medical communities, driving closer cooperation on healthy aging, talent development, and rare disease research. Looking ahead, PUMCH will continue to broaden and deepen its international cooperation, bringing Chinese clinical experience and medical insight to its global partnerships; this will open up new avenues for PUMCH to grow into a world-class institution and advance international talent exchange, ultimately contributing to the long-term advancement of health for all.
Written by the International Collaboration Office
Pictures courtesy of the International Collaboration Office
