Professor Binglin Zhong

With great sadness, Cardiff University marks the passing of Professor Binglin Zhong (PhD 1994, Hon 2008), an extraordinary scholar and cherished member of Cardiff’s global community.

Binglin, a native of Beijing, graduated from the Nanjing Institute of Technology (now known as Southeast University) in China in 1977. He remained there to teach, taking a Master’s Degree in engineering in 1987 and being promoted to Associate Professor in 1988.

In 1990, Binglin became one of a select few Chinese students to study in the UK, when he came to Cardiff University for his PhD in engineering, granted in 1994. He then returned to China, to become Vice President of Southeast University. In September 1996, he was appointed Director of the Higher Education Department of the National Education Commission – which later became China’s Ministry of Education.

In April 2001, he was chosen as president of Beijing Normal University, a position he held until July 2012.

Throughout Binglin’s distinguished career in higher education, he was an ambassador, friend and keen supporter of the link between Cardiff University and China, particularly at Beijing Normal University. In recognition of this role, he became Honorary Vice President (International) in China for Cardiff University in 2012.

Thanks to Binglin’s initiative, Cardiff University has enjoyed a longstanding successful strategic partnership with Beijing Normal University, which Binglin’s successors, Professor Dong and Professor Ma, have continued. The two universities have formed multiple ventures including the Joint College of Modern Language and many successful academic links across multiple disciplines in languages, arts, psychology, medicine and science.

Professor Wendy Larner, President and Vice-Chancellor of Cardiff University, said, “We were sad to hear of Binglin’s passing. He will be warmly remembered as a distinguished engineer and educator, and as a loyal and cherished friend of Cardiff University. The partnerships he helped to establish between Cardiff and China flourish today; we will remember Binglin best by building further on our friendship and shared ambitions.”