The 14th UM-SJTU Joint Institute Board Meeting was held simultaneously via videoconference at the University of Michigan and Shanghai Jiao Tong University on February 15, 2013. Attendees in the University of Michigan included UM board members Mary Sue Coleman, President, Philip J. Hanlon,Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, Stephen R. Forrest, Vice President for Research, David C. Munson Jr., Dean of the College of Engineering, James Woolliscroft, Dean of Medical School, and SJTU board members Ma Dexiu, Chair of University Council, Lin Zhongqin, Executive Vice President, and Jun Ni, Dean of UM-SJTU JI. In Shanghai Jiao Tong University, the participants included board members President Zhang Jie, Chen Guoqiang and Huang Zhen, Vice Presidents. President Zhang Jie and Provost Hanlon co-chaired the meeting.

JI’s Dean Ni presented the current status of JI, including a detailed financial report, statistics on student recruitment and placement, faculty recruitment and research development. His proposal on some modifications of the tenure policy was reviewed and approved. Adiscussion was initiated on new offerings of the dual degree program. The deans of business schools, colleges of pharmacy, medical schools, and colleges of humanities and science from both universities presented the developments and achievements in exchange programs. Stephen R. Forrest and Lin Zhongqin reported on the progress of research collaboration between the two universities.

According to the Joint Institute Agreement, JI has worked collaboratively with SJTU administration and established the Regulations of Management as a special educational zone within SJTU, which have been reviewed and approved by the Board during this meeting and will be submitted to the SJTU President’s Office for final approval.

Madame Dexiu Ma and President Mary Sue Coleman made closing remarks and exchanged gifts. President Coleman thanked SJTU for the support on the UM-SJTU collaboration, which she stated is strategic to the development of UM and has strengthened the friendship between the two universities. Madame Ma recognized the achievements of the collaboration and expressed her confidence in the future development. She remarked that the two universities are complementary to each other and should work together for further cooperation.

Besides the board members, the deans of related colleges and administrators for international programs from both universities also attended the meeting, including, from UM, Frank Ascione, Dean, College of Pharmacy, Alison Davis-Blake, Dean, Ross School of Business,James Holloway, Associate Dean, College of Engineering, and Jim Penner-Hahn, Associate Dean, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. SJTU counterparts include the deans of JI, School of Mechanical Engineering, School of Medicine, School of Pharmacy, School of Humanities, and School of Antai College of Economics and Management.