On July 1, 2025, Zhan Xiangjiang, deputy director of the Institute of Zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (hereinafter referred to as the Institute of Zoology), met with Ernst van den Ender, director of Wageningen University and head of animal science in the Netherlands, and the two sides held an exchange forum.

Zhan Xiangjiang warmly welcomed the delegation from Wageningen University and provided a detailed introduction to the discipline development, research platform, talent team, and international cooperation of the Institute of Zoology. He emphasized that the Institute of Zoology has always adhered to the concept of open cooperation and attaches great importance to exchanges and interactions with international research institutions and universities. Ernst van den End expressed sincere gratitude for the warm reception of the Institute of Zoology and introduced the integration model of science and enterprise and international cooperation at Wageningen University, as well as the research work in the field of animal science in recent years on the three core themes of animal welfare and sustainable food systems, human health, biodiversity, and ecosystems. He hopes that Wageningen University and the Institute of Zoology can further explore specific cooperation directions and strengthen strategic partnerships.

Subsequently, both parties exchanged views on research fields and topics of common interest and reached consensus, laying a solid foundation for drafting a cooperation framework in the future.

The symposium ended in a lively atmosphere. Led and explained by Zhang Jinshuo, the director of the National Museum of Zoology, the delegation from Wageningen University visited the exhibition halls of the museum, including the Beasts, Birds, and the Third Xinjiang Comprehensive Scientific Expedition Special Exhibition.

This visit further deepened the mutual understanding and trust between the Institute of Zoology and Wageningen University, and established an efficient and smooth communication mechanism for substantive cooperation in scientific research, talent cultivation, academic exchanges, and other aspects in the future. The Chinese Office of Wageningen University, the Bureau of International Cooperation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the scientific researchers of the Institute of Zoology and relevant responsible comrades of the Scientific Research and Strategic Planning Office attended the meeting and exchange activities.