Prof. CHENG Shengkui, deputy director of the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research (IGSNRR), CAS, led a delegation to DPR Korea Academy of Sciences, at the invitation of Prof. ZHAO Riguang, the director of the Institute of Earth Environmental Informatics (IEEI), DPR Korea, on Oct. 23, 2012. As an important achievement of the visit, IGSNRR signed a MoU with IEEI, DPR Korea for cooperation.

During the visit, Prof. CHENG briefed colleagues of DPR Korea on the history of IGSNRR, specifically on the progress made to date, research achievements and young scientists training plans. Prof. ZHAO expressed his appreciation to the IGSNRR for funding several PHD students and Postdoc research scientists in the past 5 years. He then highlighted on IEEI’s research strengths and welcomed cooperation opportunities with IGSNRR. Scientists from both institutes had an active discussion on various issues such as resource exploitation, ecological evaluation, agricultural heritage conservation, and project cooperation to mention but a few. The two institutes agreed to prepare a proposal to Chinese Ministry Of Science and Technology (MOST) for an ecosystem and environment change survey project in the Yalu River drainage, which is part of the boundary between China and DPR Korea.

Both sides sign MoU at IEEI

IGSNRR signed this MoU with IEEI based on the common understanding of the importance of Northeast Asia studies and China-DPR Korea academic cooperation with regards to the sustainable use of natural resources, maintenance of healthy ecosystems, and regional sustainable development based on sound science and technology. In the MoU, major collaborative activities for both parties were identified. These include Postdoc research scientist and faculty exchange, joint application for funding, and participation in joint academic seminars. Both parties also agreed on preliminary collaborative areas, such as land use and cover change, ecosystem monitoring, assessment and management, field experiment station, sustainable use of natural resources, agricultural heritage conservation, adaptation and risk management of climate change, and other areas that contribute to the development of academic and educational exchanges between the two institutes. The MoU will be an important framework for IGSNRR-IEEI co-operation in the near future.