The Chinese report with photo : http://rard.aicas.cnhttp://rard.aicas.cn/rard/post?postId=1055

On the afternoon of Aug. 23, 2016, A signing ceremony of cooperation agreement between Center for Regional Agriculture and Rural Development (CRARD),Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN),Columbia University, was held in conference room 2204, IGSNRR. Prof. Long Hualou, the deputy director of CRARD, held the ceremony. There were more than 20 representatives attending the meeting.

First, Prof. Liu Yansui, director of CRARD, made a welcome speech. He expressed his warm welcome and thanks to Robert S. Chen, a senior research scientist at Columbia University and director of CIESIN, Alex de Sherbinin, deputy director of the Ministry of Science Applications in CIESIN, and Xiaoshi Xing, remote sensing scientist in CIESIN. Director Robert S. Chen made an introduction of CIESIN. He expounded priority areas and his good wishes for promoting comprehensive cooperation. Then under the witness of delegates, CRARD formally signed the strategic cooperation agreement with CIESIN. Both sides made a clear in key cooperation areas of demonstration of land consolidation engineering, technology of rural poverty alleviation and development, climate changes and agriculture security, urbanization and rural sustainable development, applications of big data and 3S technology in the development of agriculture and countryside. The two sides developed a strategic cooperation plan, including young scholars exchange visits, joint training of graduate students, major international projects research.

Managers in both sides believed that the agreement is not only the cornerstone of mutual trust and cooperation, but also the basis for comprehensive cooperation. CIESIN is a famous international earth information center and research institute, while CRARD is a newfield observation research and strategic consulting institute in agriculture, rural areas and land problem. The two sides have a strong complementarity with each other. To further promote bilateral comprehensive cooperation was ofgreat significance and had broad prospects in deepening the comprehensive of geography, innovating multidimensional technology, promoting regional scientific decision-making, cultivating professional talents. Coincided with the 33th International Geographical Congress(IGC) held in Beijing, the signing of the cooperation agreement between CRARD and CIESIN was the display and achievement of “Shaping Our Harmonious Worlds”, which is the theme of this congress.

OnMar. 27-28,2016, invited by CIESIN, the delegation consisting of Prof. Liu Yansui, director of CRARD, Prof. Long Hualou, deputy director of CRARD, Li Yuheng, Associate Professor, Yang Yuanyuan, research associate, and so on went to United States to carry out work visits and academic exchanges. They reached a strategic cooperation intention after full discussion and consultations ( http://rard.aicas.cn/post?postId=1023 ). CIESIN( http://www.ciesin.org/ ) , which is established in 1989, is a center within the Earth Institute at Columbia University.CIESIN works at the intersection of the social, natural, and information sciences, and specializes in on-line data and information management, spatial data integration and training, and interdisciplinary research related to human interactions in the environment.

Prof. Liu Yansui, director of CRARD, was making a welcome speech

Professor, Director Robert S. Chen was introducing CIESIN

The two sides were signing strategic cooperation agreement

CRARD team was posing for pictures with CIESIN delegation