On the afternoon of Mar. 31, Chancellor Zhang Xi met with a visiting delegation from Microsoft Research Asia led by Dr. Hong Xiaowen, the Managing Director of MRA. Vice President Lai Maode, Vice President Wu Zhaohui, Vice President Zhu Jun and Prof. Lu Dongming attended the meeting.
Dr. Hong Xiaowen briefed the general situation of collaboration between Microsoft Research Asia and Zhejiang University. He expressed his expectation of extending the collaboration in more disciplines and research areas, and especially explored the possibility of cooperation in e/Heritage, that is, applying computer-based technology in the preservation of cultural, historical and archeological heritages.
Chancellor Zhang Xi showed approval to the ZJU-MRA cooperation in e/Heritage project, and also expected that with its technology in information computing and processing, MRA would further its collaboration with Zhejiang University in scientific archeology, heritage preservation and bio-medical data acquisition and analysis based on the advanced research in humanities, engineering, biology, medical research and other interdisciplinary research at ZJU.
After the meeting, Vice President Lai Maode accompanied the delegation to visit medical labs in the School of Medicine. The two sides discussed the prospect of collaboration in e/Health by employing computer technology in the field of health and medicine.
Cooperation between ZJU and MRA has lasted for more than a decade. In 1999, Microsoft Visual Perception Laboratory of Zhejiang University was established, which was renamed as MOE-Microsoft Key Laboratory of Visual Perception (Zhejiang University) later. Now the cooperation between two sides is multi-dimensional, covering research, academic exchange, course development, personnel training and so on.