Professor Downing A.Thomas, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of The University of Iowa, visited SYSU on July 7th. Chen Chunsheng, vice president of SYSU had a cordial talk with the guests on the South Campus. Both sides gave an introduction of academic research, expressed the desire to strengthen cooperation and exchanges, and reached an agreement on joint efforts exerted to building political and social studies center and carrying out undergraduate exchange program. Toward the end of talk, both sides signed The Memorandum of academic exchange and cooperation between Sen Yat-Sun University and the University of Iowa.

The University of Iowa is a group member of the prestigious American Association of Universities, the Big Ten Conference, one of the main research institutes, one of the top twenty state-universities and the Universities Research Association. Its 21 graduate majors rank top ten and its humanities and medical education owns a great reputation in the United States.