The 1996 4+4 partnership agreement between 4 prestigious Chinese universities (Tsinghua in Beijing, and Jiao Tong in Shanghai, Xi-An and Chengdu) and the 4 Ecoles Centrales (Lille, Lyon, Nantes and Paris) is now held to be the model to follow in China in regard to international relations in higher education. Centrale Lyon has been developing cooperation in China since 1980 and hosts more than twenty Chinese students preparing double degrees, and is the leader within the Centrale Graduate School in terms of relations with China. For this reason, Mr. M. Jintao Hu, Vice-President of the People's Republic of China, wished to visit our School on November 2, 2001 - just ahead of his official visit to France.

On this occasion, Jean Dorey, President of Centrale Lyon, bestowed on Mr. Hu - a graduate of Tsinghua University (which is part of the 4+4 agreement) - Centrale Lyon's High Distinction Honoris Causa.

Mr. Jintao Hu has since become President of the People's Republic of China