On January 15, 2018, Jon Frampton, Deputy-Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Birmingham, led a delegation to Tianjin University and signed a Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation.

During the meeting, Tianjin University Vice President Hu Wenping briefed the guests on the development of academic disciplines, the operation of the double campuses and the establishment schools such as the School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology that characterize TJU. He especially mentioned that in recent years, Tianjin University has attached great importance to the work of internationalization and conducting cooperative education jointly with world-renowned universities as well as vigorously recruiting international students. Professor Jon Frampton said that the University of Birmingham has always attached great importance to promoting cooperation with Chinese universities. He pointed out that there are many similarities between the two universities in terms of historical development and academic strengths, and that cooperation will help achieve mutual benefits and win-win results.

The two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation, which covers personnel exchanges, student training, and scientific cooperation. During the visit, members of the delegation visited the Tianjin University History Museum and gained a more detailed understanding of the history and development of Tianjin University.