On June 23, 2016, Professor Dan Rodriguez, the Dean of Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and Professor James Speta, the Senior Associate Dean of international initiatives of Northwestern University ("NU") visited the Institute of Evidence Law and Forensic Science ("IELFS") of China University of Political Science and Law ("CUPL"). They were given a warm reception from Professor Baosheng Zhang, the former Vice President of CUPL and the co-chair of the Collaborative Innovation Center of Judicial Civilization ("CICJC"), Professor Zhong Zhang, who is the Associate Dean of the Institute of Evidence Law and Forensic Science, Associate Professor Hongqi Wu and Associate Professor Zhuhao Wang. As the representatives of visiting scholar at NU, Ph.D Candidates Yi Jiang and Yin Li also attended the meeting.

Professor Baosheng Zhang gave a concise introduction of CUPL and CICJC. In addition, the overseas research institutions and 10 main strategic partners over the world are further presented to the visitors. Professor Baosheng Zhang mentioned the great contributions to the cooperation between CUPL and NU made by the John Henry Wigmore Professor Ronald J. Allen from NU. He said that the cordial friendship and the harmonious relationship developed in the cooperation between CUPL and NU was much valued. Deepening and extending the existing cooperation will definitely promote the legal research, the resource sharing, exchange of visiting scholars as well as joint-supervised postgraduate programs.

Dean Rodriguez highly praised of the development mode of globalization of CICJC. As to the school running cooperation and the establishment of academic research institutes, he made a positive response. During the conversations, he made it clear that Northwestern Pritzker School of Law aimed at deepening mutual understanding, seeking advices and suggestions and, furthermore, exploring new ways of cooperation.  

The representatives of both sides expressed optimism over the prospects of cooperation, completed the preliminary exchange of ideas about co-running of school, research institutes establishment, the enrollment of students from CUPL in L.L.M program, J.D. program and S.J.D program of NU, and issues concerning International Conferences. They also reached an agreement of further negotiation of pertinent issues.