Release Date: 2026-04-17

On the afternoon of April 2, Dr. Lei Zhang, Associate Professor from the School of Psychology at the University of Birmingham, visited the Faculty of Psychology at Beijing Normal University (BNU) and held a meeting with faculty representatives, Shi Jiaxin, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Faculty of Psychology; Gao Mengyu, Associate Professor and Lecturer; Chen Fangzhu, Director of the International Exchange Office; and Xiao Xiyao, International Affairs Secretary. Discussions addressed on international academic collaboration, joint student training, and transnational education programs.

Earlier that day, at the invitation of Professor Wang Yin, Dr. Zhang delivered a lecture titled “Dimensions of Social Learning in Mind, Brain, and Machine.” Combining fMRI and computational modeling, he presented empirical findings on the neural underpinnings of social prediction and vicarious value coding, as well as their atypical expressions in individuals at risk for mental health conditions. The visit strengthened the ties between the alumnus and his alma mater, laying a solid groundwork for deeper cooperation in psychology between the two universities.