A competition at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University saw 16 teams of students presenting products and showcasing their innovative ideas and understanding of entrepreneurship.

The final of the Ninth XJTLU Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition featured projects covering a wide range of areas, including science and technology innovation, cultural creativity, and campus services.

The competition attracted students from the programmes of BA International Business with a Language, BEng Computer Science and Technology, BSc Economics and Finance, BSc Applied Chemistry, BSc Biological Sciences and BEng Electrical Engineering.

The project ‘Multi-view Stereo Machine Vision Sensor System’ won the First Prize and Special Award for Technical Innovation.

Team leader of the project, Ting Wang, an alumnus from the PhD Computer Science and Software Engineering programme at XJTLU, built a team to develop 3D vision-based controllers and sensors. He set up Shanghai Fitting Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. and has served as CIO of the company since February 2017.

The products his company designs are used in ‘intelligent vehicle driving’ technology, which includes real-time multi-target obstacle identification, and tracking and ranging. They can also adapt to a variety of driving scenarios, including rainy days and evenings.

Ting Wang said that tech start-ups must have strong support: “XJTLU not only has a high standard of technology in the fields of artificial intelligence, pattern recognition, and machine learning, it also has experienced and professional mentors to provide support for student entrepreneurs,” he said.

“High-quality talents that were educated at XJTLU have provided a guarantee for the development of the company,” he added.

Two other projects, ‘One More Class’ and ‘Cauchy Design’, were co-winners of the second prize.

One More Class is an online tutorial platform which provides online tutorials for students by their high-achieving classmates. All the online courses are synchronised with the University’s curriculum, and the platform has helped more than 800 XJTLU students pass exams for various modules since it was put into use a year ago.

Tao Wang, who is in charge of the project and studies BA Marketing, said: “This is the first time I have stood on the stage to introduce the project and communicate with professional judges. I received their suggestions and recognition which has strengthened my faith to continue the project.”

Professor Youmin Xi, executive president of XJTLU, said in his opening speech: “The purpose of this competition is to promote innovation and entrepreneurship education, to develop students’ abilities and mentalities for innovative entrepreneurship, and to enable students to discover problems in good time and seize opportunities to propose new solutions to problems.”

Wenjin Shen, chairman of Jintipu Technology Development Co., Ltd. and one of the judging panel, praised students’ performances, saying: “Students have lots of innovative ideas and they’ve dug out customers’ demands based on the information and knowledge they’ve grasped, and also tried to satisfy the customers’ demands.

Students can develop capacities other than studiousness by participating in this entrepreneurship competition.”

Another judge, Wensheng Zhou, who is executive dean of University of California, Los Angeles (Suzhou) Institute for Technology Advancement, expressed that students have creative and active thinking and their projects have covered a wide range of topics.

She also suggested: “Students need to have more training in systematic entrepreneurship, which will help them to think and present their projects in a more standardised, professional, and confident way.”

Xiating Zhang from XJTLU Career Centre said: “This year we added a series of lectures and activities, such as Business Plan Writing and Project Presentation Skills and Practice, which can provide XJTLU entrepreneurs with real training and a practical exchange platform to enhance their innovative thinking and entrepreneurial awareness.”

The competition was jointly organised by the Career Development Centre and the International Technology Transfer Centre at XJTLU, and the Suzhou Dushu Lake Entrepreneurial University, and supported by Suzhou Dushu Lake Science Education and Innovation District Administrative Committee and XJTLU Student Entrepreneur Development Association.

Two students from Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University were part of a winning team at the Car Design Awards China in Shanghai.

Guanqi Dai and Shao Weihao, Year Three students from the Department of Industrial Design at XJTLU, along with masters student Jinlin Jiang from Southeast University-Monash University Joint Graduate School (Suzhou), received the award for Best User Interface for their car design ‘Peugeot Pie’.

“The shape of the design was inspired by pies we like to eat,” said Guanqi (pictured above, second from the left). “It looks cute and interesting which is different from the streamlined or powerful shapes of existing cars,” she said.

Teams chose from seven design briefs from various car companies. The one selected by Guanqi’s team, from French company Peugeot, called for a ‘next gen crossover for Peugeot in 2030’, and required ‘a timeless elegance and faultless, human-centred concepts.’

Guanqi explained a little about the design process and the division of labour between the team:

“Weihao and I performed user research and were responsible for the user interface part of the design while Jinlin, who is more experienced in automobile design, was in charge of the interior and exterior design,” she said.

She commented that her modules in research methods and ergonomics with the Department of Industrial Design at XJTLU helped equip her and Weihao with the skills they needed to win.

“The final design was very much focused on the user experience, and I think that’s what set our design apart,” said Guanqi. “We wanted to make the user as comfortable as possible regarding the interior design and entertainment system, and even the exterior design.”

The award for Best User Interface was given to the team by Henning Knoepfle, general manager and design director of Technicon Design, a Shanghai-based design company for the automotive and transport industries.

Other awards given included Best Luxury Concept, Best Eco Solution, Best Digital Design, and Most Innovative use of Material.

A total of 10 awards were given to winning teams comprised from the 299 participants from 98 schools across China that took part in the Car Design Awards China.

The job fair attracted 42 enterprises from the areas of finance, IT, software design, foreign language training, engineering, and manufacturing.

Companies that participated in the job fair included Standard Chartered Bank Suzhou Branch, L’Oreal Suzhou, Soochow Futures, Flextronics, Littelfuse and DHL.

Ping Lu, city manager at Standard Chartered Bank Suzhou Branch said that her bank has had much cooperation with XJTLU, including internships and a career development training camp.

“XJTLU students have received good internationalised university education and they have obtained a wide range of horizons and excellent learning abilities, which are appropriate to our company’s requirements for talents,” he said.

“They will become backbones of the enterprise if they can settle down to grass-roots work for several years,” he added.

Zhulin Han from XJTLU’s Career Centre said that the campus job fairs provide students with face-to-face communication opportunities with HR personnel from various enterprises. They allow students to get an understanding about specific job requirements, and also to find and obtain better internship opportunities and career positions.

“If you want to stand out in the job hunting process, then you’d better carefully prepare your resumé to leave interviewers with a good first impression,” she said. “It is also important to know the basic situation of the company in advance, so you can make a good preparation for that.”

XJTLU Career Centre organises autumn and spring job fairs every November and April, which provide more employment information and opportunities for graduates and alumni. Year One and Year Two students can also communicate directly with enterprises through the job fair to understand their demands and requirements for employees and make more targeted self-improvements.

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University has signed a significant agreement for substantial external funding from construction company Innostrux, following internationally significant research developments in the area of fibre-reinforced concrete.

The funding will go towards the creation of a new research centre: XJTLU-Innostrux Centre for Advanced Fibre-Reinforced Concrete Technology, focussed on the highly innovative work of developing and optimising steel and macro-synthetic fibres for concrete.

Funding from Innostrux will also enable the creation of the first Chair Professor at XJTLU, a post that will be granted to Dr Chee Seong Chin as the initiator and leader of the University’s research in this area.

Dr Chin, Associate Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering and Dean of Learning and Teaching at XJTLU, explained the advantages of fibre-reinforced concrete:

“Concrete is brittle when the confining pressure is low and contains numerous ‘microcracks’,” said Dr Chin (pictured below, next to the Department’s new structural testing machine).

“Rapid propagation of these cracks under applied loads is considered responsible for its weakness in tension. Fibres can be adopted to bridge the onset of the cracks and consequently enhance the tensile strength and ductility of the material,” he explained.

Dr Chin explained that this outstanding new material enables the reduction or elimination of construction joins, efficient repair and restoration, and reduces the weight and cost of traditional concrete structures.

Professor André Brown, Vice President for Academic Affairs at XJTLU, congratulated Dr Chin on his appointment as Chair Professor and on ‘the very significant success and impact of the research [he has] undertaken in this field so far.’

“I feel privileged regarding the appointment,” said Dr Chin, “and I would like to express my sincere thanks to XJTLU and Innostrux for granting me the unique opportunity to create a powerful research-enterprise partnership to further strengthen the research and development in advanced fibre-reinforced concrete technology.”

Dr Chin added that he looks forward to playing his part in contributing to the continuous development of the University to become internationally recognised as a first-class and dynamic institution highly committed to research as well as to learning and teaching excellence.

Year Three students from the Department of Public Health at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University went on a three day field trip to Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Macau.

The visit was meant to facilitate students’ understanding of regional approaches to primary healthcare, which refers to the accessibility of healthcare provision within communities, and of health education programs conducted at a local level.

At the Yijing Community Health Center in Shenzhen, XJTLU students and faculty had a guided visit of the premises followed by a meeting with the entire team of workers and one volunteer.

“We observed that community participation in healthcare is actively encouraged in Shenzhen,” said student Ariana Matias. “People volunteer and are given incentives to help each other.”

“I was impressed by the new healthcare reform in Shenzhen,” said student Yifan Jin (pictured above), who explained how it works:

“Money collected from health insurance payments is given to a corporation of hospitals and community centres that use it for medical expenses, and surplus funds are given to health workers as bonuses. This model really helps the community, and encourages health workers to focus more on prevention than treatment,” said Yifan.

In Hong Kong, students visited the Museum of Social Sciences, familiarising themselves with the local history of public health over more than a century, and with the relatively recent handling of the SARS outbreak in southern China.

They also visited the School of Public Health at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where they met faculty members Dr Jean Kim, Dr Samuel Wong, and Dr William Goggins, and were given the opportunity to attend a masters-level class.

“It was very useful as an undergraduate who is deciding on future directions to experience what it would be like to take a taught masters programme,” said student Shizhen He (pictured above).

In Macau, students visited the Fai Chi Kei Health Centre, which exposed students to another approach toward primary healthcare and health education at the community level.

They also visited the Sheng Kung Hui Taipa Youth and Family Center, which has programs targeted to improve psychological and physical wellbeing for young people and families.

“Macau is said to have one of the best primary healthcare systems in the world, and from our visit that was evident,” said student Ariana Matias (pictured above).

Dr Marius Wamsiedel from the Department of Public Health at XJTLU, who accompanied the students on the trip, commented on some of the valuable things they experienced:

“The presentations given by healthcare professionals were really excellent, and provided some really useful insights into innovative work being performed,” he said.

“The School of Public Health at the Chinese University of Hong Kong is one of the most prestigious institutions on the continent, so it was really a privilege to visit there,” he added.

Dr Bo Wu and Dr Don Prisno from the Department of Public Health at XJTLU also accompanied the students on the three day trip.

The Department of Public Health offers the undergraduate degree programme BSc Public Health with supervision from practitioners and experts in their fields, as well as PhD study options.

The spring campus job fair was held at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University to provide students with internship and job opportunities.

The job fair attracted 42 enterprises from the areas of finance, IT, software design, foreign language training, engineering, and manufacturing.

Companies that participated in the job fair included Standard Chartered Bank Suzhou Branch, L’Oreal Suzhou, Soochow Futures, Flextronics, Littelfuse and DHL.

Ping Lu, city manager at Standard Chartered Bank Suzhou Branch said that her bank has had much cooperation with XJTLU, including internships and a career development training camp.

“XJTLU students have received good internationalised university education and they have obtained a wide range of horizons and excellent learning abilities, which are appropriate to our company’s requirements for talents,” he said.

“They will become backbones of the enterprise if they can settle down to grass-roots work for several years,” he added.

Zhulin Han from XJTLU’s Career Centre said that the campus job fairs provide students with face-to-face communication opportunities with HR personnel from various enterprises. They allow students to get an understanding about specific job requirements, and also to find and obtain better internship opportunities and career positions.

“If you want to stand out in the job hunting process, then you’d better carefully prepare your resumé to leave interviewers with a good first impression,” she said. “It is also important to know the basic situation of the company in advance, so you can make a good preparation for that.”

XJTLU Career Centre organises autumn and spring job fairs every November and April, which provide more employment information and opportunities for graduates and alumni. Year One and Year Two students can also communicate directly with enterprises through the job fair to understand their demands and requirements for employees and make more targeted self-improvements.

Year Three students from the Department of Public Health at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University went on a three day field trip to Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Macao.

The visit was meant to facilitate students’ understanding of regional approaches to primary healthcare, which refers to the accessibility of healthcare provision within communities, and of health education programs conducted at a local level.

At the Yijing Community Health Center in Shenzhen, XJTLU students and faculty had a guided visit of the premises followed by a meeting with the entire team of workers and one volunteer.

“We observed that community participation in healthcare is actively encouraged in Shenzhen,” said student Ariana Matias. “People volunteer and are given incentives to help each other.”

“I was impressed by the new healthcare reform in Shenzhen,” said student Yifan Jin (pictured above), who explained how it works:

“Money collected from health insurance payments is given to a corporation of hospitals and community centres that use it for medical expenses, and surplus funds are given to health workers as bonuses. This model really helps the community, and encourages health workers to focus more on prevention than treatment,” said Yifan.

In Hong Kong, students visited the Museum of Medical Sciences, familiarising themselves with the local history of public health over more than a century, and with the relatively recent handling of the SARS outbreak in southern China.

They also visited the School of Public Health at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where they met faculty members Dr Jean Kim, Dr Samuel Wong, and Dr William Goggins, and were given the opportunity to attend a masters-level class.

“It was very useful as an undergraduate who is deciding on future directions to experience what it would be like to take a taught masters programme,” said student Shizhen He (pictured above).

In Macao, students visited the Fai Chi Kei Health Centre, which exposed students to another approach toward primary healthcare and health education at the community level.

They also visited the Sheng Kung Hui Taipa Youth and Family Center, which has programs targeted to improve psychological and physical wellbeing for young people and families.

“Macao is said to have one of the best primary healthcare systems in the world, and from our visit that was evident,” said student Ariana Matias (pictured above).

Dr Marius Wamsiedel from the Department of Public Health at XJTLU, who accompanied the students on the trip, commented on some of the valuable things they experienced:

“The presentations given by healthcare professionals were excellent, and provided some really useful insights into innovative work being performed,” he said.

“The School of Public Health at the Chinese University of Hong Kong is one of the most prestigious institutions on the continent, so it was really a privilege to visit there,” he added.

Dr Bo Wu and Dr Don Prisno from the Department of Public Health at XJTLU also accompanied the students on the three day trip.

The Department of Public Health offers the undergraduate degree programme BSc Public Health with supervision from practitioners and experts in their fields, as well as PhD study options.

Over 100 students participated in the ‘XJTLU Career Talk’, sponsored by the Student Admissions and Career Development Office at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University. More than 10 external mentors, undergraduates, masters graduates, and PhD students were invited to share their experiences of further education and career development.

Nian Xue, who completed his undergraduate degree at Xi’an Jiaotong University, is finishing his masters degree in Computer Science at XJTLU. He has received a doctoral offer with a full scholarship from New York University in the U.S., and has also applied for two patents on photovoltaic generation and mobile phone unlocking. He shared his experiences about learning, living, and working:

“Setting goals, teamwork, and learning to relax are three very important parts in our lives as students,” he said.

Nian Xue said that he likes the Sino-western integrated cultural atmosphere: “Compared with traditional universities, XJTLU gives us more learning and academic freedom,” he said. “I can choose the subjects I am interested in to carry out scientific research, which also encourages my enthusiasm for research to a great extent.

“I didn’t know how to do research during my undergraduate period, but learning at XJTLU has filled my academic gaps. Under the guidance of my tutor, Xin Huang, a teacher from Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, I know how to do research projects. It has been very useful and enabled me to go abroad for further study,” he added.

Zhen Xu, HR Director of technology company Oerlikon Drive Systems (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. and external mentor for XJTLU, told students about three essential elements that are needed for the development of their prospective of careers: personal responsibility, a clear direction and objectives, and the ability to analyse and solve problems. She emphasized that it is important to determine goals, and to clear away barriers when a ‘bottleneck’ is encountered so that one can make further breakthroughs.

“Companies prefer job seekers who have the three traits: enthusiasm, patience, and initiative.” She added.

Yimei Wu, who completed her undergraduate studies at another university, is studying on the MRes Advanced Chemical Sciences programme at XJTLU. She talked about the changes she experienced after coming to XJTLU:

“I had a great change in modes of learning and thinking,” she said. “I gradually adapted to the process of autonomous learning and active exploration, and also learned to absorb essences from western culture and to make comparisons between Chinese and western countries.” Like most of those who shared their experiences, she believes that whether one is studying or in full-time employment, enthusiasm and interest are essential.

Zehui Zhang, a Year Four BA Business Administration student, shared her experiences of starting a business in her second year of undergraduate study. She said: “University students need to make firm decisions, and then be brave and never give up. It is also important to manage time while you are trying new things.”

For her own future planning, she said that she would temporarily put aside her own company and go abroad for further study to improve herself, and then lay a firmer foundation to develop a better business in the future.

Sihan Liu, a Year One BA Communication Studies student who participated in the sharing session said:

“After listening to the experiences of predecessors, I have a greater understanding of different industries. I think the future development of an industry has a great impact on personal career planning. Knowing the development prospects of an industry is helpful in making predictions, which is easy to ignore for lots of people who are job-hunting.”

A research paper written by a PhD student in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University was accepted by a top Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers journal.

The paper, entitled ‘Modified beta algorithm for GMPPT and partial shading detection in photovoltaic systems’, was written by Xingshuo Li (pictured below), and was accepted by IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, one of the top IEEE journals in the power electronics and sustainable energy field.

Under the supervision of Dr Huiqing Wen and supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and Jiangsu Science and Technology, Xingshuo conducted his research project on enhancing energy yields of photovoltaic systems under partial shading conditions.

The paper indicates that various sustainable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydroelectricity, are experiencing fast development. However, how to achieve maximum output power under different conditions is still a challenging problem.

Especially under partial shading conditions, due to the interference of clouds, trees or buildings, the actual output power of photovoltaic arrays shows multiple peaks, which makes it difficult for the maximum power point tracking algorithm to determine the global maximum power point. This paper proposed a novel beta-parameter based algorithm, which shows better results compared with conventional methods.

Xingshuo Li published two papers, ‘An improved MPPT method for PV system with fast-converging speed and zero oscillation” and “An improved beta method with autoscaling factor for photovoltaic system”, in IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications, one of the top IEEE journals in the power electronics and sustainable energy field, last year. He has had five papers published in SCI journals and applied for five invention patents.

After graduating from the MSc Sustainable Energy Technology programme at XJTLU, Xingshuo Li decided to continue his studies in the sustainable energy laboratory and complete a PhD.

“It’s a good example to show the effectiveness of research-led education innovations, which is widely adopted at XJTLU,” said Dr Huiqing Wen, Xingshuo’s PhD supervisor.

“Usually the latest research topics are introduced in the module teaching, and students are encouraged to read top transaction papers,” he said.

Dr Wen expressed that students can gain practical engineering experience and skills in simulation, hardware design, and code debugging in well-designed laboratories, which helps students build a solid basis for deeper research.

“Besides, students are well motivated since they can freely select their module projects according to their interests,” he continued, “and they are even willing to spend extra time on the topics if they really show interest in them.”

Over the past three years, student numbers on the MSc Sustainable Energy Technology programme has increased several times, and the programme continuously attracts students from China and around the world.

Year Three students from the Department of Urban Planning and Design at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University made a fieldtrip to villages on Xishan Island, located in the middle of Tai Lake, under the supervision of Dr Sheng Zhong and Hong Ni, a PhD student and Teaching Assistant.

Information collected during the fieldtrip will benefit students in completing their Rural Planning module, helping student project groups identify key local assets as well as sustainability challenges facing the village both locally and regionally.

“We learned a lot on this fieldtrip and our investigations enabled us to collect more detailed and practical information,” said student Xiang Zhou.

Suzhou’s tremendous spatial expansion and fast socioeconomic development in the past several decades not only transformed the central city, but also rural areas in the metropolitan hinterland.

Xishan Island, the largest freshwater island in China, has undergone tremendous environmental, economic and social changes, evolving from an agricultural base with a rich historic legacy to a hot spot of recreation and tourism, particularly for residents in the lower Yangtze Delta region.

“These changes have brought both opportunities and challenges to the sustainability of several villages on the Island,” explained Dr Sheng Zhong, lecturer in the Department of Urban Planning and Design at XJTLU.

“China’s metropolitan development in the past has privileged urban over rural areas and the resulting urban-rural disparity has placed rural communities at the center of scholastic enquiry and policy interventions,” she said.

The 38 students and two faculty members were welcomed by local leaders and villagers. Mr Qi, the Shigong Village Party Secretary, gave XJTLU visitors an introduction to local development policies and practices and answered students’ questions on rural economic development, social service provision, land use change, environmental protection, public finance, and community governance.

Students and faculty members then conducted fieldwork in Nanwan Village, which is overseen by the government of Shigong Village and has a population of about 200 people. Based on research plans developed prior to the fieldtrip, eight project groups carried out their site investigations on various dimensions of local sustainability.

“We learned a lot of information that cannot be available in books,” said student Shengxi Xin. “For instance, the real feelings of local residents on tourism development. This forces us to rethink what we envisage for the place, asking ourselves if we really understand what people need.”

In addition to observing the features of the rural natural and built environment, students talked to local villagers about their livelihood, community needs, and future visions. Students and faculty members also visited Mingyuewan Village, a national historic village and a key tourists’ attraction in the area.

“In the conversations with local villagers, we learnt people’s real thoughts instead of guessing their thoughts in the classroom,” said Xiang Zhou. “In addition, site investigations let us realise the importance of group work and helped enhance our collaborative spirit.”

Built on the understanding and analysis of the villages, students will formulate development strategies and community participation proposals to achieve long-term sustainability.

“The Department of Urban Planning and Design at XJTLU has always put a high premium on building a nexus between research and teaching,” said Dr Sheng Zhong, “and we focus on incorporating theoretical knowledge with practical knowledge.”

At the end of the semester, selected student work will be translated into Chinese and provided to local communities so that knowledge gained from the research and learning process will generate real social impacts.

The Department of Urban Planning and Design offers a BA in Urban Planning and Design, as well as full- and part-time masters options, and PhD supervision by researchers with a broad range of interests.

The undergraduate degree programme in biological sciences at Xian Jiaotong-Liverpool University has been awarded international accreditation by the Royal Society of Biology in a ceremony that took place at the Houses of Parliament in the UK.

XJTLU is the second university in in the world to receive international accreditation from the RSB for an undergraduate degree programme.

The accreditation recognises excellence in teaching, curriculum provision, and technical skills development, as well the capacity of a programme to enhance graduate employability skills.

Speaking at the award ceremony, Professor Dame Jean Thomas, president of the Royal Society of Biology, said: “Accreditation recognises institutions that offer an outstanding bioscience education and equip their graduates with the skills needed to thrive in a global market.

"Championing high standards in education is critical to providing a foundation for a collaborative international biosciences community, and we are proud that the RSB can play a part in recognising and supporting this,” she said.

The ceremony was attended by Professor David O’Connor, head of the Department of Biological Sciences at XJTLU, and Chun-Yen Lu, a graduate of the programme who is currently studying for a PhD degree at the University of Cambridge.

Professor O’Connor (pictured above) commented: “Biological Sciences at XJTLU is still less than a decade old, so we’re surprised and delighted in equal measure.”

“The accreditation reflects an enormous amount of dedicated hard work by some very talented people in our Department, and I hope they are proud of what they have achieved in such a short time,” he added.

Chun-Yen Lu (pictured above) said: “It was so nice to be able to receive this award on behalf of students who are taking, or who have taken, this programme at XJTLU. I remember my time there with great fondness and I’m grateful for the excellent grounding in biological sciences that it gave me”.

The award was made after a comprehensive review of all aspects of the BSc Biological Sciences, including its curriculum, faculty qualifications, lab and library facilities, as well as its methods of assessment, and administrative and quality assurance processes.

A seminar on themes related to Asia and Pacific studies and the Chinese economy took place at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, with 16 presenters from universities and policy-making institutions around the world.

Over two days and multiple sessions, participants presented their ongoing research projects on various topics including environmental and energy policy, economic integration, international trade, financial regulation, infrastructure, migration, and economic growth in Asia and China.

Professor Eng Gee Lim, dean of research at XJTLU, welcomed the participants of the event, which was co-organised by the Research Institute for Economic Integration at XJTLU and the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI).

“Many experts have come to this seminar from all over the Asia-Pacific area and also from other areas, like Europe and Australia, to share ideas about how to help the Asia-Pacific economy grow in a stable way,” said Professor Lim. “They will have serious discussions here and hope to arrive at some advice for policy makers.”Paulo Regis, director of the Research Institute for Economic Integration at XJTLU, explained how the seminar could help researchers to develop policy recommendations.

“Participants can get comments and feedback through attending the seminar, and after continuing work on their papers, can then develop some policy recommendations,” he said.

The event was the fifth in this series of seminars that began in 2013, and is part of the efforts of the Research Institute for Economic Integration to promote research with a focus on the Asia and Pacific region and the Chinese economy, as well as to build a network of researchers in the region.

Three special sessions hosted by the ADBI focused on financial inclusion, the housing market and infrastructure - key issues for domestic investment in the context of developing countries.

ADBI, based in Tokyo, is a think tank that focuses on development strategies for Asia and the Pacific, and provides support in managing development challenges to Asian Development Bank member countries. Peter Morgan, senior consulting economist at ADBI and co-chair for research, said: “This seminar is a great forum to thrash out empirical and policy issues, and to identify promising young researchers.

Dr Fang Zheng, from Singapore University of Social Sciences who attended the seminar for the second time, expressed that she was very impressed by XJTLU’s campus and environment.

“Compared with other traditional Chinese universities, XJTLU is more international,” she added.

“XJTLU’s goal to create key research institutes requires the dissemination of our work and interaction with other institutions,” said Paulo Regis. “Hosting this type of events provides the best opportunity to promote the Institute and increase the visibility of the University.”

Universities represented included: Deakin University; Singapore Institute of Management (SIM); Nanyang Technological University; Singapore University of Social Sciences; University of California Los Angeles; University of Illinois; The University of Nottingham-Ningbo, University of Liverpool; Kobe University; Jinan University; Southwestern University of Finance; and Economic and University of Malaya.

An event, 'Yi Tech', was hosted by Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, showcasing innovative Italian technology companies operating in China, and bringing together experts for a discussion on the future of such enterprises.

“Italy is among the top three countries manufacturing 20% of the products available on the global market,” said Roberto Donà (pictured below, left), professor of practice in the management group of International Business School Suzhou at XJTLU, and co-organiser of the event.

“Yet, what do people usually know about Italian Technology? The goal of this event is to showcase Italian excellence and to assess how we can contribute to China’s striving for economic growth and superior manufacturing,” he said.

The event was held in the South Campus International Research Centre, and was organised by XJTLU academics in collaboration with the Association of Italian Academics in China (AAIIC), and with the support of the Italian Embassy in China and the Italian Trade Commission.

An exhibition of posters from 25 Italian companies operating in China highlighted their innovative technologies, as well as their company histories and visions for the future.

“This exhibition presents students, researchers, and business leaders with examples of Italian excellence,” said event scientific expert Ruggero Canova, lecturer in the Department of Industrial Design at XJTLU.

Italian companies represented included those operating in the fields of mechanical engineering, mechatronics, manufacturing, and industrial automation, including Carel, Danieli, Pirelli, and Piaggio Group.

Following the exhibition, Dr Guido Giacconi (pictured below), chairman of business consultancy In3act, gave a keynote speech on Made In China 2025, the government’s action plan to transform China from the ‘factory of the world’ to a leader in innovation and high-end products, and how Italian businesses can take part in it.

Dr Giacconi’s speech was followed by a panel discussion on how academia, corporations, and professional services can cooperate to improve Italy’s involvement in MIC2025.

Peter Hawkins, a British manufacturing consultant who specialises in lean optimisation and who attended the exhibition, said that he thought China will face many hurdles in moving towards an innovation-based economy, as Chinese companies are traditionally reluctant to invest in research and development.

Roberto Donà introduced some of the University’s research centres, and the International Technology Transfer Centre that serves as a bridge between industry and academia to oversee the commercialisation of new technologies, of which he is co-director.

“The ITTC facilitates the links between research centres, new technology development, and company needs,” explained Roberto.

Additionally, Liting Zhang, business engagement manager at IBSS, introduced the Business School and its cooperation and collaborations with the corporate world.

Other companies that participated in the exhibition were Bonfiglioli, Brembo, Candy, Casappa, Comau, Corghi, Faist, Fameccanica, Fluid-o-Tech, Gefran, Loccioni, Magneti Marelli, Marchesi, Marpos, Mattei, Microtech, Pelliconi, Ponzini, SFH, Santoni, and System China.

The annual Graduate Poster Day at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University provides students with an opportunity to present their research to an audience from various academic backgrounds.

At this year’s event, 31 PhD students and one masters student presented their projects in the form of posters, receiving valuable feedback on their work from senior academics, and support from fellow student researchers.

The event is intended to help encourage a friendly and supportive research environment at the University, and to facilitate the free exchange of ideas between academic departments.

“One of the skills of being a researcher is to be able to present your work in different ways,” said Professor Andre Brown, vice president of XJTLU.

“It’s an important skill to be able to present your work in a condensed way so that laypeople can understand it - you should be able to give someone an overview of your research in about one minute. Equally, you should be able to stand up in front of an audience of people working in your subject area and talk for an hour.

“The trick is to stand back and see your work in a wider context,” he continued, “which can be difficult to do when you are immersed in the minutiae of your own research.”

A team of 24 judges comprised of academics from different departments assessed the presentations and conferred to award first, second, and third prizes, and a prize for the best masters student presentation.

Judges assessed the presentations based on the quality of work presented, the clarity and effectiveness of the posters, and the presentation skills of the students. All attendees were also invited to place votes for an award for Most Popular Poster.

Lin Liu (pictured above), a PhD student in the Department of Environmental Science at XJTLU, presented her project ‘Novel self-powered microsensors based on carbon nanomaterials’.

She discussed her work with fellow presenter Xingshuo Li, a PhD student from the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE), whose project, also related to photovoltaics, he produced a paper for that was recently published in a top journal.

“I received some useful feedback from academics who are in other departments,” said Xingshuo. “What they are concerned with can be very different, so you can get different angles and perspectives on your work. If I’m going to present my work in this way in the future I now have some ideas for improvements.”

Following a brief period of deliberation by the judges, awards were presented by Professor Andre Brown, and Professor Eng Gee Lim, dean for research and graduate studies at XJTLU, who said he was really impressed by the creativity and talents of the presenters.

Naiqi Yang, a PhD student in the Department of Biological Sciences, won first prize for her project ‘Regulation of IFN-signalling by immune adaptor in macrophages’.

“I’m very happy and excited. I totally didn’t think I could win a prize, especially not the first prize,” she said.

Other prize winners were Bing Han from EEE who received the second prize, Zhuang Ma from International Business School Suzhou at XJTLU and Yutao Cai from EEE who were joint winners of the third prize, and Hemanth Rudrappa who received the masters student prize. Sanmouga Marooden from the Department of Civil Engineering received the award for Most Popular Poster.

The University also holds the annual SURF Poster Day in September, allowing undergraduate students to present research projects that are completed during the summer in collaboration with academic supervisors.

Staff and students of the Department of Environmental Science at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University held a grand opening event for their new location in the Emerging & Interdisciplinary Science Building, South Campus.

There was a presentation of student photography related to environmental issues, tours of the new facilities, demonstrations of new equipment, and interactive demonstrations of environmental science research techniques.

John Edwards, British consul general in Shanghai, was invited to join members of XJTLU’s senior management to cut the ribbon inaugurating the Department’s new location, and to deliver a speech on climate change and Sino-British collaboration.

Professor Youmin Xi (pictured below), executive president of XJTLU, spoke at the event expressing his hopes for the future of environmental science at the University:

“China is facing serious environmental challenges, and I hope our University can play a positive role in finding solutions,” he said.

Gustave Williamson, a PhD student studying electron transfer among inorganic minerals and living organisms, enthused about the new facilities and equipment:

“I’m super excited about the new facilities. Our new lab is equipped with everything you could think of, and it’s all the latest technology of its type.”

Dr Zheng Chen, lecturer in the Department of Environmental Science at XJTLU, explained about their new ICP-MS machine (pictured above) that cost over a million RMB.

“The machine tests for concentrations of heavy metals that are toxic for human health even at very low levels,” he said.

“In China, there have been cases of cadmium in rice and mercury in fish. These metals weren’t added by humans – the plants and animals ‘uptake’ the metals that were released into the environment by human’s industrial activity. The ICP-MS machine is able to detect these trace metals in samples,” he explained.

Maede Fahihinia (pictured above), a PhD student from Iran, is researching the relationship between climate change, soil science, and plant biology. She explained a little about her project and how the new facilities and equipment will benefit her:

“As we know, the main cause of climate change is an increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Plants remove carbon dioxide from the air by photosynthesis, and then carbon goes through the plant root systems. We want to follow the fate of carbon when it goes through this system.

“My study requires a lot of expensive equipment and materials, and thankfully, all of these have been provided. I now have the freedom to choose the best methods for measuring materials, and can expand my project.”

Yi Rui Zhang, a Year Two student on the BSc Environmental Science programme, said that she made up her mind to study environmental science when she was in high school:

“I want to study environmental policy, so I’ll need to understand about all different aspects of environmental problems. We need to solve these issues for the sake of our future,” she said.

John Edwards, British consul general in Shanghai, gave a detailed presentation of various scientific studies proving the existence of climate change, and explained ways in which the UK and China are working together to find solutions.

“I was recently asked which side of the ‘climate change debate’ I am on,” said John. “I replied that I thought the debate had been over for some time: climate change is happening.”

He stated that education is the strongest part of the relationship between the UK and China, and encouraged XJTLU students and academics to work together with their fellows in the UK to find solutions to reduce global warming.

He also applauded China for ‘taking over global leadership on climate change that has sadly been given away by the U.S.’, and highlighted some of the achievements of Chinese science and industry, such as the reduction of the cost of solar panels by 80% making solar energy price-competitive with coal.

Mona Wells, acting head of the Department of Environmental Science, gave more details about the new equipment and facilities, and how they will benefit staff and students:

“We established two analytical labs, for inorganic and organic pollutants, respectively,” she said. “Cutting-edge instruments, such as inductive coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, gas chromatography, and scanning electrochemical microscopy, have been installed and are ready to use.”

Mona is also deputy director of the Institute for Sustainable Materials and the Environment at XJTLU that builds on the interdisciplinary work performed by the Department of Environmental Sciences, facilitating collaborative research projects with the Departments of Civil Engineering, Chemistry, and Industrial Design, and developing applications to industry-related problems.

Dr Robert Lynch, associate professor at the Department of Public Health at XJTLU, also attended the opening to look for possibilities for collaboration with the Department of Environmental Science.

“There’s the potential for some significant environmental health studies here in China, and the University is highly supportive of interdepartmental collaboration,” he said.

Students and teachers from Dulwich College and Eton House schools visited Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University for Science Taster Day, an annual event aimed at inspiring the next generation of scientists.

They visited the laboratories for the departments of Environmental Science, Chemistry, and Biological Sciences, where they were given an introduction to studying science at a university level and the career options open to science graduates.

The children were then guided by XJTLU teaching staff in fun activities to give them hands-on laboratory experience, and to boost their interest in science subjects.

Dr Rudi Marquez, head of the Department of Chemistry at XJTLU, gave the students a thorough safety briefing before leading them in an activity to make aspirin and a silver mirror through chemical reactions.

“These demonstrations give the children an experience of what it’s like working in a lab,” said Rudi, “and show them that aspirin, a well-known substance, is easy to make.”

Otis McFallon, who teaches chemistry and physics at Dulwich College, spoke about his methods for inspiring children’s interest in Chemistry:

“Kids love whizzes and bangs, and there are lots of fun demonstrations teachers can use to inspire kids to study Chemistry,” he said. “One of my go-to demos is ‘elephant’s toothpase’: a catalytic release of oxygen that becomes trapped in soap bubbles, expanding out into a huge mass of foam.”

In the Biological Sciences lab, students learned about yeast: its uses, and its characteristics as a living organism. They performed an experiment to test for metabolism, determining whether or not yeast can break down food molecules to create energy.

Students visiting the Department of Environmental Science assessed the cleanliness of canals adjacent to the Department’s new premises on the South Campus using environmental science research techniques.

“This visit really gets the students thinking about environmental science,” said Georgia Gratton, a Biology teacher at Dulwich College. “Actually the kids don’t have the opportunity to do environmental science at GCSE level, but the subject should provide good job opportunities in the future.

“The kids are really having fun. Our students loved this event last year, so that’s why we came back again,” she added.

“We didn’t get our experiment quite right, but I’d like to try again,” said Leticia Santana (pictured above, right), a student from Eton House.

Darkul Tiyessova (pictured above, centre), a Chemistry teacher at Eton House, said: “These types of activities are a great complement to the students’ regular science classes, and it is very beneficial for them to find out more about the many career opportunities available for science graduates.”

A similar visit is planned on Wednesday for students from SIP Foreign Language School and Canadian International School Kunshan.

Academic staff and students from the Department of Urban Planning and Design at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University are involved in local neighbourhood community planning, with the support of the government of Suzhou Industrial Park.

In 2012, Dr Ying Chang (pictured below) from UPD extended the module Planning Methodology to include practice in local neighbourhood communities in Suzhou.

“Unlike traditional cramming-style classroom teaching, we lead students into neighbourhood communities to conduct on-site surveys and communicate with the residents, which is very important for future planners,” said Dr Chang, “Internationally, planners are mostly playing the role of coordinator.”

Dr Chang said that the future trend for planners is to visit the living spaces of residents to learn their ideas, and to employ their professional knowledge to help the residents to realise their demands.

INCLUDING LOCAL RESIDENTS’ IDEAS IN PLANNING PERSPECTIVES

In November 2013, Dr Chang and Dr Bing Chen from UPD and Dr Yiping Dong from the Department of Architecture at XJTLU led students from the two departments to a neighbourhood community at SIP, Binjiangyuan, and held a participatory design workshop inviting residents from the community to attend.

During the workshop students, under the guidance of academic staff, collected residents’ opinions through a variety of methods, such as an ‘information wall’, and made suggestions for the redesign of internal functions of the community’s Citizen Liaison Office.

The students’ design plans were praised by the community and local design firms and were partially adopted.

Dr Chang said, “Participatory planning is an international trend and we teach students how to use skills to collect the voices of residents. The planning and design of neighbourhood communities should not be decided solely by planners; instead, planners should respect the residents’ opinions and voices, and our aim is to help the residents express their opinions.

“Through participatory planning, students can understand the real ideas of the residents, discover problems that exist in the community, and help residents to realise their ideas using the knowledge they’ve learned in class." he said.

CONTRIBUTING TO NEIGHBOURHOOD COMMUNITY CONSTRUCTION FROM A PROFESSIONAL ANGLE

In July 2013, students and staff from UPD were invited by another neighbourhood community in SIP, Living Bank, to participate in a discussion on the uses of community clubs.

“In that activity, we introduced the residents to a new popular international way of meeting: World Café,” said Dr Chang.

World Café was created in the U.S. by Dr Juanita Brown and Dr David Isaacs and spread it throughout the world during the 1990s, providing means for discussions on topics related to enterprise, governance, and community development. This method was known as ‘Community Teahouse’ when it was introduced in China.

Dr Chang said that Community Teahouse treated conversation as a core element in the process of problem solving. Based on the principles of sharing, equality, and respect, residents can have equal and open conversations in a relaxed atmosphere and discuss their common concerns.

With the help of XJTLU students, residents of different ages and genders expressed their thoughts fairly and efficiently during the July 2013 activity, and formed four proposals for the organization of the community’s clubs.

XJTLU was invited to organise a second round activity of World Café in September 2013 to further refine the four proposals, with two of these proposals becoming adopted by the community.

Yan Su, director of Living Bank neighbourhood committee, praised and recognised XJTLU’s contributions to neighbourhood communities, saying: “We have never done community service activities these forms previously; XJTLU introduced new ways to us, which was a learning opportunity for social workers at our neighbourhood committee.”

“We really appreciate XJTLU contributing to neighbourhood community construction from a professional angle over the past few years. The students and staff have put forward viable plans to solve our community’s internal contradictions and problems, and we will continue to use these meeting methods and negotiation skills to serve and manage residents,” she added.

XJTLU AS A FORCE FOR SOCIAL GOOD

Dr Chang believed that in addition to extending the classroom to social practice, students’ awareness of citizenship and service can also be developed by taking part in local neighbourhood community activities.

“To become a global citizen, students should start by understanding and serving their own society. Besides learning professional knowledge, we also guide students to undertake social responsibility by participating in neighbourhood community engagement, solving their issues, and helping the community to achieve better development. In this way XJTLU is becoming a force for social good.”

At the end of 2016, Dr Chang worked together with XJTLU Volunteer Academy, SIP Juandi Social Work Service Centre, and SIP Zhongxin Social Workers Office to initiate the XJTLU Community Engagement Project.

At present, nearly 40 students from International Business School Suzhou at XJTLU, XJTLU’s departments of Urban Plan and Design, Architecture, English, and Mathematical Sciences have participated in the project. The first Suzhou Youth Benevolence Forum, to be held in June, will exhibit the first cohort of students’ neighbourhood community achievements and stories.

“You should treat maths like the girl you love. If you don’t love her, then you shouldn’t marry her,” said Professor Ngo Viet Trung, a mathematician from the Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology during a lecture at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University.

Professor Trung is a fellow of the The World Academy of Sciences who specialises in combinatorial commutative algebra and algebraic geometry. From 2007 to 2013 he was director of the Institute of Mathematics at VAST. He has published nearly 100 research papers with over 1100 citations.

Some of his work has been so significant that it has been collected into standard textbooks on algebra, such as David Eisenbud's ‘Commutative Algebra with a View toward Algebraic Geometry’.

In the lecture, Professor Trung shared with the audience his long and wonderful love affair with mathematics.

He was born on the eve of the Vietnam War. When he was three years-old, his right leg became disabled due to disease. He said: "I couldn’t run, so I liked to sit quietly and think.”

“When I was in primary school, I didn’t do well in gym class, so I wanted to perform better in study,” he said.

When he was six, a book named ‘Funny Math’ sparked his interests in mathematics. He said that he loved to be by himself, and every semester he got a new textbook and solved all the exercises in the book.

His family was evacuated to a remote rural area because of the war. However, he continued to learn maths along with around ten classmates in a humble hut, with US air-raid bombs exploding nearby.

He was given an opportunity to participate in the regional mathematics Olympiad. His teacher took him there by bicycle as he could not walk. Although he didn’t win any prize, he gained a chance to study in a special class in Hanoi.

“I tried to solve all the math problems I encountered during my study at Hanoi, and I won the first prize in National Mathematical Olympiad in the last year,” he recalled.

At the age of 16 he was selected by his country to continue his studies at The Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, Germany. Professor Trung traveled by train from Vietnam by way of China, Mongolia, crossing Siberia, and finally arrived in Berlin. The whole trip took him two weeks.

“When I was an undergraduate, I often skipped classes because I’m more accustomed to studying by myself,” he said. “It is important for a mathematician to keep thinking independently."

“My happiest and most exciting moments are when I solve new math problems. Although these days those opportunities are rare for me, it’s still the reason I persist,” said Professor Trung.

Dr Jinsong Xu, a lecturer in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at XJTLU, said: “Mathematics in Vietnam has made remarkable progress in the last 30 years. Professor Trung is one of its key representatives, and he enjoys a high reputation in the international mathematics community.

“Professor Trung showed us how a mathematician’s love and pursuit of maths through many difficulties, describing his experience of learning maths, and introduced the history and development of mathematics in Vietnam, which brought great encouragement and inspiration to our staff and students who are engaged in mathematics research.”

XJTLU’s Department of Mathematical Sciences organises lectures and seminars rich in content for staff and students to explore and discuss various topics, including academic research, career development, mathematics and life.

The 2017 annual workshop on quantitative finance and actuarial sciences at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University helped to further the deepening combination of production, education, and research in those areas.

The workshop, co-organised by the Research Institute of Quantitative Finance (RIQF) at XJTLU, International Business School Suzhou (IBSS) at XJTLU, and XJTLU’s Department of Mathematical Sciences, aimed to promote XJTLU’s brand awareness and influence in the industry and also to create internship and career opportunities for XJTLU students.

It attracted over 70 guests from academic and industrial circles and supervision departments both from within China and overseas to discuss aspects of quantitative finance, capital markets, asset pricing, portfolio and risk management.

Attendees were welcomed by Professor Adam Cross, deputy dean of IBSS, Dr Gang Liu, head of the Department of Mathematical Sciences, and Dr Ahmet Goncu, director of RIQF.

The latest academic developments in the field of actuarial sciences, including heavy-tailed distribution claims and mortality models, were also presented during the seminar.

Previous workshops were aimed to enhance communication between academia and industry. This year, the organiser especially invited representatives from supervision departments to share their opinions.

Dr Wei Hung, director of Research Institute Shanghai Futures and Derivatives Trading, introduced the regulatory framework of China's futures market, and also put forward some practical problems that need to be solved in China's commodity futures market, which resonated with attendant academics and industry practitioners.

The insurance industry in China has developed rapidly in recent years. In view of this trend, this year’s workshop also added life insurance issues at the actuarial science session. Attendees shared the latest research results on themes of heavy-tailed theory, insurance asset management, and small sample mortality in life insurance companies.

The seminar also helped to identify the needs of talent recruitment and generated quantitative financial projects from specific enterprises. Among them, some participating enterprises, such as Rational Stone Investment Management Co. (Shanghai), have solved the issue of talent recruitment. In total, at least seven internship opportunities in quantitative finance were offered to the students from IBSS and the Department of Mathematical Sciences throughout the 2-day workshop.

Dr Yi Hong (IBSS), deputy director of RIQF said after the meeting: “In recent years, the demand for quantitative financial research and talent has been continually growing. This annual workshop is the important part of our persistent efforts to deepen communication between academic and industrial circles, promote quantification methods to be widely used in financial and actuarial industries, and build XJTLU into an important hub that can drive the combination of production, learning, and research within the region.”

Other guests who attended the seminar included Professor Athanasions Pantelous from the University of Liverpool, Dr Yuxin Xie from Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Dr Ai Han from Mathematics and System Institute at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dr Hongsong Chou, executive director of CITIC Securities Company Limited, Bin Lu, Investment Manager from Pinan Life Insurance, Panly Peng from China International Capital Corporation, Ke Wang from Shenyin&Wanguo Futures, Dr Honghai Zhu, partner of BoLiu Capital Co.(Shanghai), Dr Li Zhou, president of Rational Stone Investment Management Co. (Shanghai) and Mr. Shicheng Zhou, General Manager of Guohai Liangshi Futures and etc..

Dr Lin Yang, Dr Cihangir Kan, Dr Jiajun Liu and Dr Lu Zong from XJTLU’s Department of Mathematical Sciences, and Dr Qiuyu Chen from IBSS helped to organise this annual workshop.

The Annual Conference for Higher Education Innovation 2017 invited university presidents, managers, academic staff, and educational experts in China and abroad to share their opinions on how to build first-class undergraduate education.

The four-day conference, which was focused on the topic ‘Reshaping undergraduate education: building a student-centred educational system’, included a series of activities such as the XJTLU Education Forum, the Wisdom-Lake Internationalisation Summit of Higher Education 2017, teaching workshops, and training.

Three themed forums were held during the conference to have further discussion on reshaping undergraduate education, with themes including ‘Promoting the reconstruction of undergraduate education through Sino-foreign cooperation in schools’, ‘Reshaping academic staff development”, and ‘Elementary education’.

Professor Sir Drummond Bone, master of Balliol College at the University of Oxford, pointed out in his keynote speech that the student-centred educational philosophy in China is similar with problem-based and scene-based higher educational philosophies in the UK.

He shared with the participants student-centred educational practices in the UK from the aspects of lectures, group discussions and personal tutorials.

Professor Zhemin Tan, vice president of Nanjing University, introduced the three phases of undergraduate education reform at Nanjing University, including general education, specified programme education and entrepreneurship education.

Professor Youmin Xi, executive president of XJTLU, emphasised that higher education should always keep an eye on future demands and train talents who can adapt to future needs.

He initially mentioned XJTLU’s innovative measures in ‘syntegrative education’ during the conference. He said that XJTLU is developing a new path in addition to the current educational model for developing future industrial leaders and outstanding talents.

“Syntegrative education integrates general, business, professional, and management education. It integrates professional knowledge, business practice, industry knowledge acquisition, and entrepreneurship and management training,” said Professor Xi.

The conference also released a case study collection which introduced student-centred teaching innovation case studies.

The Annual Conference and Wisdom Lake Summit was co-organised by the Research Centre of Internationalisation in Higher Education, the Ministry of Education of China, XJTLU, Guangming Daily Education Research Centre, and XJTLU Affiliated School. It was supported by the Suzhou Dushu Lake Science and Education Innovation District Administrative Committee, and Dushu Lake College Development Union.