Students from all over the world were welcomed at the International Student Recruitment and Support office’s annual reception, part of the 2016 Induction Week activities at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University.

More than 50 different countries were represented by over 100 new international students who attended the event, including undergraduates, masters students, PhD students and visiting students from the University of Liverpool.

Abigail Moses (pictured below) is studying for a BA in Philosophy at the University of Liverpool and her positive experiences at last summer’s China Studies Summer School persuaded her to return to XJTLU for this academic year: “I had such a great time,” she said. “So I decided to come back and do a year in China to travel, learn more Chinese, and make new friends.”

Dimi Ngolo, from Brazzaville, Congo (pictured below), chose to study MSc Sustainable Energy Technology. “I want to help develop new energy solutions for my country,” he said. “At the moment we rely heavily on hydroelectric energy and I want to start my own solar energy company.”

Students were treated to various solo and duet performances of traditional Chinese instruments (pictured below), and a buffet dinner.

Professor Youmin Xi, welcomed the new international students with a speech that highlighted XJTLU’s educational philosophies of blending the best practices of East and West, and encouraging cross-cultural dialogue. He remarked on how XJTLU’s philosophies are reflected in the campus design and artwork, such as the statues of Eastern and Western philosophers in front of the Foundation Building and the new tunnel connecting the North and South campuses, with its red brick walls that evoke the City of Liverpool, and graffiti-style artwork designed by student clubs and societies that illustrate a dialogue between Eastern and Western cultures:

Douglas Shearer from Glasgow, Scotland, explained his motivation for choosing MSc Management at International Business School Suzhou, XJTLU’s exclusive business school: “I lived in Taiwan for several years where I did an undergraduate degree in Chinese, and now I’m looking to expand my career options.”

Annabelle Edwards (pictured below) is another visiting student from the University of Liverpool’s Year in China programme, and chose it for the opportunities for travel, cultural immersion, and academic advancement it offers: “I’m doing modules in intensive Chinese language, and society and development. I’m very excited! I hope that when I return to Liverpool I’ll be able to speak a little Mandarin.”

Hundreds of students attended this year’s Freshers’ Fair in the Central Building, where representatives from the many student clubs and organisations at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University set out stalls to recruit new members.

Over 100 student clubs and societies were represented there, from fashion design and photography to debate, cinema and model building. A wide range of sports clubs also sought new members, including parkour, archery, and Ultimate Frisbee.

Yuge Yuan (pictured below, centre) of the dance club Hip Hop Park invited fellow students to share their passion for street dance: “We’re a hip hop dancing group, and we want energetic, passionate people to join our club!” she said.

From midday until early evening the Central Building ground floor area was packed with eager students seeking out new hobbies and interests, chatting with club members, and signing up through QR codes and email lists.

Robert Lukaschek, a visiting student from Germany taking modules in business and economics at International Business School Suzhou, signed up for the Boxing Club: “I took up boxing a month ago in Germany, and I was glad to find a boxing club here so I can continue my training,” he said.

Xinyu Liu (pictured below, left) of the Science and Innovation Association, was running a stall that featured a virtual reality headset display: “Our club was established in 2009 and we have over 40 members,” he said. “At the moment we’re focused on developing our own virtual reality games.”

There also were performances by student rock bands, musicians playing Western classical and traditional Chinese music, and dance groups.

A RMB 600,000 project between Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University and a Suzhou construction company to develop sustainable permeable pavement blocks, which could help combat urban flooding, will begin in September.

The project will see the Institute of Sustainable Materials and Environment at XJTLU and Suzhou Construction Material Recycling Application Co. Ltd work together to produce pavement blocks made from recycled aggregate, a waste material from the construction industry.

A dedicated project team from XJTLU will work with the company to develop the pavement blocks to be permeable so that they can be used to support the construction of ‘sponge cities’.

Sponge cities are models of urban development where almost all rainwater is captured, controlled and reused using an ecological approach. Approaches include permeable roads that enable storm water to soak into the ground and rooftop gardens that can catch rainwater that can be reused.

The concept is intended to reduce the devastating impact of flooding on the world’s cities and the Chinese national government has pledged millions of RMB to developing sponge cities projects across the country.

The XJTLU project plans to produce, within three years, 20,000 cubic meters of high-quality permeable concrete blocks, as well as achieve additional sales of RMB 800,000. There are also plans to use the blocks in a one-kilometre-long road as an exploratory project.

“This project will directly contribute to the development of sponge cities in China,” explains Dr CS Chin, head of the Department of Civil Engineering and director of the Institute of Sustainable Materials and Environment.

“By developing permeable pavement blocks using recycled aggregate we not only lessen the environmental impact of making pavement blocks in the first place, but also develop pavement blocks that can absorb rainwater and contribute to a sponge city system.

“Finding solutions to the problems caused by flooding in urban areas, which have not been adequately built to withstand excess rainwater, is a key challenge for the sustainable development of our cities.”

The project is based on a cooperation agreement signed between the two parties in June this year. RMB 200,000 of the project’s funding will come from the Suzhou Municipal Science and Technology Bureau’s industrial technology innovation funding.

Suzhou Construction Material Recycling Application Company was established in August 2013 as a joint venture between Jiangsu Wuzhong Group Ltd. and Xuchang Jinke Resource Recycling Co. Ltd.

The company is mainly engaged in the collection of construction waste, and the disposal and sale of renewable building materials in Suzhou. It has a capacity to handle one million tons of construction waste every year.

The Institute of Sustainable Materials and Environment is one of four research institutes within XJTLU that are supported by funding from Suzhou Industrial Park. It brings together experts from the Departments of Civil Engineering, Chemistry, Environmental Science and Industrial Design at XJTLU and is committed to promoting a green, low-carbon building industry and emphasising environmental protection and sustainable development through recycling.

New students at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University enjoyed some fun during induction week by taking part in the XJTLU Challenge.

The XJTLU Challenge was a week-long competition organised for all new students by the University’s Student Affairs Office. It aimed to introduce new students to the University, and encourage them to have fun and make friends in the process.

Teams of students were required to complete a range of tasks, including a scavenger hunt around the XJTLU campus, the surrounding Higher Education Town and even further into Suzhou, a treasure hunt that required teams to find little yellow ducks based on cryptic clues, and a photo challenge that required teams to take three to four group photos each day of different, specific arrangements.

Over 120 teams registered for the competition and each team consisted of three to four members.

The team DeVotion, comprised of masters students Yu Sun, Tingting Meng, Hu Xie and Siyu Li (pictured below), won first place.

Yu Sun, captain of the team who is studying MSc Management at XJTLU, said that the challenge helped the team get familiar with the campus environment and that they made friends with other students and staff who helped them during the tasks.

“We found four convenience stores on the XJTLU campus and all five yellow ducks as required. We are very excited about winning the game and we finished the tasks through team work,” he said.

Yu finished his undergraduate study at North China Institute of Science and Technology and he has found that XJTLU has a very “international and open campus environment” with a rich range of student activities.

“I can also feel the pressure to study hard at this University, where all courses are delivered in English,” he added.

Ruyi Chen, a Year One student from International Business School Suzhou at XJTLU and captain of the second-prize team Mission Not Impossible, expressed her excitement at taking part in the competition, saying: “During the last awesome week I really had a fabulous time with my teammates. We really appreciated the University organising this game. It’s not only super interesting, but also helps us become really familiar with the campus.”

More than 170 new postgraduate students and visiting students from 17 different countries joined the community at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University’s International Business School Suzhou in September.

They were welcomed with an information session where they had the opportunity to meet programme directors and deputy directors.

Professor Adam Cross, associate dean for learning and teaching, addressed attendees, saying; “Welcome to IBSS – a community of diversity. Please enjoy your time here to acquire knowledge and explore something new and fun.”

As well as covering life as a postgraduate at IBSS, he also spoke about some of the differences between undergraduate and postgraduate study, highlighting that independent learning, research, and case studies made up a large portion of postgraduate study: “A bachelors degree emphasises knowledge and understanding of a specific subject area while the overarching objective of our masters degrees is to prepare you for the next stage of your career,” he said.

He added that research programmes such as MSc Economics and MRes Management were designed for further academic or professional study, while programmes such as MSc Investment Management, MSc Professional Accounting, and MSc Business Analytics allow students entry to a particular field of work or advancement within it.

Associate Professor Xiaoming Ding, director of external relations and outreach at IBSS, together with the IBSS Careers Service team gave a presentation on career planning and the guidance service available to new students. The team provides students with a range of services including career talks, mock interviews, and career consultancy, aimed at helping students find internship and job opportunities.

In addition, all IBSS postgraduate students are required to complete 600 hours of Additional Learning Activity (ALA), the goal of which is to try to match their training needs, knowledge gaps, and career plans, to their personal goals and interests.

This year, postgraduate student numbers at IBSS have increased, with the number of different programmes they have chosen to study also rising. Numbers on the MSc Business Analytics and MSc Professional Accounting programmes have doubled to 13 and 24 students respectively. There has also been significant increase in enrolment on other programmes, with numbers on programmes such as MSc Finance and MSc Management, for example, nearly doubling.

The new academic year at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool has seen various changes in the leadership of its academic departments.

The Department of Urban Planning and Design has welcomed Dr Xueming (Jimmy) Chen as its new head of department.

Dr Chen joins XJTLU from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in the United States, where he received his tenure. In addition to several part-time positions in universities in China, Dr Chen spent 26 years in the US, teaching at universities and working in urban transportation planning, transportation modelling and Geographic Information System (GIS).

His research specialisations include urban transportation planning, urban transportation modelling, international urban planning, and applications of GIS. He has published and presented widely, including three translated/authored books.

He was attracted to XJTLU thanks to its international education and reputation as the largest and most established international university in China: “The Department of Urban Planning and Design also has a young but very promising urban planning programme, supported by excellent academic staff and solid curriculum settings,” he added.

Dr Chen, who is originally from Suzhou, has ambitious plans for the department, including continuing to provide high-quality teaching to students, aggressively seeking grant funds to support research activities, increasing departmental publication in high-quality journals, and supporting staff in their career development.

“It is my honour to join this great university and I am determined to fulfil my responsibilities to the best of my ability and further boost the academic reputation of urban planning design at XJTLU in China and internationally,” he said.

Other academic departments at XJTLU have also seen changes in their leadership, thanks to new departmental structures that have been established.

The Department of English, Culture and Communication has split into two separate departments – English, which will be headed up by Dr Zhoulin Ruan, and the new School of Film and Television Arts, which see Dr Holger Briel as acting head.

Elsewhere, Dr Kaizhu Huang has replaced Professor Eng Gee Lim as head of the Department of Electrical and Electronic and Engineering, after Professor Lim’s term of service ended.

In the Department of Environmental Science, Dr Kim Lau has taken up an acting head role.

Students presented their Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships projects at this year’s SURF Poster Day on Wednesday.

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships programme offers undergraduate students the chance to work on research projects in collaboration with academic supervisors during the summer holidays.

The programme is coordinated and funded by the Academic Enhancement Centre at XJTLU.

Dr James Wilson, director of the AEC, said there had been some positive developments over the past five years: “The quality of the posters has definitely improved this year, as well as the depth of the research itself,” he said. “We’re also seeing greater collaboration between students with more teams of two or three rather than individual projects, which is very encouraging.”

At the event, guest speaker Chenxia Gu (pictured above), who did a SURF project last year on heat diffusion, spoke about how doing a research project improved her communication skills: “I learned to use different words for different audiences, and to use analogies from the everyday world to explain complex scientific phenomena.”

She also said that she had learned more about teamwork and stressed that the SURF experience can be used on applications for graduate programmes, as she herself did on her successful application to study a masters at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.

At the welcome address, Professor Youmin Xi, executive president of XJTLU (pictured above, centre) thanked the students and academics for their hard work over the summer, and explained that SURF had a dual purpose of allowing students to gain valuable research experience while also offering academics assistance in completing their research.

The winning projects from each academic cluster, selected by the judging panel, were:

• Built environment – Rong Zhu, Zhao Wu, Jiacheng Wang (pictured above) ‘An exploration of collaborative community planning in SIP’. Supervised by Ying Chang and Xuanwei Cao. This project was also voted the overall institutional winner.
• Humanities and social sciences – Laihua Yang, Xiao Yang, Wenjing Xue: ‘Between propaganda and entertainment: The marketing of the Chinese ‘main melody’ films’, supervised by Laura Sava.
• Business – Yihao Li: ‘Manipulating artificial stock market in China’, supervised by Jie Zhang and Qing Ye.
• Industrial technology – Fangyu Wu, Suhaila Mohamed: ‘Scene recognition by deep convolutional neural network’, supervised by Wenjin Lu and Bailing Zhang.
• Mathematics – Hao Xue, Shuhan Yang: ‘An intelligent system for tongue diagnosis in traditional Chinese medicine’, supervised by Jionglong Su.
• Science – Nerissa Arviana Tannuwidjaja, Ruoxuan Shi: ‘A new approach to prepare BDT based polymer’, supervised by Yi Lin.

The favourite project of student voters was from the business cluster – Yutong Wu, Ruiying Chen, and Xiaomeng Wang: ‘How Chinese innovative enterprises are digitising their value chain’, supervised by Roberto Dona. A total of 664 votes were cast.

Yuwen Wang (pictured above, right) and Chunjing Zhang (left), undergraduate students studying BA Accounting and BSc Economics at International Business School Suzhou, spoke about their project, ‘Culture profile and performance management: An integrative model in higher education’, supervised by Jean Yves Le Corre: “This project was related to my major,” said Yuwen. “And I really enjoyed putting some of the theory we learned into practice.”

As part of their study they attended the 22nd International Conference of the International Association for International Communication Studies at Shanghai International Studies University in July.

“The most important thing for us was not the specific topic, but learning how to do research, and I think we learned a lot,” added Chunjing.

Professor David O’Connor, dean of research and graduate studies at XJTLU, hosted the event and presented the prizes. He was very positive about the work done: “I think our students’ work matches anything going on at the top international universities around the world. To look at the posters, you wouldn’t guess that they were made by undergraduates and not established researchers.”

Download a full list of the projects presented in the 2016 SURF Poster Day Abstract Book.

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University has been nominated in the Education Institutional Partnership of the Year category of the British Business Awards 2016.

Organised by the British Chamber of Commerce Shanghai, the British Business Awards are a unique showcase for outstanding UK companies in China which recognise and promote excellence in innovation, enterprise and endeavour in the British and Chinese business communities.

XJTLU was nominated alongside other Sino-foreign cooperative universities and colleges for its enduring and highly productive partnership with the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom.

Nominees were revealed at the InterContinental Shanghai Ruijin on Tuesday 6 September, while the final awards winners will be announced during a Gala Awards Dinner, to held on 3 November 2016 in Shanghai.

The Education Institutional Partnership of the Year award will be given to the UK higher and further education institution who has established a joint project or projects with Chinese partner organisations, through which significant impact has been delivered in the last 18 months.

XJTLU Executive President Professor Youmin Xi said: “We are honoured to be shortlisted for the award. The partnership between the University of Liverpool and XJTLU celebrates the mutually beneficial historical relationship between the UK and China. We hope it will continue to develop and to benefit both universities, both cultures and both countries for the next 10 years and beyond.”

The collaboration between XJTLU has earned the University of Liverpool global recognition as a leader in Sino-foreign joint ventures and given the University a strong platform in China and enhanced visibility in Asia and in Europe. Meanwhile, the relationship with the University of Liverpool has firmly positioned XJTLU as an international university in China.

The British Business Awards have eight categories, including Education Institutional Partnership of the Year, New Business Award, Best Services Award, Innovation Award, Sustainable Business Award, Chinese Investor of the Year Award and British Company of the Year.

The awards this year are supported by the British Consulate General Shanghai, the British Chamber of Commerce in China, British Chamber of Commerce Guangdong, The British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, The British Chamber of Commerce Southwest China, British Council, CBI, CBBC, City of London, Manchester China Forum and Visit Britain.

Barbara Woodward, British Ambassador to China and special patron of the awards, said: “I am delighted to be a patron for the 2016 British Business Awards. Following the visit of President Xi Jinping to the UK last October, we have the potential to build a genuinely golden era in relations between China and the UK. British business will be at the heart – helping to power the UK’s own growth by seizing the opportunities here, of course, but also working with China to upgrade its economic model.

“British innovation and creativity, British brands and professional expertise, British excellence in education and science, creating tens of thousands of new Chinese ‘ambassadors’ for the UK every year. British openness to Chinese investment. We have a huge amount to celebrate. These awards do exactly that.”

Reshaping XJTLU: "Starting from zero"

Dear teachers and colleagues,

It's September: the heat of summer has yet to fade and another Teachers’ Day will soon be upon us. First, I sincerely wish you all a happy Teachers’ Day!

In September this year, XJTLU invited a wide array of guests to gather at the newly-constructed South Campus phase one and to look back on and celebrate a decade of growth at XJTLU. In the space of 10 years, and using the courage of a newborn bull that has no fear of the tiger, XJTLU has gradually grown from an infant who at the very start was doubted and challenged by all quarters, and whom some believed had no prospects, into its state today.

The University boasts over 10,000 students, more than 8,000 graduates, and close to 1,000 serving teachers and staff. It has developed over 70 undergraduate courses and graduate specialist and degree programmes covering science, technology, engineering, design, management, economics, culture, and art. It has built northern and southern campuses that are both independent and interrelated, and which incorporate the essence and styles of both Eastern and Western culture, and it has set up more than 10 research institutes, an international technology transfer centre and an innovation hub that cross disciplines and promote industrial and international collaboration.

The extraordinary achievements of our staff, the outstanding performance of XJTLU alumni, the rapid growth of XJTLU, and the high praise from all levels of society have established XJTLU's reputation both at home and abroad. Only those of us who have gone through it can fully appreciate all the effort, hard work, and ups and downs that have brought us to today. Each time we look back and reflect, we are beset by a whole host of feelings and emotions. In our hearts there rises profound reverence and special gratitude: it is us - each of XJTLU's staff, XJTLU students and alumni, as well as our parents and friends from all levels of society, who have supported our development - it is us who have achieved this miracle in Suzhou, at a time when the whole world reflects upon education, remodels teaching methods, and redefines universities.

Today, standing at the milestone of the 10th anniversary, the myriad accomplishments and achievements of the past are undoubtedly worthy of our pride and satisfaction - but what we should focus on and think about most is how to face the future, how to complete the next 10 years, and the 10 years after that.

Innovation is an eternal theme at XJTLU. XJTLU has always innovated, and grew from innovation, and so, in the future, everyone connected to XJTLU should continue to hold on to their original intention to break free from constraints and dare to challenge tradition. Whether it be exploration in education and the development of disciplines, or student services and the growth of campuses, in all we should continue to maintain a research-oriented method and work upon the foundation of our original accomplishments, and, when faced with needs and issues, we should continually try out new avenues and ways of thinking to bring XJTLU's educational exploration alive and give it heart!

Right now I'm thinking of a phrase: Starting from zero. When people encounter setbacks or they suddenly lose everything, they often adopt this attitude to show their determination to start again. But for XJTLU people, who have taken on the mission of exploring education in a new era, we want to advocate “starting from zero”, which means that, once the cause has developed to a certain point, we should not grow arrogant but keep a clear head and start from zero. "Zero" doesn't mean having nothing, but rather standing at your current height and setting off once more. Each time we set off we reach new heights, new realms and new ways of thinking, building upon the foundation of pre-existing conditions and experiences, developing and selecting new systems for participation and establishing goals that go higher and further. Resetting and going back to zero will not only help us cast off inertia, break free from the mental shackles of the current system, and prevent delays, but also allow us to stand tall as pioneers and leaders in this ever-changing world. If we are just a little slack, and run slower than the changes, then we stand the chance of being left behind.

In 10 years, XJTLU has taken shape and been hailed as a "benchmark of Sino-foreign collaboration in education" and a “pioneer in the reform of higher education" but our ambitions don't stop there. XJTLU was born from need: the age of reconsidering and reshaping education has given XJTLU the rare opportunity to stand on the same starting line as the world's top universities. What's more, we have no historical burden, we're a blank piece of paper just waiting to have grand plans drawn upon it. It's fair to say that we find ourselves in the right place at the right time. If we are able to grab this opportunity and study the best practices for Chinese and international higher education, extracting their essence and dispensing with the dross, and if our bold vision and framework for the future is added to that, then there's a chance XJTLU will walk its own path, will truly influence and promote the reform of Chinese higher education, and will even stand at the forefront of the development of Chinese higher education!

In 10 short years, although we have achieved remarkable success in our growth, when we look to the future we're still a long way away from our vision and the expectations of society. The continued healthy development of XJTLU still faces various institutional and systemic constraints, barriers presented by the customs and culture of society, the conflicts of diverse cultures, and challenges to creating an international education brand in short-term. As such, at this key moment, there is a particular need for us to go back to zero, to keep hold of our original intentions, and to be driven by the passion of setting off once more and continuing to innovate. That's because, as the times progress and change, the experience of 10 years of fighting tooth and nail might lose its guiding significance. As the point at which we set out becomes higher, the problems and challenges that we face become ever more complex.

In the new growth phase the demands and expectations of people at all levels of society will increase exponentially, and many first-rate universities with long histories will also gradually change, be rejuvenated, and encroach upon our survival space. New internationally-collaborative universities will challenge our position and appropriate our market. We have to keep a clear head, reflect upon our experiences and the lessons we've learned over the last 10 years, use XJTLU's current height as the starting point, consider problems from the perspective of change, combine the current specific circumstances upon an unchanging foundation, adapt to the growth trends of the time, consider new standards and systems, incubate and create a new plan and starting point for the development of XJTLU, integrate with and completely acclimatise to this capricious world, and do everything we can to reach new heights. We must ask ourselves some important questions:

• How do we further develop and consolidate the XJTLU system, which combines US, British, and Chinese-style educational characteristics?
• How, at the same time as continuing to uphold Britain's rigorous system of quality control, do we promote educational innovation?
• How do we explore the high-level, integrated application of talent according to future developments in industries and the characteristics of learning in the age of the internet?
• How do we strengthen and fortify our research institutes, international technology transfer centre, and innovation hub, making them into platforms that attract international academics and industry specialists?
• How do we rapidly and effectively expand XJTLU's graduate education?
• How do we attract more students from abroad, and continually enhance XJTLU's international study and research environment?

The list goes on. These exciting new heights are on our road to growth, waiting to be climbed by everyone connected to XJTLU!

Dear teachers, colleagues, and students: The wisdom and hard work of XJTLU people are indispensable to achieving the ideals of the University. I invite all of you to join hands and enter the struggle, beginning from zero and making XJTLU's tomorrow even more magnificent!

Six academic staff from Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University have received awards from the Suzhou Municipal Education Bureau for their teaching excellence.

The bureau has rewarded staff from all types of educational institutions and universities in Suzhou for their teaching, ahead of national Teachers’ Day on 10 September.

Professor Yong Yue and Dr Hai-Ning Liang (pictured below) from the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering at XJTLU were rewarded first prize in the 2016 Suzhou Teaching Achievement Award for their innovative application of robots in programming teaching. This is the first time that XJTLU staff have won the prize.

Hands-on practice is part of the CSE003 module, which introduces students to the basic concepts and theories of computer programming. The Lego Mindstorms robot project requires teams of four students to design, build, programme and road-test their own robots.

“As a pedagogical tool, Lego Mindstorms can effectively support students’ active, collaborative, and creative learning,” said Dr Liang, leader of the module. “The task of assembling and programming robots can change abstract knowledge into highly visual and tangible learning tools, which can greatly stimulate students’ learning autonomy and creativity.”

He continued: “I want to help students learn in a way that will invite hands-on, creative, and collaborative engagement to make learning meaningful and teaching effective. Additionally, students improve their communication and group-work skills, which are essential for success in their future academic endeavours or in the workplace.”

The Suzhou Teaching Achievement Award requires first prize winners to have made significant breakthroughs in teaching theory or practice. Their achievements should have a remarkable effect on improving teaching levels and educational quality, as well as important impact on education in Suzhou.

Dr Alejandro Vidal Lopez from the Department of Mathematical Sciences, Dr Eddy Fang (pictured above) from International Business School Suzhou at XJTLU, Dr Aleksandra Raonić from the Department of Architecture and Dr Dawei Liu from the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering won the title of 'Outstanding educator of Suzhou of the year 2015-2016'.

Dr Fang teaches over 800 students every semester and says he makes sure to pay attention to students’ needs. He tries to keep improving his teaching methods based on students’ feedback and employs innovative teaching approaches to give his students better learning experiences.

His efforts have been recognised by his students - in an annual student feedback questionnaire, two modules he taught scored significantly higher than IBSS and university averages for student satisfaction.

He said: “I thoroughly and honestly question my delivery methods and teaching materials every single year based on student feedback. While this is far from being a new practice, I believe that my persistence in this process has allowed me to continuously improve the quality of my modules in ways that make a real difference to students.”

Dr Liu, who was also recently awarded an XJTLU Annual Innovative Teaching Award for his teaching on module on mobile computing, said: “It is an honour for me to have received this award, especially when there are so many outstanding educators in the University. This award is a recognition of my teaching and more importantly a recognition of my students and their abilities to fulfill their potential in and outside of the classroom.”

Dr Lopez expressed his excitement about winning the title, adding: “It is an honour to receive this award. I am very happy I can contribute to the visibility of the Mathematical Sciences department and the University. Teaching applied maths students at XJTLU is a joyful and rewarding experience. The students really appreciate seeing the mathematical arguments developing on the whiteboard and contributing with their own ideas.”

Second year students on the BEng Architecture programme at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University took part in their first real design module on the afternoon of Wednesday 14 September.

Students were required to design special ‘hats’ to be worn by people at a picnic in a collaborative exercise involving design, construction and role-playing.

Having spent the first year of their programme focused on English language development and more theoretical modules, the task was a chance for them to put their creative design ideas into practice.

Students were assigned to one of five ‘picnic blankets’ that each had three different roles associated with it. For example, one blanket included a school teacher who needed a holiday, a merchant who liked to tell jokes, and a chess player equipped with all the chess pieces but no board.

Students were asked to play these roles and use them to help them design hats that considered the needs of the people that would use them.

Dr Claudia Westermann, programme director of BEng Architecture, explained: “The activity focuses on what we really care about – that architecture should focus on humans and inhabitants. By asking the students to play three characters we can test their designs by having them experience what they design. This introduces one of our key interests in this programme, to really ask questions about how we can shift thinking about space to human beings and away from form alone.”

The picnic scenario allowed the students to design for a situation where groups of people who possibly don’t know each other would come together in a location where they can’t necessarily communicate easily with one other. Dr Westermann explained that the hats students designed were intended to moderate the relationships between the picnickers

“It’s really the question of whether we can build something that makes the situation or event better than it would otherwise be, which is a core question in architecture,” she added.

Student had to design the hat to be worn by all the people on the blanket using only chopsticks, sheets of cardboard, rubber bands and cord. There were very specific rules to what they could design, such as that the hat had to rest on the bodies of the picnickers and that no part of it could rest on the floor.

Having designed and built their hats in the days preceding the activity, the students gathered together to roleplay the picnic and test out their designs. They were required to take photos, draw sketches, and describe in words and diagrams how the device affected interaction between the picnickers.

Student Dai Ruo Yun said she enjoyed working in her team to design their hat, for which they came up with six initial concepts before settling on their final design, while Di Yang said she found leading her group to come up with a design challenging but interesting.

Dr Theodoros Dounas, a lecturer in the Department of Architecture, attended the event and added: “This exercise requires students to move from a story or scenario to designing an object, to making 2D drawings of the space created by that object. They’re learning essential skills for architecture and design.”

The activity had been planned to take place outside, but due to inclement weather it was relocated to the lobby of the new Humanities and Social Sciences Building on South Campus.

The Department of Civil Engineering at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University held the first built environment research seminar for the academic year 2016-2017, which featured an international guest speaker.

Professor Amin Hammad from the Concordia Institute for Information Systems Engineering, Concordia University, in Montreal, Canada, gave a presentation entitled: “Smart Construction Site: Recent Research and Future Directions”.

The research seminar aimed to gather experts from both universities and external companies in order to set up interdisciplinary research collaborations.

During his presentation, Professor Hammad shared his understanding and research outcomes on the definition of a smart construction site and demonstrated the latest tracking technologies, example applications and multi-agent systems for the smart construction site, which are now used in industry to enhance efficiency and improve safety.

Professor Hammad encouraged research collaborations among departments within XJTLU and with external companies, saying: “Research and development in automation and robotics in construction are paving the way for major improvements in productivity, quality and safety on construction sites.”

The audience was excited to hear about the post-estimation technology and using genetic algorithm optimisation, which is able to predict the movement of a construction worker and equipment on a construction site. This would be helpful in preventing collisions and danger to workers.

Academic staff from XJTLU’s Departments of Civil Engineering, Urban Planning and Design, and Computer Science and Software Engineering attended the seminar along with company representatives from Proslide Technology Inc., Suzhou Jcon Building Technology Co. Ltd., Zhongyifeng Construction Group Co. Ltd., Bosch in (China) Investment Ltd., and Chinese Built Environment Experts.

Professor Amin Hammad has edited one book and published four book chapters, along with more than 180 papers in peer-reviewed journals and conferences. He was a board member of the Canada Building Information Modeling Council and chair of its research and education committee from 2009-2012.

This year’s international student ambassadors at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University say they are keen to make a difference through their work supporting international recruitment at the University.

Gawon Kim, from Korea, Keefe Sutanto, from Indonesia, and Khumayra Melikuzieva, from Uzbekistan, will all spend the next year helping the University attract more international students, as part of the International Student Ambassador programme.

From welcoming visitors to XJTLU and showing them around campus, to visiting schools in China to speak to students, to attending international recruitment fairs, the three will use their own personal experiences to encourage others to apply to the University.

Aoi Futata, student recruitment manager at XJTLU, explained that this personal approach to recruitment is appreciated by potential students and their parents, who enjoy hearing about the experiences of current students.

“When international students and their parents are considering applying for XJTLU, they have many questions about life and study in China, including the food, safety concerns and language challenges. Having current students act as ambassadors for the University, and helping answer all these questions, helps potential students and their parents a lot during the decision-making process,” she said.

Over the summer, the three organised pre-departure events in their home countries, where they met with students who were due to start at XJTLU in September and answered their questions. They are a source of ongoing support for these same students now the academic year has started.

For Gawon (pictured below) becoming an ambassador was an opportunity for her to provide a service that she herself would have benefitted from when making the decision to come to XJTLU.

“There is a lack of understanding internationally of what XJTLU is and what it offers international students,” she said. “I see this as an opportunity to help dispel misunderstandings about China and enhance the positive aspects of studying here.”

Economics student Gawon decided to transfer to XJTLU from a college in the United States as she was already studying Chinese and wanted to be closer to home in Korea.

“I want to be a lawyer working in Asia, combining knowledge of China, Japan and Korea,” she said. “So, it makes sense for me to study here and develop my Chinese language skills. Plus, I was offered a scholarship to study at XJTLU which was a great incentive.”

Keefe (pictured below) considers the ambassador role an opportunity to contribute to the University’s ongoing develop, and to gain professional experience of how the education market works.

“I want to be involved in commerce so the professional work experience in sales and marketing I can gain from the ambassador programme is really useful,” he said.

Keefe, who is studying economics and finance, also transferred to XJTLU from another university when he decided that experience in China would be useful to his future career goals: “China has such a huge influence on the world’s imports and exports that it’s important for me to gain more of an understanding of the country,” he said.

Khumayra, who is studying human resource management, applied to become an ambassador after her friend took part in the programme the year before. She felt that being an ambassador would help her develop crucial skills: “Along with enhancing my leadership, communication, teamwork skills, I can also use those skills to contribute to XJTLU by taking a part in making the XJTLU better place for its students,” she said.

Khumayra (pictured below) chose to come to XJTLU for its study environment, experienced teachers and the chance to learn Chinese in China: “I always believed that the Chinese education system was challenging and I always look for a challenge because it brings out my hidden capabilities,” she added.

The three, who all received Suzhou Higher Education Town scholarships in recognition of their role as ambassadors, will be kept busy during their year of service, with recruitment activities planned in between their study commitments.

“Gawon, Keefe and Khumayra will play a vital role in helping the University achieve its ambition of increasing its international student population,” said Aoi. “We’re immensely grateful to them for their commitment and dedication.”

XJTLU currently has around 500 international students studying at undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD levels. This September, more than 50 different countries were represented by the over 100 new international students who began at the University.

The closing date for international applications is 30 June 2017 for September 2017 intake. Please visit find a programme for more information on our degree programmes and the study with us section for details about entry requirements, fees and how to apply.

The United Kingdom Minister for Universities and Science visited Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University today, marking the first time a UK minister has visited the University.

Jo Johnson MP, Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation, visited XJTLU as part of an official visit to China, which focused on innovation and higher education collaboration between the UK and Jiangsu province.

He was joined on campus by a number of delegates from the UK as well as important Chinese guests and officials, including Xiaochang Ding, deputy director of the Jiangsu Province Department of Education.

In order to celebrate the collaborative relationship between the UK and Jiangsu province, Mr Johnson witnessed the signing of six new agreements to deepen collaboration in research, innovation and higher education.

These included a collaboration between XJTLU, the British Council, and financial services provider Gold Finance to introduce scholarships for British students to study television and film in China (pictured below).

As part of the visit, Mr Johnson also addressed students and staff at a lecture during which he called XJTLU an “extraordinary achievement” and said those involved in its development could be “tremendously proud”.

His speech highlighted the UK’s commitment to international engagement through transnational education programmes with China: “We want to work with China to address the challenges in education, to develop globally aware citizens equipped with the skills and cultural understanding that is essential in today’s globalised economy,” he said.

He noted the high standard of the education on offer at XJTLU, reiterating to students that they would acquire “some of the most desirable qualifications available from any institution anywhere in the world” and that they were the future of UK-China partnerships.

“You are all ambassadors of the UK-China friendship and the bedrock of the strong relationship between our two nations and, for that, I thank you,” he said. “I know that you will all contribute greatly to the deep relationship between the UK and China in the months and years to come.”

While at XJTLU’s newly-opened South Campus, Mr Johnson unveiled the University’s International Research Centre, which will serve as a hub for entrepreneurship, research commercialisation, and international technology transfer, driving economic activity in Suzhou and the surrounding region.

To conclude his visit, Mr Johnson toured XJTLU’s campus, pausing to pose for photographs with XJTLU students, many of whom were excited to meet the Minister.

The tour went via the University’s Enterprise Park facilities, which offer space to XJTLU students and alumni to house fledgling businesses and start-ups.

Mr Johnson stopped to speak to a number of students who have businesses in the park, including Year Two mathematics student Yizhe Wang whose company, ZhiYue Media, specialises in aerial video footage. She said that although she was nervous, she enjoyed showing the Minister their facilities and speaking to him about their company’s development.

Three students at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University are hoping to inspire the next generation of electrical and electronic engineers with their educational products company.

TREEE Science & Technology Co., Ltd was established in December 2015 by Hengyang Luo, a recently graduated electrical and electronic engineering masters student, Fei Cheng, a PhD student in the Department Electrical and Electronic Engineering, and Dewang Guo, who studies BSc Information Management and Information Systems.

The three were brought together by their shared love of ‘maker culture’, a subculture related to DIY and hacker culture that encourages the modification and the creation of devices, making use of technologies such as robotics and 3D printing.

Their company currently produces circuit boards that can be used for practicing electrical and electronic engineering skills such as attaching chips, soldering and making circuits. They also produce component parts for ‘smart cars’, model cars that use sensors to navigate without human control (see picture below).

TREEE also offered supervision and technical support to XJTLU students at a recent smart car competition in Nanjing.

The three Es in the company’s name stand for 'electrical and electronic engineering', with the acronym TREEE meant to evoke a ‘tree of knowledge’, reflecting the company’s focus on education.

Fei (pictured above), CTO of TREEE, said the three started the company with a view to promoting maker culture in Suzhou and to help others develop the necessary skills to create their own devices: “I’ve been interested in engineering and programming since I was a child,” he said. “I met Hengyang while studying for my masters at XJTLU and we collaborated on some projects. I found we had similar interests and that he’s very good at hardware design.”

Hengyang, CEO (pictured above), recently completed an MSc in Sustainable Energy Technology at XJTLU and was offered a position to do a PhD, but decided instead to pursue his work with TREEE: “It’s now my full-time job,” he said. “We’re very confident in the future of our company to promote maker culture not just in Suzhou but all over China and around the world.”

The company was given support during its inception by Professor Eng Gee Lim of the Department Electrical and Electronic Engineering at XJTLU, who gave the students a working space and had regular technical discussions with them: “From my personal experience of working as a research and development engineer in industry I was able to provide insight and guidance about how to meet customers’ needs through design and customisation,” he said.

The students have also received support and guidance from Cheng Lyn, an XJTLU alumnus who is now CEO of Raven Tech in Beijing, a company that develops AI technology for drones as well as ‘Flow’, a next generation operating system for smartphones.

Having founded their startup, the trio is now hard at work building their company. Dewang (pictured above), who focuses on business strategy and marketing, said the company had already sold products to the Department Electrical and Electronic Engineering at XJTLU, but that these were designed to meet the specific needs of their students: “Our immediate goals now are to sell products to other schools and universities in Jiangsu Province,” he said.

Achieving these goals requires all three students to dedicate significant time and energy, often in between their academic study commitments: “I’ve completed most of my PhD work already, so now I can spend more time on TREEE,” added Fei. “I’m still very busy though, I only sleep about three or four hours a night!”

Despite the hard work needed to establish a successful company, the three offered words of encouragement to other students thinking of starting their own business:

• “If you have a good idea, and some skills, you should have a try,” said Fei.
• “Don’t be afraid of failure,” said Hengyang.
• “It’s time to do something cool!” said Dewang.

Professor Lim also offered his advice to student entrepreneurs: “Believe in yourself and trust in us to help you to fulfil your dreams and ambitions. We can make it work together.”

TREEE’s products are available to purchase from the company's website.

State-of-the-art facilities for architecture and industrial design students have been unveiled in Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University’s new Design Building.

The facilities mark the next phase of the University’s South Campus development with academic departments moving into the new buildings over the summer.

The Departments of Architecture and Industrial Design will share the Design Building, with architecture staff having been responsible for the choices regarding general layout and interior design.

Professor Pierre-Alain Croset, head of architecture at XJTLU, explained that the building’s interior design was conceived to support the teaching of students and aimed to provide exemplary facilities and space in which to work.

Split across four floors, facilities include the Factory, a large atrium overlooked by workshops that include a laser cutter shop, a wood and metal workshop, a printing shop, a 3D-printing shop, and a CNC machine and archive.

The workshops are organised around a central core of a materials library, which, while still under construction, will become a permanent exhibition of about 200 samples. Two lateral corridors are separated from the shops by a long row of glass shelves that will permit the exhibition of the best works produced by students.

Exhibition space is key in the new building and its central space will be used for small exhibitions, with the possibility to suspend drawings and photographs along the balconies. “The intention is to develop a programme of activities, exhibitions and public lectures, common to the two departments,” said Professor Croset.

Housed on the second and third floors of the building, the architecture design studios have been conceived as a small city, where students from all levels will be able to work, creating the possibility of stronger interconnection between them.

“The corridors of the design studios evoke the streets of a traditional Chinese village, with wooden facades and wooden doors,” said Professor Croset. “As in a city, where the streets are public and the houses private, in the design studios you will find a clear separation between the spaces for individual work and the spaces for social interaction.”

Professor Croset described the design studios as a ‘home’ for students, who will come to spend many hours there working on important projects and to tight deadlines.

Staff offices are located on the building’s fourth floor along with meeting rooms. Other teaching facilities include two computer rooms on the third and fourth floors, each equipped with 30 PC workstations.

“I’m very proud of the facilities we can offer architecture and industrial design students here at XJTLU,” said Professor Croset. “They will find everything they need here to support their learning and enhance their creativity.”

The Departments of Architecture and Industrial Design join other academic departments in moving from the University’s North Campus over to South Campus.

The Humanities and Social Science Building now houses the Departments of English, Public Health and China Studies, and will accommodate the new School of Film and Television Arts when it officially opens, while the Department of Environmental Science has moved to the Emerging and Interdisciplinary Science Building.

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University was one of a number of well-known universities, innovation organisations and technology transfer institutions that took part in a science and innovation exchange in Suzhou on Friday 23 September.

The 2016 Dushu Lake International Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation and Exchange event brought together Chinese and international universities with local enterprises to promote joint cooperation on science and technology projects.

XJTLU was a partner in organising the event along with the Institute for Technology Advancement at the School of Engineering at University of California in Los Angeles; UCLA (Suzhou) Institute for Technology Advancement; University of Oxford Isis International Technology Transfer Co., Ltd; and the Technology Transfer Center of Fudan University.

Presentations and speeches were given by a wide range of delegates, including Dr Janusz Tanas, associate professor of the International Technology Transfer Centre at XJTLU.

He spoke about the ITTC at XJTLU, which exists to help companies and individuals in the Jiangsu province commercialise their projects. Established in 2015, the centre is already working on more than 50 projects.

Dr Tanas also signed a cooperative agreement between XJTLU, UCLA-Suzhou and University of Oxford Isis Suzhou International Technology Transfer Co., Ltd to work together to carry out research activities, share resources and carry out training, amongst other things.

Dr Dechang Xu, head of XJTLU’s Research Office and acting director of the ITTC, said that collaboration with UCLA and Oxford will expand XJTLU’s pool of technology and help support technology transfer and knowledge exchange activities, as well as provide networking opportunities for academic staff.

At the event, Dr Li Yang from XJTLU’s Department of Chemistry also presented on her research investigating the use of graphene to conduct electricity in electronic devices. The work could lead to smaller, more powerful mobile phone, cameras and computers that offer more functions and better performance at a lower cost.

“Events such as these are an important way for XJTLU to build its network and engage in collaborative research with top institutions and companies in China and around the world that will boost our reputation and impact,” added Dr Xu.

An expert in Suzhou’s gardens gave a lecture at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University highlighting the elements that have helped the gardens become well-known around the world.

Lindi Cao, professor of humanities at the Art School at Soochow University and a consultant for the Suzhou Gardens Bureau, spoke about the cultural aspects embodied in the gardens as well as their visual appeal at the eighth culture lecture organised by XJTLU’s Museum.

While the whole area south of the Yangtze River in China is home to many examples of classic Chinese gardens, Suzhou’s UNESCO World Heritage gardens are considered among the best and most well-known.

In her lecture, Professor Cao, who has published many books on Suzhou’s gardens, analysed the different styles of eastern and western architecture, giving the opinion that eastern architecture tends to prefers natural beauty while western architecture focuses on artificial modification: “The two styles represent two different cultural thinking patterns and aesthetic methods,” she said.

She spoke about four categories of Chinese gardens, including royal gardens, which are represented by the Summer Palace in Beijing, private gardens, of which the Humble Administrator's Garden in Suzhou is an example, as well as religious and temple gardens.

“Although these gardens differ in style and function, they are all possess the four elements of mountains, water, buildings and plants, which are essential while designing gardens,” she explained. “Once architecture possesses all these four elements, regardless of its scale, it can be called a garden.”

In the Q&A session, a member of staff from the Department of Urban Planning and Design at XJTLU asked Professor Cao about how to treat the newly-built Xietang Old Street in Suzhou and how to inherit and develop gardens in the city.

Professor Cao said: “Garden culture is sure to be passed down, but we cannot just pass down very superficial aspects, we need to research and discover a garden’s inner cultural value and to realise this culture’s restoration, remodelling and development with the right attitude.”

At the end of the lecture, Professor Cao donated two of her published books to XJTLU Museum, “On the History of Jiangnan Gardens” and “Appreciation of Suzhou Garden’s Plaque and Couplets”.

She said she hoped the XJTLU Museum cultural lecture series would continue to demonstrate traditional Chinese culture and that the event would get better and better.

A training programme held at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University explored the successful running of Sino-foreign cooperative programmes, institutes and universities.

Experts and directors from Sino-foreign cooperative ventures, as well as government representatives, attended the training and discussed the challenges for the sustainable development of such collaborative ventures.

The training programme, which was organised by the Institute of Leadership and Education Advanced Development (ILEAD) at XJTLU, aimed to support those who intend to develop, who are currently involved in development of, or who are managing Sino-foreign cooperative institutes and programmes. The training was intended to give participants a better understanding of the relevant policies as well as how to set up a sustainable cooperation model.

Sustainable development

As part of the training, Professor Youmin Xi, executive president of XJTLU, shared his latest research on the governance of Sino-foreign cooperative universities.

In his research, he analysed the seven current independent Sino-foreign cooperative universities that operate in Mainland China. He concluded that under the common multiparty cooperative models that Chinese and international universities, government and enterprises are involved in, the Sino-foreign cooperative universities in China have tended to adopt a governance structure that places emphasis on the role of a board of directors.

“The boards of directors in Sino-foreign cooperative universities are the supreme decision-making body and the governance structure influences greatly the stability and long-term sustainable development of these universities,” he said.

Junxin Jin, director of the Office of Strategic Planning and Institutional Research at Wenzhou-Kean University, agreed with Professor Xi’s perspectives on governance structure, adding: “The governance structure in these types of university is designed at the top-level and is crucially important for their existence.”

He added, however, that the significance of a robust governance structure in the successful operation of Sino-foreign universities had not yet received sufficient research attention.

Government’s role

A significant amount of time at the training was dedicated to the role of government in the successful operation of Sino-foreign cooperative programmes, institutes and universities.

Professor Xi said that although there was no government officials on the XJTLU board of directors, the Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP) government had provided "great support" during the University’s preparation and development, especially with regards policy consultation, capital input and the construction of teaching facilities.

Chenqian Zhu, assistant to the general manager of Suzhou Dushu Lake Science and Education Development Co., Ltd., a state-owned company responsible for the construction and development of higher education in SIP’s Dushu Lake area, said that the SIP government had adopted a model whereby it helps build a platform and then lets universities run themselves independently.

“Government should have clear demands and provide direction while bringing in higher education resources,” she said. “In this way, the government and universities can both benefit and development can be sustainable.”

She emphasised that government should also respect the development of the education industry and provide long-term input and commitment, not pursue short-term achievements.

Tiejian Hou, deputy dean of the Sino-Russian Institute at Jiangsu Normal University, said: “While selecting the appropriate government platform to work with, educational institutions need to consider and assess their educational philosophy, financial capacity and the stage of social-economic development they are at.”

Quality assurance

During the training, experts and front-line operators shared their own ideas about quality assurance systems for Sino-foreign cooperative universities.

Over its 10 years of development, XJTLU has established a quality assurance system that not only aligns with the British system’s standards for programme and curriculum development, but also meets the requirements of the Ministry of Education of China.

Professor Adam Cross, associate dean of International Business School Suzhou at XJTLU, emphasised the School’s efforts in staff training and teaching approaches to meet British assessment standards.

He said: “XJTLU’s academic staff are from across the world and they have diverse educational backgrounds. We need to guarantee that they can understand and become familiar with the British quality assurance system through training, and let them carry out teaching activities under the rules within the system. This is very important for quality assurance.”

XJTLU has explored interactive teaching methods that are suitable for Chinese students and Professor Cross said the University advocates student-centred teaching, cultivating students’ problem-solving and critical thinking abilities.

Yongzan Xu, head of the department of international cooperation at Hebei University of Science and Technology, was passionate about the benefits of Sino-foreign cooperative programmes saying: “We must seize every opportunity to persuade the top Chinese leaders that these kind of programmes do not simply expand the source of students, but can also truly help a university improve the quality of its programmes.”

An academic from International Business School Suzhou at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University spoke at an international conference on mathematics and computer engineering in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Dr Victor Chang, associate professor in information management and information systems and director of PhD programmes at IBSS, gave a keynote speech at the International Conference on Advances on Mathematics and Computer Engineering 2016 (Math-CEng 2016) on 24 September 2016.

He shared the most recent research in data science, demonstrating examples from different disciplines such as healthcare, finance, social network, weather studies, security, and cloud computing and disaster recovery. He focused particularly on risk simulations and financial analysis, such as processing thousands of data sets accurately within seconds.

He also presented his research into smart cities and the Internet of Things.

Dr Chang said: “Every discipline collects, generates, processes, analyses and makes sense of data. Without data, then we find it difficult to know and critically evaluate our past and present performance and predict the future. Data science allows us to understand problems in several disciplines and analyse them so that we can make better decisions.”

Organisation of the annual Math-CEng 2016 is led by Professor Ford Lumban Gaol, research interest group leader in intelligent systems and head of the doctoral programme in computer science at Binus University in Indonesia. He is also vice chairman of the Indonesia selection of the IEEE (Institute of Electrical Engineers).

This year, more than 80 papers were submitted to the conference organising committee, from which 35 were presented.

“I was proud to take part in Math-CEng 2016 as it has gained good recognition in Asia,” said Dr Chang. “I was personally invited to speak by Professor Gaol, showing that our university is being recognised as truly international. I hope my contribution to this conference can have positive impact.”

Dr Chang will be a keynote speaker at least three other confirmed conferences in China, India and Portugal over the following months.