Li Jin, Vice President for Global Strategies at the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), participated in the 2024 Westlake Forum on Higher Education, held from October 18-19 at Westlake University’s Yungu Campus in Hangzhou, China.
The forum gathered esteemed leaders from 25 universities across six countries—China, the U.S., Canada, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, and Sweden—to discuss pressing global issues and share perspectives on the evolving challenges in higher education.
This year’s forum, themed “Navigating Changes and Challenges in Higher Education,” covered several key topics.
In his opening remarks, Westlake University President Yigong Shi emphasized the importance of student mobility, research collaboration, cultural exchanges, and open dialogue, noting that these key elements have improved mutual understanding and will continue to deepen long-term friendships among people of different regions and cultures of the world.
At the Leaders’ Roundtable Dialogue, Vice President Li Jin, Westlake University Vice President Li Deng, University of Alberta Deputy Provost Melissa Padfield, Queen’s University Vice Provost Sandra den Otter, and Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University Chief Officer of Educational Ecology Stuart Perrin, engaged in a discussion on strategies to internationalize student bodies, enhance student mobility, and promote sustainable campus development.
Li Jin highlighted that SUSTech’s commitment to global education is integrated into its talent development framework. The University strongly encourages students to pursue international exchanges, ensuring these opportunities align with their academic and professional goals. He also pointed out how Shenzhen’s vibrant industry resources enable students to link their international experiences with career development. Vice President Jin extended an invitation to students worldwide to experience Shenzhen’s dynamic environment for innovation and entrepreneurship.
Vice President Jin also shared SUSTech’s progress in supporting China’s carbon peak and carbon neutrality targets. This includes advancements in the University’s “Near-zero Carbon Emission Campus Pilot”—along with its initiatives in low-carbon technology development, the establishment of a carbon neutrality think tank, and efforts to cultivate talent for carbon neutrality.
The Westlake Forum on Higher Education was first launched in October 2018, focusing on “The Role of Universities in Solving Global Challenges” and “Universities at the Frontier of Scientific and Technological Progress.” The second forum in November 2022 explored “The Role of Universities in Educating Future Leaders.” This year’s third forum, themed “Navigating Changes and Challenges in Higher Education,” built on the tradition by addressing pressing global issues in higher education and developing practical solutions amidst geopolitical and societal shifts.
