From September 3-5, President of Southern University of Science and Technology Chen Shiyi was invited to attend the 2017 Times Higher Education World Academic Summit (THE World Academic Summit), which was jointly organized by the Times Higher Education and the King’s College London. He presented a speech in the “Diversity in leadership” panel discussion session.
Chen Shiyi has stated that “diversity as the city’s characteristics (Shenzhen) and SUSTech’s strength” is vital for the city and the university to attract talents, and to stimulate innovation. His speech received a warm response, which effectively enhanced the international reputation of Shenzhen and SUSTech.
More than 450 delegates from 47 countries across the world gathered in London for the Summit, hosted by King’s College London. At the panel discussion session, speakers and participants shared the opinions and discussed on the topics of higher education development, which included “Modern graduates: citizens of the world or citizens of nowhere?”, “Cities and universities – mutual dependency for mutual growth?”, “Diversity in leadership”, “The challenges of university governance”, and “Maintaining research excellence and management”.
Speaking at the Summit, held at King’s College London, many participants pointed out that the rapid development of China’s higher education institutions and the investment from China’s public finance have already captured worldwide attention. To build relationships with China’s higher education institutions has become a hotspot that attracts the attention of top universities.
Chen announced that the Times Higher Education Asia Universities Summit ( THE Asia Universities Summit), hosted by SUSTech, will be held in February 2018 and invited the world’s higher–education leaders.
In the afternoon of September 5, the World University Rankings 2018 released by Times Higher Education found two Chinese mainland institutions in the top 30 for the first time. Peking University ranked 27 and Tsinghua University moved up to 30.
During his stay in London, Chen also met with a number of presidents of partner universities to discuss new angles of cooperation and communication. On September 4, he met with Ronald J. Daniels, President of Johns Hopkins University, and exchanged ideas on the development of a medical school, on students’ entrepreneurship education, knowledge transfer as well as business incubation. The same day, President Chen also met with Maggie Dallman, Associate Provost (Academic Partnerships) of Imperial College London to discuss academic exchanges, joint training and other cooperative projects intended to take place in the near future. He later arrived at King’s College London to meet Provost and SVP for Health Prof. Sir Robert Lechler to discuss the development of SUSTech’s medical school and education methodologies on working alongside hospitals; in the afternoon, President Chen met with Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich’s President Lino Guzzella and University of Oxford’s President Louise Richardson, during which he introduced the characteristics of SUSTech and the recent development of its partnerships with other world-leading institutions. Guzzella and Richardson have accepted President Chen’s invitation to become members of SUSTech’s “International Advisory Council”.
Presidents Chen and Daniels (JHU) pose for a photo
President Chen met with Maggie Dallman, Associate Provost (Academic Partnerships) of the Imperial College London
Presidents Chen and Guzzella (ETH Zurich) held in-depth talks
Presidents Chen and Richardson (University of Oxford) held exchanged experiences and ideas
On September 5, President Chen met with Sir Keith Burnett, President of the University of Sheffield, to discuss the possibility of cooperation; and followed with a meeting with Ed Byrne, President of King’s College London, to sign a MoU between the two universities.
Chen and New York University President Andrew Hamilton talked at the venue
Chen met with Sir Keith Burnett, President of the University of Sheffield
Chen signed a cooperation agreement with the King’s College London President Byrne
SUSTech’s Associate Vice President for International Affairs and Chief Operating Officer Lu Chun and Director of Global Engagement Office Hou Shengtao accompanied the President on his visits.
