On November 23, “the Ninth Presidents Convention of Excellence 9 (E9)” hosted by Southeast University was convened in Nanjing as another important convention of its kind after “Presidents’ Forum of UK-China University Consortium on Engineering Education and Research”. Zhang Jun, President of Beijing Institute of Technology, Zhang Zongyi, President of Chongqing University, Guo Dongming, President of Dalian University of Technology, Zhang Guangjun, President of Southeast University, Zhou Yu, President of Harbin Institute of Technology, Gao Song, President of South China University of Technology, Zhong Denghua, President of Tianjin University, Chen Jie, President of Tongji University and Huang Wei, Managing Vice President of Northwestern Polytechnical University and others attended the convention. This convention was presided over by Wang Baoping, Managing Vice President of Southeast University.
During the Presidents Convention, Zhou Yu, President of Harbin Institute of Technology and also the Rotating Chairman of E9 in 2018, summarized E9’s work for the year 2017-2018 on behalf of the Consortium and E9’s achievements in the past year in a comprehensive manner from three aspects, specifically speaking, “to jointly explore and establish the new patternof all-round education” for the fundamental objective of cultivating virtuous talents”, “to give a full play to the Consortium’s role as the thinktank to facilitate content-driven development of higher education as required by the ‘Double First-Class” construction standards” and “to follow the principles of resource-sharing and excellence-seeking, carry out cooperation to promote sharing, integration, creation and all-win” etc.. Wang Baoping, Managing Vice President of Southeast University, shared his work plan for 2018-2019 on behalf of the Consortium, which will focus on the cultivation of undergraduates and postgraduates, enrollment and employment, faculty development, internationalization, resources sharing, policy research, culture development and collaborated innovation, etc.. The presidents present in the convention discussed earnestly the annual work plan and exchanged views on the future work method and measures. It was agreed that in the past 9 years, E9 had made great achievement with concerted efforts of all the member universities. In the future, E9’s development would be highly correlated with the national development strategies and tendency of higher education. On the current basis, E9 shall strengthen internal communication as well as external cooperation, especially the cooperation in terms of talent cultivation, faculty development, science and research and international exchanges so as to jointly promote the “Double First-Class” development, develop higher education to the satisfaction of CPC and the people, and thus make greater contribution to the national development.
In the course free exchanges, university presidents expressed that E9 had enjoyed great development and closer ties among universities in the past nine years. The schools have joined hands in developing the world first-class universities in hopes of better implementing the content-driven development, taking root in China and forming the world-class brand by absorbing advanced experience. During the convention, the presidents recommended to further strengthen their influences and policy-making abilities, e.g. to further integrate the cooperation experience of E9 in the past nine years, promote and execute such experience to a higher level; to further strengthen the exchanges and cooperation among Sino-U.S., Sino-British, Sino-Japanese and Sino-German universities as well as with our counterparts in the “Belt and Road” countries; to intensify the scope and depth of international communication and collaboration by means of developing new areas of cooperation; to continue the education resources sharing; to better arrange competition among E9 universities for establishing a brand effect in the nationwide area; to strengthen scientific and technological cooperation among E9 members for jointly promoting the development of revolutionary technologies, probe into the experience of cooperation between universities and the government for facilitating economic and technological development at different regions. In all, the consortium shall exert more profound influences.
During the convention, the flag alternating ceremony and election of 2020 rotating chairman were also conducted successfully. Zhou Yu, President of Harbin Institute of Technology, passed the E9 Flag to Zhang Guangjun, President of Southeast University; in addition, Chongqing University was elected as the 2020 rotating chairman university of E9 Consortium. Zhang Zongyi, President of Chongqing University expressed his honor for being elected as the rotating chairman and would strive to well organize the Presidents Convention and Presidents Forum in the next year so as to compose a new chapter of collaboration. During the convention, all parties concerned watched the Mission for Excellence, a documentary of E9 Alliance, and reviewed the history from its establishment up to now as well as the achievements that have been made by the consortium. Meanwhile, President Zhang Zongyi also extended his gratitude to all the leaders, teachers, students and friends from all walks of life in the society for their contributions to the E9 Consortium.
Based on the previous works, the Ninth Presidents Convention of E9 added a link of international exchanges and convened the “Presidents’ Forum of UK-China University Consortium on Engineering Education and Research” meanwhile. In addition to presidents of E9 members, representatives including Ian Greer and Mark Price, President and Vice-President of Queen's University Belfast, Robin Mason, Vice-President of University of Birmingham, Tim Bradshaw, CEO of the Russell Group, Director of East China Regions of British Council, Ma Xudong, Culture and Education Consul of British Consulate-General Shanghai, and representatives from Cambridge University, University of Leeds, University of Liverpool, University of Warwick as well as representative from Tokyo Institute of Technology attended the convention to discuss the ways to develop wisdom and seek possibilities of cooperation.
The Forum was composed of three sub-forums. Sub-forum One themed as “Opportunities and Challenges for Higher Education Both in China and the UK in Globalization” was hosted by Gao Song, President of South China University of Technology. Mark Price, Vice-President of Queen's University Belfast, Zhang Jun, President of Beijing Institute of Technology, Matthew Knowles, Culture and Education Counsellor of British Consulate-General Shanghai and Director of East China Operation of British Council, and Zhang Guangjun, President of Southeast University participated in the panel. As said by President Gao Song, the mission of cultivating engineering talents lied with the engineering education. The new round of technological and industrial revolution has presented significant challenges and opportunities to the engineering education, and proposed new requirements on multidisciplinary approach, enterprise-university-research institute cooperation, internationalization and in-depth engineering studies. He also shared the beneficial exploration in respect of talent cultivation in his university based on practice. Mark Price of Queen's University Belfast believed that China and the UK had carried out in-depth cooperation in creating and cultivating talents in the future. Regarding the challenges brought about by the globalization, a opener and more innovative approach of talent cultivation and international cooperation shall be adopted to share beneficial experience and expertise across countries. By doing these, more professionals competent for international challenges and demands can be cultivated; besides, a longer and sustainable cooperation mechanism can be established. Zhang Jun, President of Beijing Institute of Technology believed that it would be the optimal time for China and the UK to communicate and cooperate, under the current environment of globalization; nevertheless, we would be also confronted with challenges of unequal challenges. He put forth his suggestion that the universities shall cultivate high-level talents by strengthening communications among them, allocating resources in mechanism and resources more efficiently while developing consistent action plans, etc.. Matthew Knowles, Culture and Education Counsellor of British Consulate-General Shanghai fully recognized the important role of Nanjing (the capital city of Jiangsu Province) in promoting educational cooperation between the two countries. He said that we should promote the communication of knowledge, the mutual trust and understanding in a mutually complementary manner to facilitate the construction of partnership between our two nations through further bilateral exchanges, especially the exchanges of high-level talents. Meanwhile, we should promote cooperation with focuses and plans on the basis of mutual trust and supplementation. The last but not least, Zhang Guangjun, President of the Southeast University pointed out that a university, especially a top university, shall play an important leading role in advance the civilization of human society. Currently, in face of a new round of technological and industrial revolution, universities both in China and the UK would encounter the same mission and challenges in cultivation of talents competent for innovation, leadership and improvement of technological innovation and social services, etc.. President Zhang proposed intensifying multi-lateral and all-win cooperation as the best way to usher challenges. On the one hand, improve the cooperation scale and content; on the other hand, advance the integration and discussion on the development ideas and unique paths of higher education.
For Sub-forum Two themed as “How International Exchanges and Cooperation Facilitate the Development of World First-Class Universities”, Guo Dongming, President of Dalian University of Technology, Robin Mason, Vice-President of the University of Birmingham, Zhang Zongyi, President of Chongqing University, Tim Bradshaw, CEO of the Russell Group and Zhou Yu, President of Harbin Institute of Technology attended. As introduced by President Guo Dongming, the classmate friendship among high-level talents can greatly promote the national peace and friendship. He shared a series of important initiatives and the cultivation program of schoolmate friendly at first-class universities in the “Double First-Class” construction of Dalian University of Technology. Robin Mason, Vice-President of the University of Birmingham, said that the internationalization of university education shall be the substantially cultural essence, which shall be the unchangeable trend of development. With culture and high standards marching forward hand in hand, the sound environment for academic studies and exchanges would be conducive to cultivate better students. As the Vice President in charge of internationalization, he would further promote cooperation with Chinese universities. Zhang Zongyi, President of Chongqing University, said that the talent cultivation model of engineering education in China was just transformed to the cultivation of comprehensive talents, which has thus put forward higher requirements on the competence of international wide technologies, international standards and business knowledge, the abilities of solving complex engineering problems and study in a sustainable manner. Besides, these talents should highlight a broader international view, patriotism, awareness of global citizenship, the sense of overall situation and responsibility. Therefore, the education system shall more consider the engineering process system on the basis of disciplinary system construction, more individualized cultivation than standardized cultivation, get transformed from the closed cultivation to open cultivation. Meanwhile, the exchanges and cooperation among members on the platform shall be reinforced. Tim Bradshaw, on behalf of the Russell Group, pointed out that the group featured a high degree of internationalization with multi-layered and close connections with universities, industries and governments. All parties in China and the UK may have extraordinary cooperation in artificial intelligence and smart traffic, etc.. Thanks to such a consortium, both parties could get improved in research and education respectively as well as deepened cooperation. Zhou Yu, President of Harbin Institute of Technology, pointed out that international exchanges and cooperation shall be an overall and systematic work of the university, which must be integrated with the school’s general development and absorbed in the work of the school’s departments. Up to now, Harbin Institute of Technology has been maintaining close relationship with many British universities, and has carried out bilateral dual-degree programs. He expected the consortium could deepen the Sino-British cooperation and exchanges in respect of engineering education though the consortium, especially the exchanges and communication between the scholars and students of both parties.
Sub-forum Three themed as “New Tendency and Strategy of Boosting Knowledge Transfer and Innovation between Universities and Industry” was presided over by Ian Greer, President of Queen's University Belfast. Zhong Denghua, President of Tianjin University, Ahmed Elsheik, Dean of College, University of Liverpool delivered keynote speeches. President Chen Jie pointed out that the knowledge transfer from universities to industry shall be university’s responsibility and an important approach for social and economic development. As E9 Consortium highlights great advantages in university-industry cooperation, it shall play a leading role in promoting the knowledge transfer and innovation. President Chen Jie also introduced the specific measures adopted by Tongji University. President Ian Greer said that technology or knowledge transfer could promote the transformation and improvement of productivity, boost the knowledge development, innovation and upgrading. Both the UK and Queen's University Belfast are heading towards such perspective, which demand effective ways, methods and tactics to guarantee the technological implementation in fact. President Zhong Denghua, in combination with practice of Tianjin University, explained the three features of integration of production and education in the new development of engineering, cross-disciplinary education and integration as well as internationalization. In addition, he further introduced the achievements and experience obtained by Tianjin University in terms of knowledge transfer, achievement transformation and research institutes at different places. Dean Ahmed Elsheik introduced the specific practice made by the University of Liverpool regarding enterprise-university-research institute cooperation under the background of internationalization, for example, the cooperation between large enterprises, medium and small as well as Chinese enterprises; he also shared the perspective about close combination between PhD programs and enterprise-university-research institute cooperation.
