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Q: How do you promote science and A HISTORY OF technology innovation at the university? Aiming at frontier science, and seeking to address national strategic needs and DISCOVERY EXPANDS contribute to economic development, we have set development strategies to promote research innovation capacities. We are INTO THE FUTURE forging ahead with systemic reforms to ensure our research is guided by objectives and societal needs, is better organized and based on a model of team collaboration. A conversation with We are also enhancing strategic planning RONG ZHANG for more forward-looking research and for achieving more breakthroughs in key, President, University cutting-edge, or disruptive technologies. Another effort is to construct big, integrated platforms, managed with new models, to improve cross-disciplinary inte- gration, and our capacity for major research projects. We are taking part in international Seeking to address big science projects, and domestic projects focusing on research infrastructure national strategic construction, so that we can be integrated in national and global networks. needs and contribute to We also emphasize research translation Q: What do you promote in education? universities, and are encouraging various culture, and global influence. With support economic development, and commercialization to benefit society. We cultivate our students’ leadership roles school-level collaborations. from governments of both countries, it has This includes building an innovation to help them become leading lights in their We have leveraged our geographical made significant progress in academic de- we have set development technology research institute to gather fields. While emphasizing their specialty advantages as the starting point of the velopment, student education and research. global resources, and several research trans- knowledge, we endeavour to inculcate within Maritime Silk Road by initiating the With five schools and more planned, strategies to promote lation bases to accelerate the application them a strong sense of social responsibility. University Consortium of 21st Century it has set up a multidisciplinary academic of results. Our efforts on disease control They also need to be quick learners to keep Maritime Silk Road, which comprises 61 framework. Last September, it conferred research innovation and drug development for HIV/AIDS and pace with the times. This means having universities from 17 countries or regions. degrees to its first batch of graduates. capacities. hepatitis, for instance, have led to useful an open attitude, a global vision, and good With the launch of the research Among its 5,900-plus current students Rong Zhang technologies and products. cross-cultural communication abilities. vessel, we are building a platform for from 29 countries, some undergraduates President, Xiamen University With student education a core mission, training global marine science researchers. have already published papers in interna- Q: What measures have you taken to we are now promoting educational reform A key step in our globalization strategy tional journals, or won innovation-themed enhance faculty teams? and fostering student creativity and initiative also includes the launch of our Malaysia contests. These achievements rely on an A top-tier faculty team is essential for build- by transforming teacher-centred learning campus in early 2016. As a milestone in international, high-quality, diverse faculty Q: What kind of culture has Xiamen of the most active universities in interna- ing a first-class university, and gathering to student-centred, with an emphasis on Sino-Malaysia higher education collabo- team with nearly 300 dedicated teachers, University developed over its 100-year tional exchange, with activities ranging talent has always been our tradition. In students’ personalized needs. The reform ration, it has become a key platform for as well as a fantastic management team. history? from research projects to conferences and recent years, with faculty team-building as a uses new training models that integrate ed- promoting cultural exchanges between The new campus is already undertaking At Xiamen University, we embrace a culture summer schools. focus of our work, we have emphasized both ucation with research, promote interdiscipli- and Southeast Asia, and sets a new more than 20 research projects, leading to of gratitude, openness, innovation, and With many firsts in China’s higher educa- attracting and cultivating talent. We’ve hired nary work and encourage academia-industry model for Chinese universities. As a way publications in high-quality journals and harmony. In 1921, underpinned by a belief tion history, including the first department an average of 110 faculty members from collaboration. We also cultivate students’ to promote educational collaboration and multiple academic awards. XMUM is also that education provides a solid national of aerospace, marine science, and journal- across the world each year, and emphasize innovation and entrepreneurial spirits, share resources, joint schools are also en- broadening its international ties and extend- foundation, the philanthropist, Tan Kah ism and communication, we strive to set personal development, providing space to encouraging their independent thinking. couraged. An example is a school in creative ing its social services, with construction of Kee, founded Xiamen University. He put his standards. Following an innovation-driven grow professionally.Training programmes are To ensure high-quality education, we have arts co-established with the University an expanding infrastructure, research and heart and soul into developing the university development strategy, we have achieved offered to young teachers, with opportuni- also established an assessment system for the Creative Arts (UCA) in the United teaching facilities. and we are grateful for his efforts, and the internationally-recognized original results ties for exchange and collaborative research to annually check our training objectives, Kingdom, a national first of its kind. Despite support received from the government and in chemistry and chemical engineering, at world-leading universities. To enlarge models, processes and results. the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, I all circles of life over the years. biomedicine, marine science, energy, the talent reservoir, we are also reforming believe international collaboration is essen- Because Tan Kah Kee was a renowned materials science, intelligent manufacturing, our post-doctoral system, improving Q: How does the university enhance its tial for becoming a world-class university. Chinese expatriate, we have the tradition and artificial intelligence. compensation and evaluation mechanisms global connections? of integrating the essence of Eastern and Located in the garden city of Xiamen, on for postdocs. With an emphasis on high-end The university’s development is not Q: What are the latest moves for Western cultures, and have had many the coast, we also boast a beautiful campus, young talent, we have initiated programmes independent of the global network. We Xiamen University Malaysia (XMUM)? students and faculty members with with harmony between natural and built to support salaries, research funding, lab are enhancing multi-channel, multi-level As the first Chinese university branch overseas experience since the early days. environments. We encourage diversity, and space and facilities, and housing. We’ve international collaboration. With the campus overseas, XMUM is committed to +86-(0)592-2188330 Today, with 400 international teachers and seek to provide a platform for people with now gathered a group of people with great ‘G50 Strategic Partnership Plan’, we have becoming an international university with www.xmu.edu.cn 3,000 international students, we are one different cultural backgrounds to grow. potential and innovation capabilities. established links with 50 world-renowned first-class teaching and research, a diverse [email protected]

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