On the morning of October 28, the opening ceremony of the 2024 Jiangsu International Exchange Week on the Cooperation and Integration of Industry, Education, Research, and Application was held at Hohai University. The event was hosted by the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education and organized by 21 local universities. Xi Ru, Level II Bureau Rank Official of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges of the Ministry of Education, and Qiu Zhiqiang, Deputy Secretary-General of Jiangsu Provincial People's Government, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches. Jiang Yong, Director of the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education, delivered a video speech. Yang Guishan, President of Hohai University, delivered a speech.
Xi Ru pointed out that Jiangsu has the conditions, foundation, and ability to become a pioneer and main hub of international industry, education, research and application cooperation. Subsequently, Jiangsu will strengthen the development of international industry, education, research and application platforms and deepen open partnerships. Focusing on industrial needs, it will establish a consortium where enterprises play a major role, with participation from diverse entities such as universities and scientific research institutes. Additionally, Jiangsu will promote the innovative development of international industry, education, research and application efforts and pool world-class educational resources and innovative elements to build international scientific and technological innovation platforms.
According to Qiu Zhiqiang, the Exchange Week emerges as a crucial carrier for facilitating the organic coordination of the talent chain, innovation chain, and industry chain. He hoped that Chinese and foreign universities could effectively leverage the platform provided by the Exchange Week to establish mechanisms in talent training, scientific and technological innovation, mutual visits of teachers and students, and other fields. The goal is to promote in-depth international industry, education, research and application integration, strengthen basic research and original innovation, and reinforce collaborative research on key generic technologies, thereby assisting Jiangsu in overcoming challenges in achieving high-level self-reliance and self-improvement in science and technology.
In his video speech, Jiang Yong emphasized the hope for all parties, both domestic and international, to collaboratively establish more platforms for international industry, education, research and application cooperation, enabling the gathering, convergence, and mutual promotion of high-level scientific research information, talent, and achievements. Such efforts aim to make greater contributions to high-quality economic and social development.
In his speech, Yang Guishan introduced that Hohai University has consistently adhered to an open education approach, playing a significant role in global water governance. In recent years, Hohai University has actively integrated into the global innovation network, enhancing its scientific and technological innovation capabilities amidst open cooperation. He believes that the scientific and educational resources of higher education institutions can unleash greater potential in Jiangsu, an industrial powerhouse, contributing wisdom and strength to Jiangsu's continued leadership in high-quality development and enhancing the overall effectiveness of the national innovation system.
The opening ceremony was presided over by Yang Shubing, Deputy Director of the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education.
At the opening ceremony, addresses were given by Nariman Farvardin, President of Stevens Institute of Technology in the United States, Etienne Craye, President of ESIGELEC in France, and Xia Xinrui, Vice President of China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd. They unanimously agreed that international industry, education, research and application cooperation and exchanges can play a significant role in promoting international exchanges among teachers, students, and researchers and advancing science and technology in service of society. In the future, they will be more open and active in expanding school-enterprise exchanges and cooperation.
During the opening ceremony, Hohai University appointed Vladimir Nikora, Fellow of the UK Royal Academy of Engineering, as a Sino-foreign joint training doctoral supervisor. A cooperation agreement was signed between Hohai University and the University of Cape Coast to jointly build the Sino-Ghana Joint Laboratory for Harbor Conservancy and Development.
This Exchange Week has attracted over 300 participants, including leaders and academicians from 63 universities across 34 countries and regions, as well as representatives from scientific research institutions, international organizations, and enterprises. With the theme of International Cooperation and Integration of Industry, Education, Research, and Application for a Shared Future, the Exchange Week will feature seven international academic sessions focused on seven key fields essential to Jiangsu's economic and social development: intelligent systems and big data science, energy and novel materials, biomedical and medical equipment, atmospheric science, intelligent manufacturing technology and equipment, environmental engineering, and new energy and electrified transportation. The objective is to explore new technologies, business formats, and models driven by international industry, education, research and application cooperation in the context of globalization.
The opening ceremony was attended by representatives from the education departments (commissions) and universities of Shanghai, Zhejiang, Anhui, Shandong, and other provinces and cities, as well as representatives from universities in Jiangsu province, foreign partner universities, scientific research institutions, and enterprises.
