On October 27, as one of the important activities for the 110th anniversary of Hohai University, a University Presidents Forum on Development and Reform of Distinctive University Education in the Era of Digital Intelligence was held in the lecture hall of the Science Hall of Hohai University. Presidents and experts from more than 30 renowned universities and international organizations around the world participated in the forum.
Several representatives delivered keynote speeches, including: Academician Tang Hongwu, President of South China University of Technology; Academician Joseph H. W. Lee, President of Macau University of Science and Technology; Professor Eddy Moors, President of IHE Delft; Professor Zheng Jinhai, President of Hohai University; Professor Montagne Lionel, Vice President of University of Lille; and Professor Zhou Wei, Vice President of Wuhan University. Guest speakers from various institutions shared their thoughts on the transformation of teaching, scientific research, and international cooperation among higher education institutions under the influence of artificial intelligence, as well as their relevant practices, including: Philippe Gourbesville, President of IAHR and Former President of Polytech Nice, France; Sarasin Viraphol, Member of the Board of Trustees of the Asian Institute of Technology; Elvis Asare-Bediako, President of the University of Energy and Natural Resources of Ghana; Wang Dubo, Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Committee of the North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power; and Liu Yong, Vice President of Ocean University of China. The forum was chaired by Vice President Wu Feng of Hohai University.
Hohai University, together with the UNESCO Division of Water Sciences, led the launch of the Hohai Initiative on International Water Education Cooperation in the Digital Intelligence Era at the forum. This initiative was jointly launched by 37 Chinese and international universities and institutions, including the University of Cambridge, the National University of Singapore, IHE Delft, the International Water Association, Tsinghua University, and Sichuan University. The initiative calls for the joint construction of a global digital water education platform, the creation of an international digital resource library for water education, the development of ethical guidelines for the application of artificial intelligence in water education, and the promotion of global collaboration in water resource education in the digital age, aiming to facilitate joint efforts in addressing the challenges of water security and sustainable development.
