On October 15, the World University Student Innovation Forum and the founding ceremony of the World University Student Innovation Alliance were held at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Wu Yan, Vice Minister of Education, and Xie Dong, Vice Mayor of Shanghai, attended the event and delivered speeches. UN Under-Secretary-General Tshilidzi Marwala, representatives from renowned universities around the world, representatives from member institutions of the alliance, and faculty and student representatives were also present. The meeting was chaired by Ding Kuiling, President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Tshilidzi Marwala delivered a video speech congratulating the establishment of the World University Student Innovation Alliance. He pointed out that the China International College Student Innovation Competition has created valuable communication opportunities for millions of young entrepreneurs worldwide. The establishment of the World University Student Innovation Alliance will further promote cooperation in the fields of innovation and education, gathering diverse forces from students, educational leaders, and industry experts. He emphasized that technological advancement is leading us into an increasingly interconnected world, necessitating greater emphasis on global dialogue. As an international participant, the World University Student Innovation Alliance serves as a platform for cultivating, adapting, and sustaining innovation, empowering youth to jointly address emerging challenges and collaboratively shape the future of human society.
Ning Qi, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Vice President of Peking University; Zheng Qinghua, President of Tongji University; Bronwyn Fox, Vice President of the University of New South Wales, Australia; LEE Pooi See, Vice President of Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; and Francisco Veloso, President of INSEAD, represented domestic and international universities to share beneficial attempts and advanced experiences in cultivating students' innovative thinking and practical abilities.
Ning Qi stated that innovation has become an important driving force for world development. As a frontline platform for scientific and technological innovation and talent cultivation, universities bear an unprecedented mission and responsibility. The establishment of the World University Student Innovation Alliance creates a broader platform for innovative collaboration among universities. Peking University is willing to engage in exchanges and cooperation with universities worldwide to promote the vigorous development of youth innovation globally. He also looks forward to the innovation alliance providing richer practical opportunities and entrepreneurial scenarios for teachers and students at universities around the world, allowing more young people to realize their potential and showcase their talents on the global stage, collectively nurturing outstanding talents with innovative spirit and practical abilities.
Zheng Qinghua believes that the establishment of the World University Student Innovation Alliance is timely. The new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, represented by artificial intelligence technology, is profoundly affecting various fields of society, especially posing challenges to higher education. Universities should consider how to continue being sources of thought and technological innovation and how to cultivate innovative talents needed by enterprises and society. He proposed three suggestions: first, to strengthen the innovation of education models empowered by artificial intelligence; second, to guide students in developing their abilities and innovative skills by addressing the problems faced by enterprises; and third, to promote cross-border cooperation to cultivate internationally-oriented innovative talents.
Bronwyn Fox reviewed the deep connections between the University of New South Wales and China, particularly its long-term cooperation with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, emphasizing the close exchanges in education and research between both parties. She stated that the University of New South Wales has long been committed to innovative research in fields crucial to the health and prosperity of people worldwide. The university will continue to strengthen its cooperative relationship with Chinese universities, providing valuable entrepreneurial support to a wide range of students, faculty, and alumni. She mentioned that the alliance will bring solutions to pressing issues and hopes that through the active cooperation of its members, they can collectively address global challenges and create a positive impact on society through innovation.
LEE Pooi See believes that in a rapidly changing world, university students face increasingly complex challenges. The establishment of this innovation alliance can effectively promote cooperation and innovation among global university students. Nanyang Technological University has been dedicated to nurturing future leaders and innovators. This alliance, as an important platform, will help further strengthen international cooperation, promote interdisciplinary learning, and cultivate students' global perspectives. Nanyang Technological University has established long-term cooperative relationships with Shanghai Jiao Tong University in various fields, including joint educational programs and academic research, and looks forward to deepening cooperation in the future to jointly address global challenges.
Francisco Veloso pointed out that innovation has always been an important engine for human progress. In today's rapidly changing global context, the value of innovation and entrepreneurship is more pronounced. He believes that universities are catalysts for innovation and entrepreneurship, playing a critical role in cultivating future innovators and entrepreneurs. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and international exchanges, students' creativity and global perspectives can be fully stimulated. He called on attendees to work together to build an open, inclusive, and cooperative global innovation ecosystem, collectively addressing global challenges and promoting the sustainable development of innovation and entrepreneurship on the platform of the World University Student Innovation Alliance.
Dickieson Maxim, a Ph.D. student from the National University of Singapore, and Qi Fanchao, a Ph.D. student from Tsinghua University and runner-up of the 2023 competition, spoke as representatives of previous award-winning students, sharing their stories of innovative practice.
Maxim Dickieson stated that the forum is not only an excellent platform to showcase individual creativity and learn from others' achievements but also a rare opportunity to make lifelong friendships. The innovation forum gathers the best young talents from around the world, and he established friendships with many peers who, despite coming from different backgrounds and fields of study, shared much more in common than differences. Beyond friendship, he gained valuable experience in public presentation and many professional skills from the innovation forum, which will benefit him for life. He mentioned that regardless of winning or losing, all participants in the World University Student Innovation Forum will learn and grow through the process, becoming better as a result.
Qi Fanchao emphasized that innovation arises from the youth's commitment to the demands of the times. The establishment of the World University Student Innovation Alliance provides a global exchange platform for young college students, allowing outstanding students from around the world to share the latest innovative experiences, learn advanced innovative concepts, broaden their global innovation perspectives, and have more opportunities for collaboration with international partners. He hopes all university students will join hands, dare to innovate, and be brave in practice, contributing their youthful innovative strength to realizing the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Ni Jun, Chief Manufacturing Officer of CATL, Emeritus Professor of Manufacturing Science at the University of Michigan, and an expert on the World Economic Forum's Future Manufacturing Committee, spoke as an expert representative. He elaborated on the purpose, content, and methods of innovation, explaining its intrinsic value and future development direction. He pointed out that innovation is the key to advancing human history. Currently, the world faces many significant challenges that need to be solved collectively. The younger generation needs to break boundaries and work together to address issues such as planetary health, human health, clean water, sustainable energy, and promoting world peace. Looking ahead, global universities and scholars need to continuously innovate cooperation paths, focus on interdisciplinary collaboration, educational system reform, and the integration of industry and education, especially strengthening the collaboration among industry, academia, and research to promote impactful innovations and jointly shape a brighter future.
Wu Yan, Xie Dong, Ding Kuiling, Noel Lindsay, and representatives of the initial members jointly launched the World University Student Innovation Alliance. At the meeting, the "World University Student Innovation Index Standard System" and the "First Driving Force: World University Student Innovation Development Report" were released, providing Chinese standards, wisdom, and solutions for global university student innovation and the cultivation of innovative talents in higher education.
This forum and the alliance establishment ceremony are important components of the China International College Student Innovation Competition, which will jointly serve as significant measures to enhance the quality of talent cultivation, facilitate the international collaboration of talent, projects, industries, funding, and incubation bases, and provide a platform for global young university students to exchange and learn from each other, encouraging them to grow their wisdom and talents through innovative practice, and boldly act as pioneers of human civilization and technological development.
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