Chongqing Talent Conference 2019 was held at Chongqing Yuelai International Convention Centre from November 8 to 10. The event was organised by CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee and the Municipal Government as a major talent exchange and international event. Entrusted by the Organizing Committee, Chongqing University invited the National University of Singapore to participate in the event and received the visiting delegation comprising presidents of Korea University and Yokohama National University of Japan.
On November 8, 2019, President Zhang Zongyi met with Professor Ho Teck Hua, Senior Executive Vice President and Provost of the National University of Singapore in Meeting Room 213, No. 1 Building, Campus A. The delegation included Prof. Shen Zuowei, fellow of the National Academy of Science Singapre, Dean of the College of Science, National University of Singapore, and Ms. Fu Wei, Deputy Director of the Office of the Provost. Mr. Ming Ju, Vice President of Chongqing University also joined the meeting.
Zhang Zongyi extended warm welcome to Ho Teck Hua and the NUS delegation. He firstly introduced the history of Chongqing University, efforts made by the University in disciplinary development and international cooperation and exchange. Zhang Zongyi said that Chongqing University and the National University of Singapore had always maintained very close cooperative relationship. Since the signing of the contract in 2016, the two universities have carried out in-depth and substantive cooperation in teacher visits, joint research, platform co-construction, student exchange, etc. Zhang expressed his hope to further deepen the cooperation between the two sides and carry out more exchanges in the future. Zhang said that in the new era, in the process building a world-first-rate university with Chinese characteristics, Chongqing University needed to establish long-term and stable cooperative relationship with world-famous universities like the National University of Singapore. Zhang also pointed out that the rapid development of engineering was closely related to basic disciplines such as science. He expressed his hope that the two universities would carry out more in-depth cooperation in basic disciplines such as mathematics and physics.
Ho Teck Hua agreed to Zhang Zongyi, adding that universities plaid an important role in the development of a city. Great cities called for great universities, and the two complemented each other. He expressed his hope that the two universities would work closely to carry out substantive and effective cooperation in talent cultivation and contribute to the high-quality development of the city. He said that he hoped to make full use of the platform of the National University of Singapore (Chongqing) Research Institute to explore the cooperation in the joint training of students and entrepreneurship and innovation between the two universities, so as to establish an effective mechanism for talent training and future teacher reserves of the two universities.
At the meeting, the universities also had in-depth discussions and exchanges on further cooperation, future development of the two universities and talent nurturing, and reached important consensus on establishing an all-round cooperation relationship at the inter-university level in the areas like doctoral student training, post doctoral teacher training, management cadre learning, studying in China, etc. Relevant projects are expected to be launched in 2020.
Prof. Hua Jianmin, Secretary of CPC Committee of the School of Civil Engineering, Prof. Guo Gang, Dean of the School of Automotive Engineering, Prof. Mu Chunlai, Dean of the School of Mathematics and Statistics, Prof. Xu Jun, Director of the Office of International Affairs, Ms. Chen Ying, Vice Dean of the School of International Education, Prof. Chen Rui, Vice Dean of the School of Mechanical Engineering, Prof. Sun Kuan, Vice Dean of School of Energy and Power Engineering and Mr. Rex Gao, Deputy Director of the Office of International Affairs attended the event.
At the Chongqing Talent Conference held on November 9, 2019, Zhang Zongyi met with Prof. JIN Taek Chung, President of Korea University (KU), and his delegation. The delegation includes Mr. KIM Jung Ho, Vice President of Korea University, and Ms. Tian Minghua, chief of the International Cooperation Section.
Zhang Zongyi introduced the development history, talent nurturing, disciplinary construction and international exchange of Chongqing University to the delegation, and highlighted the concept of "Contribute to the community" in the founding declaration of Chongqing University, indicating that Chongqing University should play a key role in local development. He said that he hopes to further promote cooperation with Korea University in areas such as student visits, exchanges, joint training of doctoral students, mutual visits of teachers and joint scientific research in the future.
JIN Taek Chung extended his gratitude towards Chongqing University for its warm reception. He said that as the best private university in South Korea, Korea University defined itself as a national university at the early stage of its establishment, because it was founded to "save the nation through education". At the same time, Korea University has considerable strength in various fields, close cooperation with Samsung, Hyundai and other large enterprises, and has made remarkable achievements in production, learning and research. Zheng Zhenze also mentioned that a cooperation agreement was signed between Korea University and Chongqing University. At present, four undergraduate students go to Korea University to study every year. Korea University also sends a student to study in Chongqing University. JIN expressed his hope that there will be more cooperation at the graduate level and the professor level in the future. The meeting yielded satisfactory results, and both sides agreed to gradually carry out more substantive cooperation in different areas.
After the meeting, the two sides exchanged souvenirs and took photos.
On the afternoon of November 9, 2019, Zhang Zongyi also met with the President of Yokohama National University (YNU), Prof. Hasebe Yuichi, and his delegation. Professor Tanabu Motonari, Head of the International Planning Department , and Professor Xu Haoyuan, Special Assistant to the President accompanied the visit.
At the meeting, Zhang firstly extended a warm welcome to the delegation for their visit to Chongqing, and then introduced the development history, talent nurturing, discipline construction and international exchange of Chongqing University to the delegation. He mentioned that Prof. Shen Maode, one of the founders of Chongqing University, once studied in University of Tokyo, Japan. At present, Chongqing University has close cooperation with many universities and scientific research institutions, such as Northeastern University of Japan. He expressed his intention to further promote cooperation with Yokohama National University in terms of student visiting, exchange, joint cultivation of doctoral students, mutual visits of teachers and joint scientific research in the future. He said that Chongqing was an important node in the "Belt and Road" Economic Zone and the Yangtze River Economic Zone, while the Yangtze River Economic Zone accounted for more than 40% of China’s gross domestic product. Desirable geographical advantages meant great development potential to Chongqing University. He added that he believed that the cooperation between Yokohama National University and Chongqing University would see win-win results and mutual benefits.
Hasebe Yuichi thanked Chongqing University for its warm reception. He said that Yokohama National University attached great importance to cooperation with universities in China. In 2018, there were more than 1,700 international students studying at Yokohama National University, among which 50%, namely, 828, were Chinese students. In the past decade, Yokohama National University has recruited many students from universities in China under the “985 Program”. Many of these students returned to work in universities of China after they had completed their studies. Among them, two doctoral students chose to work in Chongqing University after graduation. He mentioned that Yokohama National University boasts considerable advantages in the fields like economics, finance, accounting, management and other disciplines. He expressed his hope that the two universities could strengthen cooperation in these fields in the future. In addition, Yokohama National University was playing a leading role in research in areas like construction, environmental risk and control, marine environment, natural environment and soil quality. Both sides may also have discussion and exchange ideas in these fields and strengthen cooperation.
Gratifying results gave been achieved at the meeting, and both sides agreed to sign relevant inter university cooperation agreements as soon as possible, and gradually launch various substantive cooperation projects, such as mutual visits of teachers and students, doctoral programs of high-level universities, and student innovation and entrepreneurship.
After the meeting, the two sides exchanged souvenirs and took photos.
