President Zhang Zongyi of Chongqing University, photo by Zou Le, people.com.cn

In an interview with people.com.cn, President Zhang Zongyi of Chongqing University said that Chongqing University and Sichuan University were making joint efforts with a number of well-known colleges and universities in Sichuan and Chongqing to establish the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle University Alliance. In the future, universities and colleges in Chongqing and Chengdu will hopefully achieve mutual recognition of credit and scientific research achievements and disciplinary complementation, and carry out joint researches and undertake major scientific research projects collaboratively.

Zhang added that the construction of Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle provided an opportunity for the “Double-First-Rate” construction of colleges and universities in Chengdu and Chongqing. The establishment of the University Alliance would also serve the development of Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle by providing human resources, scientific and technological and intellectual support.

Development of Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle means more opportunities for “Double-First-Rate” construction

At present, Chongqing is planning the construction of West China (Chongqing) Science City, which is a strategic choice that conforms to the global trend of scientific and technological revolution and urbanization, and the prioritized task of construction of Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle. It will be helpful for improvement of Chongqing’s development momentum and level.

As a university under the “Double-First-Rate” Construction Program, Chongqing University is located in Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle and West China (Chongqing) Science City. How do you plan to transform the intellectual advantages of CQU into the high-quality development advantages of the Science City?

Zhang Zongyi said that Chongqing University had seen rapid development in recent 2 years in terms of talent nurturing, disciplinary development, scientific research, team building, and international cooperation and exchange, with overall strength constantly enhanced. In particular, a project led by Chongqing University was granted the national first prize for progress in science and technology in January 2020.

Furthermore, Chongqing University is currently building the scientific experiment equipment for super-transient substances. Zhang said that CQU had been trying to keep up with world top universities and innovatively proposed to build the scientific experiment devices for super-transient substances. However, Chongqing University has to tackle a number of challenges and difficult issues. In the past 2 years, with support of CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee and the municipal government, Chongqing University has been concentrating efforts on building of the devices in collaboration with scientific research institutions, colleges and universities at home and abroad.

In addition, construction of Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle and West China (Chongqing) Science City has brought the scientific experiment equipment for super-transient substances under spotlight. Zhang Zongyi said that upon completion of the scientific experiment equipment for super-transient substances, it will serve the colleges and universities in Chongqing and Chengdu and facilitate overall improvement of basic research level in the two places.

Promoting establishment of Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle University Alliance

Chengdu and Chongqing have rich higher education resources. Zhang Zongyi said that the layout and disciplinary advantages of colleges and universities in these two places added up to a rather complete higher education system.

Colleges and universities in the University Alliance will have in-depth cooperation beyond the administrative boundaries in areas like disciplinary construction, talent nurturing, scientific research, faculty building and international cooperation and exchange.

“For example, there may be disciplinary supplementation. Sichuan Fine Arts Institute located in is well-known for its advantages in arts while Sichuan Conservatory of Music boasts advantages in music. This is true for Chongqing University and Sichuan University. CQU is known for its advantages in engineering disciplines and Sichuan University has arts and sciences and basic disciplines as its preponderant disciplines.” Zhang added that the University Alliance would also encourage professors of one university to do a part-time job at the other university, and collaborate in tackling tough problems in scientific research and solve “bottlenecking” problems in scientific research.

Zhang Zongyi said: “If a university does a great job in disciplinary construction but does not have a top academic leader, while another university has a top academic leader and less desirable disciplinary construction, the two universities could work together to apply for high-level research projects.”

Construction of Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle also means an enormous market for the two places. Dissemination of scientific research achievements will also be boosted. Zhang said that in the past, experts and scholars would limit the dissemination of scientific research achievements in the local region. With Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle built up, they would have a greater field of view, more cooperating enterprises and approaches to choose from, and a much broader market.

Upon establishment of the University Alliance, it could also provide intellectual support for construction of Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle. Zhang said that many experts and scholars had been studying the economic development of the two places and some schools were planning to set up dedicated research institutions. For example, scholars specialized in international trading, logistics and laws of Chongqing University have participated in research of related projects of Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe Railway, in an effort to make active contribution to establishment of land-borne trade rules.

Concentrating efforts on construction of medical disciplines

Medical workers of Chongqing University Cancer Hospital and Affiliated Three Gorges Hospital of Chongqing University have been fighting a war on the coronavirus pandemic since its outbreak. Related scientific research has been carried out, which demonstrates the considerable strength of Chongqing University in medical disciplines.

“Construction of medical disciplines is an important part of the ‘Double-First-Rate’ construction. Chongqing University can not be absent.” Zhang Zongyi said that Chongqing University had been making tremendous efforts to rebuild and develop its medical disciplines. Chongqing University used to have a Medical School, and now efforts are being made to rebuild the Medical School with standards that match the “Double-First-Rate” construction.

To this end, Chongqing University takes its entire Campus C as the physical space of building of the Medical School. Since 2018, Chongqing University has been engaged in special research projects on integration of medicine and engineering, and encouraging experts and professors of related schools and the affiliated hospitals to apply for related projects as efforts to facilitate integrated development of engineering and medicine. Zhang Zongyi said that the efforts had started to show effects.

Active introduction of talents to develop the medical discipline is one of the strategies. Zhang Zongyi revealed that Chongqing University Cancer Hospital had recently appointed a distinguished professor with high research level and remarkable scientific research ability as its director. In addition, Chongqing University has launched its recruitment program of medical postgraduates. Zhang said: “Hopefully CQU is going to see more rapid development of its medical disciplines in the future.”

Source: Client of People’s Daily