INTERN - POLITICAL AFFAIRS

The AUA Executives' Meeting (AUAEM) 2020, hosted by AUA Executive Presidency 2020-2021 Nazarbayev University, took place online on 5-6 November 2020. Over 70 participants representing all AUA member universities were in attendance across both days of the AUAEM. Yang Bin, Vice President and Provost of Tsinghua University, delivered the welcome address at the opening ceremony.

The opening ceremony of the 10th version of the International Cultural Festival took place on Saturday May 11th, 2019, with the traditional Global Village where countries are represented by booths that the students have prepared.

On May 6th, the China-Africa Leadership Development Institute of Tsinghua University (CALDI) hosted the visit of China InnoTour for African young scientists to implement the achievements made in the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, and promote technological innovation cooperation between China and African countries.

On April 18th, the Opening Ceremony of the 1st China-UK Higher Education Young Talent Alliance Summit was held at Tsinghua University. Chen Xu, Chairperson of the Tsinghua University Council and Chair of the China-UK Association for the Humanities in Higher Education, Professor Sir Steve Smith, Vice Chancellor of the University of Exeter, Mr. Danny Whitehead, Minister Counsellor for Education and Culture of the British Embassy in China, and Deputy Director China of the British Council, and student representatives from China and the UK attended the opening ceremony held at the Tsinghua University Art Museum. The opening ceremony was moderated by Professor Yan Haiping, Dean of the Institute for World Literatures and Cultures, Chair of the Executive Council of the China-UK Association for the Humanities in Higher Education, and Chair of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures.

On April 14th, as an important part of the AUA Summit 2019, the AUA Presidents Forum was held at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), attended the AUA Presidents Forum and delivered a keynote speech. President Qiu Yong of Tsinghua University, and President Wei Shyy of HKUST addressed the forum. Presidents and delegates of the 15 member universities of the Asian University Alliance (AUA) held in-depth discussions on topics such as the “Roles of Universities in the Sustainability Agenda” and “Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystems: Asian Perspectives on Technological Stewardship and Higher Education” to jointly explore the development of higher education in Asia. Vice President and Provost of Tsinghua University Yang Bin and Vice‐President for Institutional Advancement of HKUST Sabrina Lin attended the forum.

On April 13th, the Asian Universities Alliance (AUA) Summit 2019 was held in Hong Kong. Representatives from the 15 member universities of the AUA attended the summit. At the AUA Board Meeting, Tsinghua University was unanimously re-elected as AUA Presidency for 2020-2023, with Tsinghua President Qiu Yong re-elected as President of AUA. The Board also unanimously voted for the AUA Secretariat to be permanently hosted by Tsinghua University.

On April 11th, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, visited Tsinghua University. Tsinghua University President Qiu Yong had a meeting with the guests at Gongziting. Fu Ying, Chairman of the Center for Strategy and Security attended the meeting.

An Engineering Doctoral Program featuring technology innovation and leadership development launched in the Greater Bay Area

On March 24th, Professor Stephen J Toope, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, visited Tsinghua University. Tsinghua University President Qiu Yong, Vice President and Provost Yang Bin, had a meeting with the guests at Gongziting.

On March 21st, Professor Lawrence Bacow, President of Harvard University, visited Tsinghua University. Tsinghua University President Qiu Yong, Vice President and Provost Yang Bin, and the guests had a meeting at Gongziting.

On the afternoon of February 26th, Vice-Chancellor and President Rocky S. Tuan and Pro-Vice- Chancellor Poon Wai-Yin of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) visited Tsinghua University. President Qiu Yong and Vice President and Provost of Tsinghua University Yang Bin met with the guests and had in-depth exchanges on further strengthening the cooperation between the two universities. The two sides signed a MOU between Tsinghua University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong on dual-degree programs.

Davos – 23 Jan, 2019 – 8 global universities have expressed their shared commitment to combat climate change. A joint statement, made in Davos at the World Economic Forum, represents a commitment to establish the Global Alliance of Universities on Climate (GAUC). Among its key objectives, GAUC will facilitate greater levels of collaboration on climate issues, greater engagement with climate stakeholders, and the promotion of environmental practices by universities, in line with United Nations conventions on climate change and Sustainable Development Goals.

On December 9th, the first graduation ceremony of the Global Innovation eXchange (GIX) Institute was held in Seattle’s GIX Building. The first graduation cohort was made up of 37 students from 11 countries and regions around the world. The degrees conferred at the ceremony were the 15-month Master of Science in Technology Innovation (MSTI) degree offered through the University of Washington, and the 27-month Dual Degree, which integrates the MSTI with the Master of Science in Engineering (Data Science and Information Technology） (MSE(DSIT)) through Tsinghua University. President Qiu Yong of Tsinghua University, President Ana Marie Cauce of the University of Washington and President Brad Smith of Microsoft, attended the ceremony.

On December 8, 2018, The Global Alliance in Management Education (CEMS) Graduation Ceremony took place in Malta. Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management (Tsinghua SEM) was awarded the title of CEMS School of the Year 2017-2018 in recognition of outstanding student satisfaction with the quality of the academic program and the services offered.

On the afternoon of December 6th, the Tsinghua University Latin America Center was inaugurated in Santiago, Chile. This is an important measure undertaken by Tsinghua University to promote the implementation of the global strategy and marks the temporary end of the overseas layout of the global strategy. Former President of Chile Eduardo Frei, Chairman of the Luksic Group Andrónico Luksic, President of the APEC CEO Summit 2019 Jean-Paul Luksic, representatives of the Luksic family, the Chinese Ambassador to Chile Xu Bu and other guests attended the ceremony held at the Chinese Embassy in Chile.

On the afternoon of December 6th, the Tsinghua University Latin America Center was inaugurated in Santiago, Chile. This is an important measure undertaken by Tsinghua University to promote the implementation of the global strategy and marks the temporary end of the overseas layout of the global strategy.

On November 30th, the first “Hong Kong International Artificial Intelligence Summit” jointly sponsored by Tsinghua University and the University of Hong Kong was held at the University of Hong Kong. The summit focused on the prospect and application of artificial intelligence technology in the financial field, aiming to further promote research and exchange on artificial intelligence and promote in-depth cooperation between the scientific research field and industry. Academician Qiu Yong, President of Tsinghua University, Academician Xiang Zhang, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong, Professor Joseph Klafter，President of Tel Aviv University, and Mr. Nicholas Yang, GBS, JP, Secretary for Innovation and Technology, HKSAR government, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches.

On November 30th, President Qiu Yong led a delegation to visit the University of Hong Kong (HKU), and with President and Vice-Chancellor Zhang Xiang of the University of Hong Kong, signed a letter of intent for cooperation, announcing that the two universities will jointly launch Four-year Dual Bachelor’s Degree Programs. The first batch of the programs will cover two disciplines: economic management and computer science and technology. Students who have completed relevant courses will receive bachelor's degree certificates from Tsinghua University and Hong Kong University respectively. It is reported that the program will recruit students worldwide, with the first batch of students expected to start study in the academic year 2020 - 2021.

On November 29th, the signing ceremony of the Tsinghua University-University of Chicago Joint Research Center for Economics and Finance was held at the campus of the University of Chicago in Hong Kong. President Qiu Yong of Tsinghua University and President Robert J. Zimmer of the University of Chicago signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation. The two universities will jointly establish the Tsinghua University-University of Chicago Joint Research Center for Economics and Finance. Provost Daniel Diermeier, Vice President for Strategy and Innovation, Deputy Provost and Chief International Officer Balaji Srinivasan, Vice President for National Laboratories Juan de Pablo, Vice President for Communications Paul Rand, and Vice President for Alumni Relations and Development Sharon Marine of the University of Chicago, Former President Gu Binglin and Vice President and Provost Yang Bin of Tsinghua University and other guests had a meeting and attended the signing ceremony together.