On the afternoon of April 17th (local time), the China-Italy Design Innovation Hub and the Tsinghua Arts and Design Institute in Milan were officially unveiled in Milan, Italy. This is an important constituent part of Tsinghua’s Global Strategy, and the first teaching and research base Tsinghua has established in Europe. Simultaneously, the Tsinghua University Alumni Center in Italy was also inaugurated. The China-Italy Design Innovation Exhibition, co-organized by Tsinghua’s Academy of Arts & Design, the Politecnico di Milano, and the China-Italy Design Innovation Hub, formally commenced during Milan Design Week 2018.

On March 2nd, Monsieur Jean-Maurice Ripert, the French Ambassador to China, visited Tsinghua University. Qiu Yong, President of Tsinghua University, received Ambassador Ripert at Gongziting, and communicated with him about further deepening Sino-French cooperation in research and education, in different fields.

On March 8th, Chen Xu, Chairperson of the University Council, met with Madame Sophie D’Amours, the Rector of Laval University of Canada, at Gongziting. They had in-depth communication on the topic of the further promotion of educational and research cooperation between Tsinghua and Laval.

Associate Professor Tao Xiaoming from the Department of Electronic Engineering has been awarded the L’Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science China Fellowship 2018. She is one of the ten female scientists being granted this honor.

On the Chinese New Year’s Eve, Qiu Yong, President of Tsinghua University, Chen Xu, Chairperson of the University Council, and other University leaders, made dumplings and greeted the new year with students staying on campus.

On January 22nd, Tsinghua President Qiu Yong led a delegation to Davos, Switzerland, the first of their visits overseas in 2018. They attended a series of multilateral and bilateral exchanges in three days, negotiating cooperation with leaders of political, academic and business communities as well as international organizations, and opening up a new initiative for the implementation of Tsinghua’s Global Strategy.

On January 24th, the second Belt and Road Davos Forum, co-organized by Tsinghua University, the International Cooperation Center of the National Development and Reform Commission, and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), formally commenced in Davos, Switzerland, where the World Economic Forum is simultaneously being held.

18 Tsinghua research achievements were recognized at the 2017 State Science and Technology Awards ceremony on January 8th, where Tsinghua professors accepted the awards at the annual State Science and Technology Award ceremony in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

2017 was a year of great accomplishments, growth, and achievements for Tsinghua. At the beginning of 2018, we have compiled a list of top ten news stories of 2017.

On December 31st, the Tsinghua University New Year Gala was held on campus. University leaders Qiu Yong, Chen Xu, Jiang Shengyao, Xue Qikun, Ji Junmin, Yang Bin, Li Yibing, Wang Xiqin, and Guo Yong attended the Gala, together with over 3,500 students, faculty and alumni of the university.

On Dec 21, 2017 President QIU Yong of Tsinghua met with a delegation from Tohoku University, Japan. The delegation included President Susumu SATOMI, Vice President Toshiya UEKI, Professor Hideo OHNO, Professor Motoko KOTANI and representatives from various Tohoku schools and departments.

A number of outstanding Tsinghua students were honored on December 21 at the 2017 Tsinghua Scholarship Awards Ceremony in the Main Building. 20 students were awarded Tsinghua Top Grade Scholarships, 50 students received Jiang Nanxiang Scholarships, and 50 students received “December Ninth” Scholarships. Tsinghua University President Qiu Yong, Tsinghua Vice President Wang Xiqin, and Tsinghua University Vice Chairperson Guo Yong awarded certificates to the scholarship winners.

On December 15th, the Tsinghua Laboratory of Brain and Intelligence (THBI) and the Future Laboratory, Tsinghua University (THFL), were officially unveiled. Among the attendees at the ceremony were Hua Jianmin, the Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People’s Congress, former State Councilor and Secretary General of the State Council, as well as the Chairman of Tsinghua’s Committee of Strategic Development; Xu Guanhua, member of the Standing Committee of the 11th Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference National Committee, former Minister of Science and Technology, member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Chair of the Scientific Steering Committee of the Institute for Global Change Studies at Tsinghua; Wu Qidi, former Vice Minister of Education and Director of Tsinghua’s Center for Engineering Education; Zhang Jingan, former Secretary-General of the Ministry of Science and Technology, former Chief of the Science and Technology Daily, Deputy-Director of the Administration Committee of Institute for Culture Creativity, Tsinghua University; Professor Sir Keith Burnett, the President & Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield, the President of Tsinghua University Qiu Yong, and the Vice President Xue Qikun.

The Tsinghua International Students & Scholars’ Gala Night 2018 took place on Friday night, December 15th, to much anticipation from the international community. Hundreds of students and professors gathered to be amazed by gravity-defying martial arts, awe-inspiring dance moves, and enchanting songs.

On November 23, 2017, a group of 20 international students from Tsinghua University visited Meituan’s headquarters in Beijing. The visit is the first of the "Discover China Through Company Visits” series organized by Tsinghua University International Students and Scholars Center, aiming to help international students better understand the leading lifestyle e-commerce platform and the future development of this market leader.

The Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Mr. Erik Solheim, visited Tsinghua University and delivered a speech to The Tsinghua Forum to share his insights on global environmental governance and the role of youth on December 11th.

On November 20th, a group of researchers under the dynamic leadership of Prof. Yong Luo (Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University) and in collaboration with Prof. Xiangdong Zhang (University of Alaska, Fairbanks), Dr. Suping Nie (Associate Research Fellow in the National Climate Center), and others, published an online article entitled “Recently amplified arctic warming has contributed to a continual global warming trend” in the journal Nature Climate Change. Using a new interpolation method, a set of surface temperature sequences in the Arctic region over a time span of more than 100 years with a strong spatial and temporal homogeneity was established. Analysis of the new dataset shows that the global climate is persistently warming without any sign of hiatus or slowdown. New insights have been put forward to the international scientific community to debate over the existence of a “global warming hiatus” and its possible mechanism in recent years.

On November 18th, the 15th National Challenge Cup came to a close at Shanghai University. In the final, the student delegation from Tsinghua University was awarded two Grand Prizes, one First Class Prize, one Second Class Prize, and two Third Class Prizes.

On November 27th, the Chinese Academy of Engineering announced its 2017 list of newly elected academicians, which includes four Tsinghua professors and seven alumni.

Friends socialize at the opening ceremony of the GIX building in Seattle in the United States.[Photo provided to China Daily]