On December 3, 2023, 14 committee members from three continents and four countries (China, USA, Germany, France) gathered at Shanghai Zhongqiao Vocational and Technical University to hold the second International Advisory Committee meeting, providing guidance and strategies for the internationalization and distinctive development of the university.
The members of the International Advisory Committee attending this session are: Jerome Bon, former Dean of ESCP Europe; Chen Yiyi, President of Shanghai Sanda University; Gerhard Jaeger, Rector of the Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University Loerrach(DHBW Loerrach); Li Xuanhai, former Secretary of the Party Committee of Shanghai Municipal Education and Health; Liu Xiping, former Part Secretary of Zhejiang Education Working Committee and former Director of the Department of Education of Zhejiang Province; Amir Reza, Dean of the Babson Academy of Babson College and President of the Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA); Shi Wenquan, Secretary of the Party Committee of Zhangyan Town, Jinshan District, Shanghai; Wu Xuemin, Secretary of the Party Committee of Nanjing Vocational University of Industry Technology; and Ye Meilan, President of Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications. The online participants include: Gao Deyi, President of Shanghai Private Education Association; Wang Junjin, Chairman of JuneYao Group; Yang Guoping, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Shanghai Public Utilities (Group) Co., Ltd.; Zheng Huiqiang, former Deputy Director of the Standing Committee of the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress, President of Shanghai Modern Service Industry Federation.
(Note: Committee members are listed in alphabetical order by last name)
Chairman of the International Advisory Committee, former President of Fudan University.
Academician Yang Yuliang presided over the meeting.
The meeting was chaired by Academician Yang Yuliang, Chairman of the International Advisory Committee and former president Fudan University. School Chairman Yan Jianjun, president Huo Jiazhen, and secretary of the school's Party Committee Ping Jie, along with other members of the school leadership team, attended the meeting. The heads of the University Professor Committee, deans, and functional departments attended the meeting.
Before the meeting, all participants observed a one-minute silence in memory of Mr. Zheng Yonggang, the first consultant of the school and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Shanshan Holdings (Group)Co.,Ltd, who passed away. We sincerely appreciate Mr. Zheng's concern and support for Zhongqiao University during his lifetime. The university will also strive to promote high-quality development in accordance with Mr. Zheng's wishes, and do so even better and faster.
Chairman's Address
The school chairman Yan Jianjun attended the meeting and delivered a speech.
Yan Jianjun thanked the committee members for their suggestions and contributions to the high-quality development of vocational education at Zhongqiao University. He said that as the organizer of Zhongqiao, ZETA Group has always adhered to the educational philosophy of rejuvenating the nation through science and education, and serving the country through industry, wholeheartedly supporting the construction and development of University, and continuously promoting the high-quality development of the school. After thirty years’development, Shanghai Zhongqiao Vocational and Technical University has entered a crucial historical stage. As the only undergraduate vocational pilot university in Shanghai, facing new opportunities and challenges, the school must seize the development opportunities and act accordingly. All members from Zhongqiao will closely integrate with the new situation of private education development, unwaveringly implement the fundamental task of cultivating virtue and nurturing talents, lead the reform and development of schools with Xi Jinping's thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era, actively adapt to the needs of social and industrial development, establish good vocational education rooted in the land of China, focus on internal development, strive to improve quality, cultivate more skilled workers and craftsmen for the construction of a strong nation and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and strive to become a leading and internationally renowned modern vocational and technical university in China.
In order to better implement the school's development strategy and serve the construction of high-tech skill talent highland in Shanghai and Jinshan District, this year IAC has added one new member - Shi Wenquan, Secretary of the Party Committee of Zhangyan Town, Jinshan District.
At the meeting, Yan Jianjun and Huo Jiazhen presented a certificate to Shi Wenquan, the newly appointed member of the International Advisory Committee.
In response to the suggestions made by the committee members last year regarding the school's International vision, faculty enhancement, industry-education integration, and modern governance, president Huo Jiazhen reported on the measures and achievements the school has taken in these areas for the year 2023. The report reviewed the school's achievements in talent cultivation, disciplinary development, faculty team construction, research results, campus construction, and international cooperation over the past year, and responded to the implementation of the recommendations made by the first International Advisory Committee. An analysis of the school's development strategies and planning was also conducted.
President Huo Jiazhen reports on the main work.
Topic Discussion
During the thematic discussion session, committee members provided suggestions and evaluations on the development of Shanghai Zhongqiao Vocational and Technical University in 2023, as well as the development strategies in terms of international vision and faculty enhancement. They offered recommendations and opinions on the balance between the scale of the university and its resources, the construction of the faculty talent system, the improvement of teaching quality, the construction and development of distinctive disciplines, the contribution to local economic development, and the integration of industry and education.
Li Xuanhai affirmed the school's achievements over the past year and emphasized the importance of developing the school's advantages and distinctive courses. The goal of the school is to become an international school, so we need to constantly keep up with the progress of relevant work, strengthen students' language training, and let students go abroad.
Jerome Bon said that schools can conduct comparative international research, encourage students' initiative and innovative thinking, and allow students to accumulate and summarize their learning, activities, and experiences in different countries. Through communication, the best practices from both China and foreign countries can be listed one by one, such as the unique practical activities in cooking by students from SHZQU. These can also be showcased to other foreign schools to demonstrate the advantages of vocational talent cultivation in schools. This is very helpful for students' future employment prospects and so on.
Amir Reza proposed that the school needs to discuss short-term, medium-term, and long-term training plans. In terms of international communication, more foreign professors can be invited to the school to create opportunities for further education and communication abroad. The School of International Education needs to participate in more international conferences to showcase the achievements of international development and establish international cooperation relationships, exploring more international development opportunities.
Gerhard Jaeger talked about the remarkable achievements that Zhongqiao has made during this period. He pointed out that firstly, for universities, the international market can demonstrate the school's ability to internationalize. Secondly, vocational education needs long-term cooperation with enterprises and industries, and a long-term cooperation mechanism should be established. Thirdly, more opportunities should be provided for students to study and intern abroad, so that they can apply theoretical knowledge to practice.
Chen Yiyi pointed out that after listening to President Huo's report, he learned about the development path of Shanghai Zhongqiao Vocational and Technical University: firstly, to develop and lead the governance and construction of the school. Secondly, to promote internal quality construction through international accreditation cooperation. At the same time, he put forward three suggestions: firstly, schools should make great efforts in internal governance and accelerate the modernization process of internal governance. Secondly, schools can adopt a hierarchical implementation or even use internal certification methods to steadily and effectively promote the AOL standard system, in order to achieve better results. Thirdly, Zhongqiao needs to organically integrate the medium and long-term work plans and the short-term work plans and strategies.
Ye Meilan believes that Shanghai Zhongqiao Vocational and Technical University has a high positioning, high starting point, and high standing. The school should strive to apply for master's degree programs. Hoping the school can quickly develop advantageous and distinctive disciplines, and layout them according to a 3-5 year cultivation plan. At the same time, the declared Sino-foreign cooperative education projects and institutions should have distinctive professional features, curriculum features, research features, and faculty features. The school needs to actively build a team of innovative and application-oriented high-quality talents, and layout the school's faculty around the leading discipline construction, strengthening key support and planning. President Ye expressed willingness to assist Zhongqiao in the construction of University educational institutions.
Wu Xuemin suggests that the school should conduct further research on the overall development strategy. On the one hand, Zhongqiao needs to formulate and adjust strategic measures through internal and external integration in order to better achieve the school's vision. For the integration of industry and education, it should revolve around Shanghai's economic and social development, focusing on digitization and internationalization, and driving the specialization and modernization of schools through internationalization. On the other hand, university needs to implement the school strategy step by step. At last, the internationalization promoted by the university is a way to drive the specialization and modernization of the main campus in China.
Shi Wenquan discussed from the external environment, what kind of university of Zhongqiao in the region needs, what kind of vocational and technical university needs. He mentioned that in order for Zhongqiao University to take root, it not only needs to embrace the world in terms of the external environment, but also actively integrate into the overall local economic development. In addition to increasing integration in party building, cultural development, rural revitalization, and exchange, schools are also becoming increasingly influential in the region. Urban and rural construction, management, and healthcare all require a large number of talents. It is hoped that schools can cultivate professional skilled talents that meet market demands.
Liu Xiping believes that the school attaches great importance to the role of the International Advisory Committee and also values the opinions of the committee's experts. He talked about the next steps of work and school development, one of which is that the school needs to further focus on international cooperation. Secondly, Zhongqiao needs to cultivate distinctive and advantageous disciplines (especially majors) and strengthen research planning for them. The third is that schools need to have both short-term and long-term goals in their development.
Yang Yuliang summarized that, firstly, the school needs to have a clear plan. Secondly, in the process of development, entrepreneurial education is extremely important for vocational and technical schools. Thirdly, schools should have dedicated departments responsible for alumni affairs. As the school's age increases, alumni become the most valuable asset.
Finally, Chairman Yan Jianjun stated that the board of directors will carefully study the suggestions and opinions put forward by the committee members and implement precise measures. This year, the school's classification evaluation ranking has made a qualitative improvement, which is inseparable from the support of experts for the school's development, and also inseparable from the efforts invested by Zhongqiao in various aspects. The board fully supports the school leadership team in gradually advancing the teaching quality according to the goals and ensuring good logistical support. The opinions of experts are more inspiring and guiding for us. We hope that with the support of the Expert Advisory Committee, Shanghai Zhongqiao Vocational and Technical University can become better and better.
On that day, the attending experts and leaders visited the school's training and experimental sites, teaching environment, and related cultural and sports facilities.
The International Advisory Committee (IAC) of Zhongqiao University is composed of 14 renowned scholars and experts from three continents and four countries (China, United States, Germany, France). It provides consultation and advice for the strategic development of the university. IAC is an important think tank for the high-quality development of Shanghai Zhongqiao Vocational and Technical University , and it is also a major initiative for Zhongqiao to explore modern governance in the reform of vocational undergraduate education.
