html From October 11 to 14, the 7th "McDonnell Academy Symposium" co-organized by Tsinghua University and Washington University in St. Louis was held in Beijing. Experts and scholars from 35 well-known research universities around the world gathered together to discuss the theme of "Research universities respond to global challenges: health, energy and environment, agriculture" and jointly solve the most critical and urgent problems in the world. The forum signed the Common Development Declaration for the first time, calling for the construction of sustainable university campuses, reducing carbon emissions from major campuses, and promoting schools to actively formulate sustainable development measures. At the opening ceremony on October 11, Tsinghua University Vice President Yang Bin read out the speech of President Qiu Yong . In his speech, Qiu Yong welcomed friends from afar. He said that adhering to the school motto of "self-improvement and virtue carrying things" and the school spirit of "action is better than words", Tsinghua University is committed to serving China and the international community and meeting major social challenges. This forum focuses on key issues such as food and water resources, energy and environment, public health and aging, and gathers outstanding representatives in related academic fields. It hopes to work together to promote common development of mankind.
Qiu Yong said that the gathering of 35 universities has brought a rare opportunity, which is consistent with our joint efforts to provide teachers and students with a platform to meet the challenges of globalization. Nearly 300 listeners, including Tsinghua teachers and students, listened to the keynote speeches, participated in sub-venue discussions, poster papers and competitions, "3-minute" speeches and other activities, so as to seek further cooperation in research, innovation and teaching to jointly respond to global challenges.
Qiu Yong met and exchanged with presidents of various universities
Qiu Yong also met and exchanged with presidents of various universities at Tsinghua University Schwarzmin Academy . He said that just as the establishment of the Schwarzmin Academy, which cultivates youth leadership, Tsinghua University's global strategy cannot be separated from international cooperation and the support of international partners. He looks forward to the fruitful results of the forum and the further development of cooperation.
With the ceremony of "finishing the finishing touch" by Yang Bin, Vice President of Tsinghua University and Mark Leiden, President of Washington University in St. Louis, the forum kicked off in a ceremony with traditional Chinese characteristics
On the morning of October 12, in the back hall of the main building of Tsinghua University, the Party Secretary of the school Chen Xu welcomed university leaders, experts and scholars from all over the world to gather in Tsinghua University in his speech. Tsinghua University and Washington University in St. Louis jointly held the 7th "McDow Jones College Annual Summit Forum" to exchange and discuss the most critical and urgent issues around the world, jointly respond to global challenges and make positive contributions to the sustainable development of mankind.
Chen Xu delivered a speech
Chen Xu said that Tsinghua University has always attached great importance to human survival issues, is committed to leveraging the school's comprehensive advantages in talent, science and technology, culture and international exchanges, and actively explores new models of cooperation with universities, governments, enterprises, social organizations at home and abroad, gather resources from all parties, and enhance the school's social service capabilities. Chen Xu also introduced Tsinghua University's measures to deal with important issues such as public health issues, "energy security" and "global climate change" in recent years.
Chen Xu pointed out that in the face of the common challenges of all mankind, world-class universities shoulder an extremely important special mission. At a critical period in the process of human civilization development, they need to play a leading role in improving cognition, innovating science and technology, cultivating talents, consulting and opening up the people, and make historic contributions to the progress of all mankind. I believe that through the forum, experts and scholars can fully exchange ideas, enhance understanding, and propose more global and forward-looking ideas and measures to meet global challenges. We look forward to the forum's in-depth discussions around the theme and contribute more wisdom and strength to the sustainable development of mankind.
Mark Leighton delivered a speech
St. Louis Washington University President Mark S. Wrighton especially thanked Tsinghua University for its strong support. He said that the close cooperation between Washington University in St. Louis and partner schools around the world provides a great opportunity to develop solutions according to local conditions and meet the biggest challenges in the world.
Shu Shimin delivered a speech
Shu Shimin, Chairman of the United States Blackstone Group, also attended the convening of the forum and introduced the platform construction and characteristic projects of Tsinghua University's Schwarzman, hoping to provide a growth platform for more young people. During the forum, Tsinghua University and Washington University in St. Louis joined forces with 21 partner universities including the Middle East Technical University, Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, University of Queensland, Australia, , Campinas State University in Brazil, Technological University of Israel, Herzliya Interdisciplinary Center in Israel, Chinese University of Hong Kong, University of Hong Kong, Jiaotong University in Taiwan, Boazic University of Turkey, University of Indonesia, Indian Institute of Technology Mumbai, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Jawaharlal Nehru University in India, Seoul National University, Yonsei University in South Korea, Taiwan University and Keio University in Japan, to sign the Declaration on Sustainable Development of University Campus.
Declaration signed
Focusing on health and aging, energy and environment, agriculture and other issues that are focused on, the forum has set up keynote speeches, plenary meetings, sub-venue discussions and a series of seminars, including President of the Middle East Technical University, President of the Chulalongkorn University of Thailand, President of Peter Hoy, President of the University of Queensland, Australia, President of Marcelo Nobel, President of Campinas State University in Brazil, and Chinese in Hong Kong University President Duan Chongzhi, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology President Shi Wei, Turkey Boazic University President Mohamed Otskan, India Tata Institute of Social Sciences Shalini Bharat, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Lian Zaihao, President of Korea Koryo University, Park Junyu, President of Seoul National University, Xu Ningsheng, President of Fudan University, and President of Fudan University, Nagayama Akira, President of Keio University in Japan, as well as university researchers, government officials and business leaders, etc., more than 300 people attended the meeting.
John Holden and Xue Qikun gave keynote speeches
During the keynote speech session, the forum invited John P. Holden, a professor of environmental policy at Harvard Kennedy School of Government, former US President Obama, and outstanding visiting professor at Tsinghua University, Xue Qikun, vice president of Tsinghua University and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and other scholars to give keynote speeches on important issues such as environment and energy; during the seminar, the forum invited Yang Bin, vice president of Tsinghua University, and Pratim Biswas, director of the Global Energy and Environmental Cooperation Organization (MAGEEP), and others to give keynote speeches on specific issues such as sustainable campus construction; graduate students from universities around the world participated in the "3-minute" speeches became a highlight of the event.
focuses on climate change issues and analyzes the current situation from the aspects of future environmental changes and their impacts, action choices, etc. Holderen's foothold lies in the role needs of research universities: provide continuous support such as talents and hardware in research; play an active role in social services through think tanks, seminars, public activities, etc.; and for the sake of long-term considerations, systematic education is required for students of different ages in teaching.
Xue Qikun discussed the energy issues that are hugely challenging for the future of mankind and the development of higher education in his keynote speech. Xue Qikun pointed out that energy is a major challenge facing the world in the future, and research universities need to promote sustainable development through research and improvement of existing technologies; the new economic and social structure has also prompted major changes to research universities. We must adjust and rebuild the curriculum system and discipline structure, actively participate in international cooperation, and achieve sustainable development.
In his keynote speech, Yang Bin explained the concepts, measures and progress of Tsinghua’s “green university” construction and sustainable development. He shared that since the proposal to build a "green university" in 1998, in the practice of "action is better than words", Tsinghua University has achieved significant results in creating a sustainable campus, promoting a green campus and a sustainable lifestyle, promoting research and innovation related to sustainable development, incorporating the concept of sustainable development into the curriculum and building a sustainable development network. "We have used 20 years of consistent persistence to make the concept of ‘green university’ take root in Tsinghua University, and make the concept of sustainable development a trend here."Yang Bin emphasized, "We will long-term commitment to building Tsinghua Park into a model for displaying and disseminating the concept of sustainable development knowledge, so that every student who goes out here can become a 'green seed' and contribute to the sustainable development of human society. ”
Forum on site
Teachers and students of Tsinghua University fully communicated with domestic and foreign universities in this forum and were very active. College of Environment Academician He Kebin Academician, Professor Wang Zhongjing of the Department of Water Conservancy and Hydropower Engineering, and Associate Professor Cai Wenjia
in the Department of Earth Systems 3 made reports and exchanges in their respective professional fields; graduate students of the Department of Earth Systems Science Xia Yang, Jin Meng and others participated in the "3-minute" speech, introducing their research topics on climate change and energy environment respectively, showing the style of Tsinghua students.College of Environment He Ke He Ke Dean Bin made a guest speech at the "Global Air Quality" sub-forum on the afternoon of the 13th
htmlOn October 14, the forum also held 11 parallel special sub-forums in various departments of Tsinghua University. Chinese and foreign teachers and students conducted more in-depth discussions on the issues concerned by their respective disciplines under the theme of the forum, including agricultural and environmental policy, agricultural plant biology, environmental nanotechnology, global health cooperation, social innovation and public health, and the development trend of graduate education. Among them, the "The Future of Graduate Education" sub-forum co-organized by Tsinghua University Graduate School and Washington University Graduate School in St. Louis attracted nearly 30 overseas professors and students. The students participated and had a full discussion and exchange on the three topics of admissions, courses, campus experience, and employment. The professors of Washington University in St. Louis and Tsinghua University School of Environment, who participated in the sub-forum of the School of Environment, also had an in-depth understanding of the research directions of both parties and showed the latest research results and technological progress.School of Environment, Sub-forum
This meeting was coordinated by the International Department, and the sub-forum was organized by departments such as the School of Environment, School of Life, School of Medicine, School of Public Administration, School of Social Sciences, School of Journalism, Department of Chemical Engineering, Schwarzman College, and Graduate School.
About "McDow"
St. Washington University in St. Louis is located in Missouri, USA. The school's McDow School holds the "McDow College Annual Summit Forum" every two years, providing opportunities for cooperative universities to share the latest research results, demonstrate best practices, and provide possible solutions on issues involving global scope. In September 2016, Chen Xu, Secretary of the Party Committee of Tsinghua University, was invited to attend the 6th McDow International Scholars Forum held in Brisbane, Australia, and delivered a speech entitled "Innovation of Chinese Universities: Challenges, Opportunities and Actions".
Article | Li Jing
picture | Chang Zhidong
typeface | Zong
