The 2018 Zhejiang Government West Lake Friendship Award ceremony was held in the Zhejiang Great Hall of the People in the afternoon of October 30th, 2018. Professor Philip Krein, Executive Dean of ZJUI, attended the ceremony as a representative of the award recipients.
Mr. Yuan Jiajun, Governor of Zhejiang Province, welcomed all the award recipients before the ceremony and expressed warm congratulations and deep appreciation to all awardees for their long-term contributions to Zhejiang's economic and social development. Governor Yuan pointed out that active recruitment of foreign talents is an essential part of China' s Reform and Opening policies. At present, Zhejiang Province is endeavoring to build an optimal ecology and create a good living and working environment for foreign talents by implementing new policies on science, education, and human resources. He wished that the foreign talents would continue to contributee to the development of Zhejiang Province.
Mr. Wang Wenxu, Vice Governor of Zhejiang Province, presented an award certificate and a medal to Professor Krein. After which, Professor Krein delivered a keynote speech on behalf of the award recipients. He indicated that, by building the bridge between Zhejiang University and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the two universities have made significant achievements in education collaboration. Since the establishment of ZJU-UIUC Institute, a large number of outstanding undergraduate students have been educated to provide technical human capital for advancing Zhejiang Province’s innovation and entrepreneurship development strategy.
West Lake Friendship Award is the highest award established by the People's Government of Zhejiang Province to recognize outstanding contributions made by foreign experts in economic construction, social development, and talent cultivation in Zhejiang Province. It was established in 1997. Award ceremonies are held biennially. Fifty foreign experts received this year’s award.
