On January 13-14, the International Campus convened the 2023 Annual Academic Conference. During the Conference, Professor LI Hanying, Dean of International Campus, delivered an opening address; CAO Guoliang, Secretary of CPC Haining Municipal Committee presented the Outstanding Academic Achievement Awards; QU Lijuan, Vice Dean of International Campus, unveiled the plaque of the Research Center for International Collaborative Education; Professor WU Jian, Vice Dean of International Campus chaired the Opening Ceremony of the Main
This year’s Annual Academic Conference consisted of 1 main forum, and 8 sub-forums. 70-plus experts, scholars and industry speakers from more than 50 universities and institutes in over 20 countries and regions were invited to make presentations on the latest academic achievements in bio-medicine, AI, life and health, engineering, and business, creating an innovative academic atmosphere that was internationalized, interdisciplinary, and characterized by university-industry collaboration. The participants discussed the challenges and future of the international collaborative education featuring “university-talents-industry-city” integrated development.
Professor LI Hanying first expressed sincere gratitude to people from all walks of life who supported the development of the International Campus. He pointed out that International Campus, as ZJU’s strategic education base proactively serving China’s education opening-up strategy and regional innovation-driven development, had always been committed to innovation, and kept producing high-quality academic achievements. He sincerely hoped that the guests, faculty and students would leverage the Academic Conference as a bond to jointly advance open collaboration on research, and share academic innovation results.
Professor WU Jian delivered the International Campus Academic Report of 2023. In 2023, highlights kept emerging in the academic and research work of the Campus. For instance, new breakthroughs were made in multiple areas; a group of major sci-tech innovation platforms were established, including the National Key Laboratory of Bio-based Transportation Fuel Technology, the Multimodal Transport Logistics Large Model Zhejiang Engineering Research Center, and Zhejiang University International Science Park. As a result, more significant results had been achieved in the “university-talents-industry-city” integrated development.
28 outstanding academic achievements of the past years were reviewed. Professor LI Hanying and CAO Guoliang presented the Outstanding Academic Achievement Awards of 2023.
Professor KAN Yue, Dean of ZJU College of Education, and QU Lijuan jointly unveiled the plaque of the Research Center for International Collaborative Education. The Center is jointly established by International Campus and the College of Education, with an aim to fully leverage both sides’ strengths in education and disciplines, carry out in-depth research on international collaborative education policies and theories, and provide more high-quality, efficient and professional think-tank support for the reform and innovation of higher education system and mechanism, as well as for serving local economic and social development.
Professor Francis Kaming Chan: A Fine Balancing Act: The Rold of Cell Death in Organismal Homeostasis
Professor Gehan Amaratunga: Quantum Dots to Light
Professor LUO Weidong: Morality and Economy
Professor Francis Kaming Chan, a recognized expert in necroptosis, delivered a keynote presentation. Professor Chan is the one who discovered the receptor interacting protein kinase RIPK3. During the presentation, he introduced the functions of RIPK3 and the related RIPK1 in promoting immune factor expression, tissue repair processes, and anti-viral immune response.
Professor Gehan Amaratunga, Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, delivered a keynote presentation. He pointed out that quantum points are very efficient light conversion materials and can be utilised in both photoluminescence and electroluminescence modes. Size and composition control through wet chemical processing gives immense choice in engineering optical absorption and emission. Quantum dots are an attractive medium to explore for smart lighting with best CRI and widest colour temperature reported to date, and photon to electron-hole conversion in photovoltaics and image sensing is also possible with quantum dots.
Professor LUO Weidong, Dean of the Institute for Advanced Study in Humanities and Social Sciences at Zhejiang University delivered a keynote presentation. Professor LUO explored and revealed the topics, ranging from the biological basis of morality to the construction of the moral basis of the market economy, and comprehensively analyzed the moral basis of social behaviors, economic functions of morality, as well as morality-economy balance in mechanism design.
The keynote speeches were hosted by ZJE Dean KE Yuehai, ZJUI Dean LEE Der-Horng, and ZIBS Dean BEN Shenglin.
Professor ZENG Anping, Member of acatech-National Academy of Science and Engineering; Professor Gehan Amaratunga, Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering; Professor Pankaj Kumar Choudhury, Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology; Xi Lingping, Director of Office of Global Engagement, Department of Science and Technology, Zhejiang Province; Professor KAN Lei, Dean of ZJU College of Education;Professor CHEN Guangdi, Director of Division of Basic Research and Overseas Program, The Sci-Tech Academy of Zhejiang University; Professor WEN Wu (From left to right)
The panel discussion, chaired by Professor WEN Wu of ZIBS, centered around the research changes in the era of ChatGPT and other related topics. The panelists all agreed that the era of AI had arrived, and AI applications had, to some extent, effectively reduced language and cultural barriers, and increased the efficiency and depth of international cooperation. However, people’s role in cultural exchanges remains irreplaceable. The panelists emphasized the importance of academic collaboration spirit and encouraged young faculty members to establish the cross-cultural and interdisciplinary perspectives. Regarding the opportunities and challenges faced by the international young faculty members and students in China, the panelists stated that they should gain some insights of the Chinese culture and the Chinese market, focused on improving their professional level, and grasp the opportunities arising from China’s economic transformation and technological innovation.
Sub-Forum I: ZJU-UIUC Forum (Engineering+)
On the afternoon of January 13, ZJU-UIUC Forum was held. The Forum focused on the academic frontiers and practices of engineering. Eight experts from industry and academia were invited to jointly discuss the frontiers and practices of engineering. The Forum included the 2023 Academic Annual Report of ZJUI, keynote presentations by guest speakers from industry, presentations on ZJUI’s outstanding achievements, and presentations by the newly recruited PIs, as well as scholarship and Best Poster award ceremonies.
Sub-Forum II: ZIBS 2023 Annual Academic Forum
On the afternoon of January 13, ZIBS Forum, themed on “Innovating for Future: The Frontier in Business Excellence”, consisted of three parts, i.e. “Young Scholars Forum”, “University-industry Collaboration and Commercialization”, and “Global Deans’ Forum”. ZIBS Forum focused on a range of topics, including data intelligence, environmental science, and FinTech, providing unique insights and strategies for the sustainable development in global business, science and technology, and education. Zhejiang University Doctoral Students Innovation Forum (2023 ZIBS Doctoral Students Forum) was successfully staged on the following day.
Sub-Forum III: Forum of National Key Laboratory of Biobased Transportation Fuel Technology
On the afternoon of January 13, the First Academic Forum of the National Key Laboratory of Bio-based Transportation Fuel Technology was held. Prof. LI Hanying delivered an opening address and briefed the audience on the Laboratory. Six faculty members with the Laboratory made academic presentations. Prof. ZHANG Xionghong, Vice Director of the Laboratory, and Prof. LI Zhenglong, Head of the bioalcohol-based aviation fuel made concluding remarks.
Sub-Forum IV: Information Electronics
On the afternoon of January 14, the Information Electronics Forum was held. The participating scholars made academic presentations on flexible electronics, hydrogel, micro/nano devices, thermoelectric multiphysics field, and electromagnetic metasurface.
Sub-Forum V: 2023 Postdoctoral Academic Forum
On the morning of January 14, the 2023 Postdoctoral Academic Forum, themed on “Diversity, Integration, Corss-disciplinarity, and Innovation”, attracted the participation of over 70 experts, scholars and postdocs. Seven outstanding postdocs made academic presentations. The Postdoctoral Academic Forum is an important exchange platform for young scholars of the International Campus.
Sub-Forum VI: Medical AI Innovation Forum
On the morning of January 14, Zhejiang Medical Data Industry Research Association and the International Campus co-organized the Medical AI Innovation Forum, which was themed on “Wisdom Integration, Data Interconnection, and Co-creation of the Medical Future”. The participating scholars carried out in-depth discussions on the analysis and application of medical big data, guiding participants in gaining insights into practices and innovations on how big data technology could be leveraged in disease prediction, precise diagnosis, and personalized treatment, as well as how to address the challenges and opportunities brought about by medical big data.
Sub-Forum VII: Young Scholars Forum
On the afternoon of January 14, the Young Scholars Forum (“Science Café” series of activities) was held. This event, consisting of thematic presentations, roadshows, and a panel discussion, inviting the participation of experts from the investment community and research institutions and providing young scientists and entrepreneurs with a high-quality platform for research result transfer and entrepreneurship resources matching. During the event, strategic cooperation agreements were signed. Zhejiang University Science Park Co., Ltd. and the International Campus signed the agreement on friendly cooperation; CUI Jiahuan’s team signed an agreement with Zhejiang University Science Park Haining Qizhen Incubator for settling in the latter.
Founded in 2020, with the theme of "Shaping the Future, Embracing the World", the Annual Academic Conference (AAC) is the highest-level forum for academic and research exchanges on the International Campus. The AAC is committed to the sharing and exchange of cutting-edge research among Chinese and international scholars, aggregates a group of outstanding innovative talents from across the world, effectively promotes regional collaboration of international academic exchanges and innovative development of international science and technology cooperation. In 2024, the International Campus will strive to advance the “university-talents-industry-city” integrated development, and open up a new chapter of academic innovation driven development.
In 2024, International Campus will endeavor to promote the integrated development of “university-talents-industry-city”, and open a new chapter of academic innovation and career development.
Article: LI Yinan, LING Zixu
Correspondent: REN Yue, ZHANG Yi, CHENQI Lisha, JIA Lingyan, GUO Qianqian, ZHANG Xuyang, JIANG Xiaoxiao, HONG Heyu, ZHAO Xiaofei
Photography: Hailan Culture, Sub Forums
Editing: LI Yinan
Editing in charge: XUE Qian
Reviewer: WU Fengbin
Translation: YU Jianqing
English Editing: LIU Shuaiyin