On June 7, the 13th High Table Dinner took place in the Multifunctional Hall at the International Campus, Zhejiang University. The Guest of Honor was Jeffrey S. Lehman, the inaugural Vice Chancellor of NYU Shanghai. Vice President of Zhejiang University ZHOU Jianghong presented a certificate of appreciation to Lehman. The dinner was hosted by YING Yibin, Master of Guantong College.
Jeffrey S. Lehman posed a thought-provoking question: How can a 20-year-old person best prepare to flourish in the second quarter of the 21st century? He emphasized that the first step is to appreciate the multidimensionality of happiness and universities should promote exploratory study.
Lehman also highlighted six key qualities for future students, including algorithmic thinking, critical analysis, social perceptiveness, the ability to persuade, multicultural effectiveness, and creativity. The creative process, involves four sub-processes; mastery, unlearning, divergent thinking and convergent thinking. He stressed that developing these qualities requires universities to create open and diverse learning environments.
He concluded by noting that education should place greater emphasis on creativity and humanistic values, helping students build unique strengths beyond technical expertise.
YING Yibin warmly welcomed all faculty, students, and guests and introduced the Guest of Honor, Jeffrey S. Lehman. In his remarks, he emphasized the Residential College's commitment to fostering students who pursue both academic excellence and personal integrity with a long-term vision. He also shared the College’s efforts in developing distinctive programs to support students’ all-round development.
Students from different universities reflected on their High Table Dinner experience. TANG Linchuan from Lap-Chee College of The University of Hong Kong said the speech was thought-provoking and the event offered valuable cross-campus exchange opportunities. GU Meiting from Choi Kai Yau College at the University of Macau enjoyed the cultural exchange with peers. CHEN Bohan from International Campus, Zhejiang University said the experience enhanced his leadership and cross-cultural communication skills.
The High Table Dinner created a vibrant atmosphere for students from Zhejiang University, The University of Hong Kong, and University of Macau to exchang ideas, share insights, experiences, and engage in meaningful dialogue.
Article: HUANG Zhiyuan
English Reviewer: WU Xinyi
Editing: LI Yinan, LI Songjiao
Editing in charge: LI Yinan
Reviewer: YANG Yi
Final Review: QU Haidong