The Asian Universities Alliance (AUA) held its annual Board Meeting on April 22 as it marks its fifth anniversary, where AUA members reviewed the alliance’s past activities and set its plans and initiatives for the coming years.
Tsinghua President Wang Xiqin attended the Board Meeting for the first time as the new AUA President and delivered opening and closing remarks.
He said that AUA was a young network, but it was fortunate to have the continued interest and long-term support from 15 leading universities across Asia.
“Today I am honored to join AUA as a Board Member. This Board has played a critical role in determining the development and progress of AUA, and I feel a strong sense of responsibility to further carry on what we have done and be actively involved in its activities,” he said.
He also said that the AUA Board had decided to hand over the responsibility of the AUA Executive Presidency to United Arab Emirates University from Universiti Malaya for 2022-2023.
He extended his gratitude and appreciation to Vice Chancellor Hamdi Shukor of Universiti Malaya for his strong and effective leadership as the AUA Executive President in 2021, and congratulated United Arab Emirates University and its Acting Vice Chancellor Ghaleb Alhadrami Albreiki for the new role. He said he looks forward to working with United Arab Emirates University to embrace this transition, prepare for all possible uncertainties, and seize opportunities to make AUA a more active network.
Tsinghua University Vice President and Provost Yang Bin moderated the Board Meeting.
Of the three sessions of the Board Meeting, the first session was chaired by Subhasis Chaudhuri, Director of Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, the second one was chaired by Tan Eng Chye, President of National University of Singapore, and the last one was chaired by Wei Shyy, President of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
AUA Secretary Zhang Chuanjie presented AUA programs and the alliance’s budget for the next year, while Pomthong Malakul Na Ayudhaya, Vice President of Chulalongkorn University, presented a progress report prepared by AUA Working Group II on member and observer admission.
The second session saw the formal handover ceremony of the AUA Executive Presidency.
Vice Chancellor Hamdi Shukor of Universiti Malaya, who served as the AUA Executive President 2021-2022, addressed the Board Meeting and thanked all the AUA member universities for their cooperation and support during his university’s executive presidency.
Acting Vice Chancellor Ghaleb Alhadrami Albreiki of United Arab Emirates University, said that it was a great honor for his university to be entrusted with the responsibility of the AUA Executive Presidency and that his university would work to strengthen collaborations among AUA members.
With Board Members discussing AUA’s new plans and initiatives in the third session, the Board Meeting came to a close.
Writer: Sangeet
Editors: John Olbrich, Li Han
