Wang Xiqin, president of Tsinghua University, took part in a series of bilateral and multilateral talks with his counterparts from worldwide universities, foreign officials, academics, businesspeople and representatives of international organizations during his attendance at the 2023 annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos from January 16 to 18.
When meeting with Indonesia's Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan on the morning of January 16, Wang expressed appreciation to Pandjaitan and the Indonesian government for supporting cooperation between Tsinghua University and partners in Indonesia and beyond.
Wang said as a vital component of Tsinghua University's global development strategy, the Tsinghua Southeast Asia Center in Indonesia should position its development toward the entire region, underscore the principles of innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable development, become a global innovative ecological platform for collaboration among universities, governments and enterprises, provide young Indonesian people with guidance and assistance in their innovation and entrepreneurship, and facilitate Indonesia's economic growth and industrial restructuring.
Pandjaitan congratulated Tsinghua SEA on its opening and expressed hopes it will develop into a leading platform for the two countries to deepen their exchanges and cooperation, respond to common challenges with concerted efforts, strengthen the communication between young Indonesian and Chinese people, and advance pragmatic cooperation between experts from the two countries.
Tsinghua President Wang Xiqin and Indonesia's Coordinator for Cooperation with China and Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan jointly observe the signing of an MOU on the building of a global entrepreneurship and innovation ecological platform on January 16.
Tsinghua Vice-President Wang Hongwei and Nani Hendiarti, vice-minister of Indonesia's Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, signed an MOU on the building of a global entrepreneurship and innovation ecological platform. They also agreed to conduct in-depth and high-quality cooperation in education and scientific research and transform the Tsinghua SEA in Indonesia under the framework of both the Belt and Road Initiative and the Bali Prosperity Roadmap for a New Era.
On the afternoon of January 16, Wang also met with Stephen Schwarzman, chairman and CEO of Blackstone Group, a global private equity firm. They reviewed fruitful achievements made over past years and exchanged views on the further development of the Schwarzman Scholars program.
Wang conveyed thanks to Schwarzman for his long-term support for the development of the program, noting it has become a demonstration project for educational cooperation between China and the US and achieved new progress despite multiple challenges. He pledged Tsinghua will show full support to Schwarzman Scholars in its future development, and called on the US to take the long view and work with China to strengthen talent cultivation for the entire world.
Schwarzman said he was happy to see many people have successfully graduated as Schwarzman Scholars and shouldered their responsibilities in tackling global challenges, adding Blackstone will work with Tsinghua to support the program further.
Tsinghua President Wang Xiqin conducts a meeting with Yves Flückiger, president of the University of Geneva and members of the Geneva-Tsinghua Initiative Advisory Board on Sustainable Development on January 17.
At their meeting on January 17, Wang and Yves Flückiger, president of the University of Geneva, recalled achievements in the promotion of the Geneva-Tsinghua Initiative over the past five years and held exchanges over cooperation models in the future.
Wang said the two universities have conducted pragmatic cooperation in many fields like talent cultivation, academic research, curricular programs in holidays and innovation since they launched the Geneva-Tsinghua Initiative five years ago, adding they should maintain their pre-pandemic cooperation momentum, foster more talent with a global vision and international competitiveness, and advance the implementation of the UN sustainability goals.
Those in attendance of the meeting also included Nikhil Seth, the UN assistant secretary-general and executive director at the UN Institute for Training and Research, and Cherie Nursalim, vice-chair of GITI Group and vice-president of United in Diversity (UID) Foundation, both of whom are members of the Geneva-Tsinghua Initiative Advisory Board on Sustainable Development.
President of Tsinghua University Wang Xiqin on January 17 meets with Martin Vetterli, president of the ?cole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, and Jean-Paul Kneib, director of the EPFL's Astrophysics Laboratory.
Tsinghua President Wang Xiqin, third from right, meets with Martin Vetterli, president of the ?cole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Jean-Paul Kneib, director of the EPFL's Astrophysics Laboratory, and others on January 17.
On January 17, Wang also talked with Martin Vetterli, president of the ?cole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), and Jean-Paul Kneib, director of the EPFL's Astrophysics Laboratory, over the feasibility of the EPFL's participation in the building of the Multiplexed Survey Telescope (MUST).
Wang said the EPFL is an important partner for Tsinghua University and called on the two universities to expand bilateral cooperation in talent cultivation, scientific research and people-to-people exchanges.
Vetterli noted MUST has become a demonstration program for scientific research between China and Switzerland and the EPFL is willing to further deepen its cooperation with Tsinghua University in astronomy and basic physics.
When attending the Global University Leaders Forum (GULF) on the afternoon of January 17, Wang joined counterparts from 17 top universities and scientific research institutions in 13 countries to share views around the topic "Global Cooperation in a Fractured Context". He spoke with them about the building of a multi-ethnic community with a shared future and the implementation of the "one country, two systems" principle.
Tsinghua President Wang Xiqin, right, meets with Rio Tinto CEO Jakob Stausholm.
Tsinghua President Wang Xiqin, right, meets with the chairman of Chile's Luksic Group Andrónico Luksic.
During his stay in Davos, Wang also met with Victor Dzau, president of the US's National Academy of Medicine, CEO of Rio Tinto Jakob Stausholm, chairman of Chile's Luksic Group Andrónico Luksic and Deloitte China Vice-Chairman Wu Weijun, all of whom expressed willingness to strengthen their cooperation with Tsinghua and seek common development.
Tsinghua President Wang Xiqin attends a gathering with alumni of Tsinghua University in Switzerland.
Tsinghua President Wang Xiqin attends a gathering with alumni of Tsinghua University in Switzerland.
Wang also held a meeting with alumni of Tsinghua University in Switzerland. He urged them to promote the university's traditions, deepen mutual understanding and cooperation between China and the West and make contributions to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
Editor: Li Han
