The 2020 Advisory Board Meeting of Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management (Tsinghua SEM) was held on December 3, 2020 at Tsinghua University.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday addressed the 2020 meeting of the Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management (SEM) Advisory Board via video link and expressed his congratulations on the 20th anniversary of the board.
In the face of the severe impact on the world economy and the marked rise in instabilities and uncertainties of the international situation due to the ravaging COVID-19, Xi said all countries should enhance solidarity and cooperation and uphold multilateralism to counter challenges.
Noting China is forging a new development paradigm of a "dual circulation," where the domestic and overseas markets reinforce each other, with the domestic market as the mainstay, Xi said China would stay committed to expanding opening-up. He added that China would integrate itself into the global market more actively to share development opportunities with all countries and contribute to the global economic recovery.
With these goals in mind, Xi said China is ready to continue strengthening international exchanges and cooperation in education, scientific, and technological sectors, and expressed the hope the board members could offer their insights and advice for China's development.
On December 4, 2020, Vice President Wang Qishan met with foreign members and Chinese entrepreneur members of the Advisory Board of Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management via video link in Beijing.
Wang Qishan pointed out that stories speak louder than logic. China's reform and opening up is a vibrant historical process which grew bigger, broader and deeper. The Advisory Board of Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management is a vivid example. The modernization of the lives of 1.4 billion people is a matter concerning the whole human society. We need to be confident and patient about China's reform and opening up. China will resolutely follow a mutually beneficial policy of opening up, accelerate the building of a new model of all dimensional and all-round opening up, and enhance mutual understanding and trust with all countries around the world to jointly respond to global challenges. We will adhere to innovation and cooperation to help the Chinese people enjoy more benefits from development. Meanwhile, an advancing China will surely benefit all human beings. China will continue to open up its educational sector, strengthen international scientific and technological exchanges, and play its unique role in the communication and integration with the world.
Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan on Thursday expressed her hope that members of the Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management Advisory Board will further engage in cooperation with China in running schools, joint research, and talent training.
Expressing her congratulations on the 20th anniversary of the board, Sun noted the contributions made by the board members to China's education.
Higher education has entered the stage of universal access in China, Sun said at the meeting, adding that China is making further efforts to improve the quality of education.
She also expressed the hope that the board members could give their advice for reforming China's education and promote people-to-people exchanges between China and other countries.
Before the meeting, former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji, who is also the founding Dean of SEM and the honorary Chairman of the Board, sent his advice to the Board. Zhu congratulated the Board on its 20th anniversary and expressed his gratitude to the members for their long-term contributions to the development of the Tsinghua SEM. Zhu hoped the Board members would maintain their momentum in helping to build Tsinghua SEM into a world-class school of economics and management. Bai Chong-en, Dean of the Tsinghua SEM, read the advice during the meeting.
The 2020 meeting witnessed the largest participation by the Advisory Board on record. A total of 56 members, including 44 overseas members, took part in the meeting and related activities, physically or via video link.
Chen Baosheng, China's Education Minister, Ding Xiangyang, Deputy Secretary-General of the State Council, Chen Xu, Chairperson of the Tsinghua University Council, Liu Jin, Director of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges, Ministry of Education (MOE), Fang Jun, Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges, MOE, and Yang Bin, Vice President and Provost of Tsinghua University, among others, attended the meeting.
Qiu Yong, President of Tsinghua, addressed the meeting and presided the event. In his speech, Qiu mentioned that in facing the challenges brought by the COVID-19, Tsinghua immediately responded with proactive measures to cope with the challenge while maintaining educational excellence. Tsinghua would continue to contribute to the development of the world, shouldering universities’ responsibility as the lighthouses for human civilization.
Qiu added that he hoped the Board members would continue to support Tsinghua, and provide suggestions for the economic management education and the development of Tsinghua SEM.
During the meeting, Tim Cook, the Chairman of the Advisory Board, introduced the current board members. Bai Chong-en introduced the topics for discussion. The Board members exchanged opinions on those topics and the progress achieved last year. Qian Yingyi, the former Dean of Tsinghua SEM, moderated the discussion session.
Established in 2000, the Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management Advisory Board aims at strengthening the connection between Tsinghua SEM and external circles, further enhancing the school’s research and education capacity, and building the school into a world-class school in economics and management. The Board is composed of more than 50 Chairmen, Directors and CEOs of top domestic or international enterprises, Deans of prestigious business schools, and renowned governmental leaders.
Sources: Xinhua.net, Tsinghua SEM
Editors: Lin Lu, John Olbrich
