On the afternoon of January 7, President Hu Wenping, also an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, led a delegation to the Institute of Creativity and Innovation (ICI) to review its educational operations. The group held a discussion with ICI’s leadership team, chaired by Wang Yi, Chair of the ICI Council.
During the meeting, Dean Qin Jian delivered a comprehensive report on ICI’s overall development. He highlighted the institute’s progress in several key areas, including: building a curriculum that integrates the strengths of XMU and UCA; deepening its distinctive interdisciplinary and intercultural talent cultivation model; advancing a diverse faculty team; expanding partnerships with the industry and communities; exploring a transition from “internationalization at home” to “localized internationalization”; and continuously enhancing the quality of talent development. Dean Qin also analyzed the prominent challenges currently constraining the institute's development, such as limited physical space, and elaborated on key priorities including faculty recruitment and the application for the joint master’s degree program.
President Hu Wenping listened attentively to the report and fully acknowledged ICI’s achievements since its establishment five years ago. He expressed satisfaction with graduates’ strong outcomes in employment and advanced studies, and thanked the institute’s leadership and faculty for their hard work and dedication. President Hu emphasized that ICI should further strengthen cross-regional, cross-cultural, and cross-disciplinary cooperation, deepen the substance of Sino-foreign cooperative education, continuously improve its talent cultivation system, and actively leverage its role in driving innovation in pedagogy and disciplinary development through international educational collaboration. In response to the practical challenges raised, he assured that the university would conduct a comprehensive review and coordinate effective solutions.
President Hu noted that this year marks the inaugural year of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan. He urged the institute to ground itself in the present while taking a long-term view, to strategically chart its course for high-quality development. This will further energize the university’s overall growth and contribute to its “Double First-Class” initiative and global engagement.
During the visit, President Hu and his delegation toured the institute’s library, Open Museum, training laboratories, faculty offices, and other facilities. They also viewed an exhibition of student work from the first-year creative foundation unit.
The delegation included Li Zhiyong, Member of the Standing Committee of the XMU Council, Vice President, and Chair of the XMU Tan Kah Kee College Council; Zeng Zheng, Director of the General Office; Li Jun, Director of the Zhangzhou Campus Management Committee and Executive Vice Chair of the XMU Tan Kah Kee College Council; Zhong Wei, Director of the Office of International Cooperation and Exchange, Office of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao Affairs, and Office of Overseas Campus Affairs; and Liang Zhenwei, Deputy Director of the General Office.
