Zhang Liqun makes a speech during the Times Higher Education Forum.

The University Alliance of the Silk and Road (UASR) Presidents' Forum cum Executive Council Meeting 2024.

From Nov 29 to 30, Zhang Liqun, president of Xi'an Jiaotong University (XJTU) and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, led a delegation to Hong Kong for a series of exchange activities.

On the morning of Nov 29, Zhang was invited to participate in the Times Higher Education Forum, where he delivered a keynote speech on "Empowering Higher Education Teaching Practice and Reform with Artificial Intelligence (AI)".

He also engaged in a discussion with forum participants on the theme of "AI in Higher Education Leadership". His presentation highlighted XJTU's initiatives in the field of AI, including the development of AI-related disciplines, AI-driven teaching practices, and leading major scientific projects in related research areas.

In the afternoon, Zhang led the delegation to the University of Hong Kong, where he met with President Zhang Xiang, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Both parties expressed their commitment to continuing the exchange of faculty and students and deepening research cooperation, while expanding into new areas of collaboration.

Later that afternoon, Zhang and his delegation met with alumni from XJTU in Hong Kong. Gui Shengyue, president of the Hong Kong Alumni Association and executive director and CEO of Geely Automobile, introduced the alumni association and its ongoing initiatives.

On Nov 30, the University Alliance of the Silk and Road (UASR) Presidents' Forum cum Executive Council Meeting 2024 were held at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), the rotating chair of UASR.

The forum, themed on "global engagement strategies along the Silk Road", attracted representatives from nine executive council universities across six countries. Ho Lik-chi, commissioner for the Belt and Road Office of the Hong Kong Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, and Teng Jinguang, president of PolyU and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, delivered speeches at the opening ceremony. Ho hailed the forum's successful opening on behalf of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government.

During the executive council meeting, vice president Ben Young of PolyU shared the university's efforts and explorations as the rotating chair of the alliance, particularly in industry-academia-research collaboration and cultural exchange projects.

The meeting discussed and approved the membership applications of 28 universities from 11 countries and regions. It also reviewed and approved the establishment of two sub-alliances, "Architecture and Sustainable Development" and "Medical-Engineering Integration", and nominated the University of Macau to be the next rotating chair of UASR.

By the end of the meeting, UASR had grown to include 207 universities from 44 countries and regions, forming 18 disciplinary sub-alliances within the framework.