UNNC holds the inauguration ceremony for President Xincheng Xie
12 April 2024
On 12 April, the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) held the inauguration ceremony for Professor Xincheng Xie, the newly appointed President.
It took place in the Siyuan Auditorium on campus. Leaders from the Ningbo Municipal Committee, Municipal Government, and the Provincial Department of Education, representatives from the British Consulate-General in Shanghai, the British Council, and the British Chamber of Commerce in China, Enge Wang, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and former President of Peking University, Chao Tang, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chair Professor at Peking University, Haiqing Lin, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Dean of the School of Physics at Zhejiang University, Ronggen Cai, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and President of Ningbo University, and Shiyi Chen, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and President of Eastern Institute of Technology, Ningbo, leaders and experts from over 40 domestic and international universities and research institutions, representatives of donors, outstanding alumni representatives, as well as journalists from news media outlets, totaling over 400 people, attended the ceremony.
They joined UNNC staff and students in witnessing this significant moment and extending their blessings to both UNNC and President Xincheng Xie.
The ceremony commenced with a warm welcome speech from Professor Shearer West, the President and Vice-Chancellor the University of Nottingham. She expressed sincere congratulations to President Xie on his appointment. Professor West emphasised that the President is a source of inspiration and excellence in teaching and research for the UNNC community. She said that President Xie's arrival will be a powerful advocate for Nottingham in our vision to be a globally engaged university committed to changing the world for the better.
Professor Jon Garibaldi, Provost of UNNC, outlined Professor Xie’s outstanding academic background and experience to the distinguished guests. With assistance from James Birkett, Registrar of UNNC, President Xie assumed the presidential gown.
Breaking the Boundaries of Education, Creating a Bright Future
Following this, President Xie delivered his inaugural speech titled "Crossing boundaries, illuminating the future."
President Xie first reviewed the glorious 20-year history and achievements of UNNC, expressing his respect to former President Fujia Yang. He expressed his great honour to assume the position of President of UNNC and acknowledged the responsibility and noble mission he shoulders.
As a leader for international higher education innovation, UNNC insists on developing high-quality international education, fully leveraging the advantages of Sino-foreign cooperation and incorporating international and domestic educational and research resources to promote the development of teaching and learning as well as scientific research and cultivating world-class innovative talents with an international vision. President Xie stated that UNNC needs to continue promoting the spirit of genuine innovation and creativity with an open attitude and forward-thinking mindset. It is necessary to open up new chapters, expand and strengthen the global education network, continuously enhance the quality of international education, and maximise its impact in the world.
Education fundamentally changed my destiny, propelling me from China onto the global stage, exposing me to cutting-edge professional knowledge, honing my learning capabilities and scientific literacy, and gradually equipping me with the fortitude to lead scientific breakthroughs.
He pointed out that education should inspire souls and empower development, cultivating students' innovative spirit, core literacy, character, and learning ability, igniting and nurturing the inner flame of students, and shaping their strong confidence in facing the future.
UNNC has set a remarkable example here, having built an open, inclusive, and exploratory educational environment, integrating diverse cultures and global educational resources, and forming a powerful system to stimulate interests and support individual development.
He said that at UNNC, he felt a powerful force breaking through boundaries: education transcending borders, research and innovation recognising no boundaries, industrial collaboration knowing no borders, and the influence of the "flame" of seeking true knowledge extending boundlessly.
All of this is in line with the blueprint depicted at the inception of UNNC: to become a university without borders, cultivating a global mind-set, fostering creativity, discovery and experiment, supporting potential, making a difference in our cities and regions, and changing the world for the better.
Finally, President Xie outlined his preliminary ideas for his tenure: further strengthening the construction of a first-class faculty team based on the solid foundation of excellent education; promoting innovation in teaching models, curriculum design, talent cultivation, scientific research, and technology transfer at UNNC; deeply integrating high-quality education resources at home and abroad; enhancing interdisciplinary integration; and promoting coordinated development in various fields. He emphasised close cooperation with governments at all levels, various sectors of society, and global partners, outlining a blueprint for the integrated development of education, science and technology, and talents, and working together to create a better future.
President Xie continued: UNNC should continue to further strengthen the professional development of academics, innovate in module design and teaching methods, and in research and transformation of technology; cultivate advanced talents, with an international perspective, who are capable of meeting future challenges. He emphasised the deep integration of high-quality domestic and foreign education resources and enhancement of cross-disciplinary activity where often the biggest breakthroughs are made. Close collaboration with partners will also be strengthened to create a better future together.
Greetings from various parties
The Deputy Secretary of the Ningbo Municipal Party Committee and Leader of the Municipal Party Committee’s Education Working Group, Guanhua Zhong, member of the Zhejiang Provincial Education Department's Party Leadership Group and Secretary of the Party Committee of the Provincial Education Examination Institute, Liang Huang, and His Majesty’s British Consul-General in Shanghai, Mr Matthew Burney CMG, delivered speeches to congratulate President Xie on his appointment and the 20th anniversary of UNNC.
Secretary Liang Huang expressed in his speech that the university, rooted in Zhejiang and facing the world, actively leverages its advantages in international education. It has integrated high-quality domestic and international education and scientific and technological resources, achieving gratifying results in various areas such as talent cultivation, discipline construction, social services, and educational model exploration.
He believed that in the vibrant and hopeful land of Zhejiang, under the leadership of President Xie, UNNC will surely live up to expectations. It will transform the early advantages of Sino-foreign cooperative education into leading advantages of international first-class university development, continuing its glorious journey and composing new chapters. "The Provincial Department of Education will continue to firmly support the construction and development of UNNC, striving to provide stronger guarantees and create a better environment for the university.” Secretary Liang Huang stated.
Mr Matthew Burney CMG, His Majesty’s British Consul-General in Shanghai, highly praised the establishment of UNNC as a truly bold and trailblazing move that has inspired many more Sino-foreign partnerships.
He stated that the UNNC campus, a unique and extraordinary UK-China partnership has stood the test of time and has deeply impressed him. He was equally impressed by the diversity and scale of what UNNC students and staff are doing here, fully showcasing the breadth and depth of UNNC as an international education platform.
"Health and climate change are all shared global problems that can only be solved together. It is precisely the pioneering spirit of places like UNNC and the can-do attitude of its students that are so important to our future." He firmly believes that President Xie, with his profound knowledge and foresight, will take UNNC forward into its next chapter of what has already been a fascinating story.
With the warm inauguration ceremony successfully concluded, a profound exploration of future education officially begins at UNNC.
About Professor Xie
Professor Xie Xincheng is a distinguished Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), as well as a Fellow of the American Physical Society. He is Chair Professor at Peking University and the Director of the Institute for Nanoelectronic Devices and Quantum Computing at Fudan University.
Professor Xie completed his undergraduate studies in physics at the University of Science and Technology of China in 1982 and went on to obtain his PhD from the University of Maryland in 1988. He was the Regents Professor of Oklahoma State University. Professor Xie directed the International Center for Quantum Structures at the CAS and led the Laboratory of Condensed Matter Theory and Computation at the Institute of Physics, CAS. He was the Founding Director of the International Center for Quantum Materials and served as the Dean of the School of Physics at Peking University. He assumed the role of Divisional Director of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) in 2016, and Vice President of NSFC in 2018.
Professor Xie's research in condensed matter physics has covered topics like the Quantum Hall effect, charge and spin transport, quantum systems, and strongly correlated electron systems. He has held editorial positions with "Physical Review Letters" and is currently the Editor-in-Chief of "SCIENCE CHINA Physics-Mechanics & Astronomy”, in addition to serving on the editorial boards of several significant international academic journals.