The First Xiamen Forum on Industry-Education Integration was held on June 24. It was jointly hosted by the Leading Group Office for Talents. It was in Xiamen Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the China Industry-University-Research Institute Collaboration Association, the administrative committee of Xiamen Torch Development Zone for High Technology Industries, Xiamen Municipal Department of Education, Huaqiao University, Xiamen University of Technology and Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and undertaken by Xiamen Torch Academy.

Photo of guests [Photo/Xiamen Torch Academy]

With the theme of "Strengthening the Cultivation of High-tech Firms with an Integration between Industry and Education," the forum drew the attendance of over 100 domestic experts and scholars in the fields of education, research and development, finance and the commercialization of scientific achievements.

Fu Jing, executive vice-president of Xiamen Torch Academy, presided over the forum.

Chen Xiaoya, executive vice-chairperson of the China Industry-University-Research Institute Collaboration Association, said that China has made noticeable achievements in the cultivation of technical talents, the promotion of vocational education and the building of professional teaching force in the midst of the integration between industry and education, but the country is still faced with lots of challenges in the institutional development of and supportive systems for the integration between industry and education and in the commercialization of sci-tech findings.

Chen, also former vice-minister of science & technology and education, called on attending experts and scholars to voice their views and share successful cases related to the improvement of operational mechanisms and innovative approaches, deepen the integration among industry, education and research, and make contributions to the implementation of national innovation-driven development strategy and the building of China into an innovative powerhouse.

Chen Xiaoya, executive vice-chairperson of the China Industry-University-Research Institute Collaboration Association, speaks at the forum. [Photo/Xiamen Torch Academy]

At last, Chen urged Xiamen to fully leverage its unique geographic location in the promotion of people-to-people exchanges, economic development and technological innovation in Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions as well as Taiwan province, adding that the association will work together with Xiamen Torch Development Zone for High Technology Industries and Xiamen Torch Academy to further enhance the influence of the Xiamen Forum on Industry-Education Integration and strengthen their cooperation on the development of such sectors as flat panel display, electronic equipment, integrated circuits, new energy and smart health.

Lai Jianzhou, Party chief and head of Xiamen Torch Development Zone for High Technology Industries, highlighted the importance of the integration between industry and education and of the coordination among the chains of education, talent, industry and innovation to promote the coordinated development between industry and education and the supply-side structural reform in the sector of human resource.

Lai Jianzhou, Party chief and head of Xiamen Torch Development Zone for High Technology Industries, speaks at the forum. [Photo/Xiamen Torch Academy]

Lai said that the development zone will accelerate the building of a talent cultivation paradigm, which is conductive to further deepening the integration between industry and education, strengthening the collaboration between universities and enterprises in fostering talents, and taking into account the market demand in vocational education, provide Xiamen with full support in becoming a national pilot city for the innovative development of vocational education, and contribute more efforts to the integrated development between industry and education in the coastal city.

In his keynote speech, Wu Jianping, president of Huaqiao University, highlighted the necessity and importance in facilitating the integration between industry and education, and made analyses of weak links and effective measures in advancing industry-education integration.

Li Zhimin, vice-chairperson of the Chinese Society of Educational Development Strategy and former director of the Science and Technology Development Center at the Ministry of Education, delivered a keynote speech entitled "Conducting Industry-Education Integration Services and Promoting the High-quality Development of Technological and Educational Sectors." He explained factors in relation to the high-quality growth of technology and education and underscored the importance of deepening the integration between industry and education and between technology and education.

Other speakers who gave their keynote speeches at the forum included Zhu Wenzhang, president of Xiamen University of Technology; Tong Deli, president of Huawei Developers Institute; and Zhao Fujun, general-manager of Yamaha (Xiamen) Motor Solutions Co Ltd.

Wu Jianping, president of Huaqiao University, speaks at the forum. [Photo/Xiamen Torch Academy]

Li Zhimin, vice-chairperson of the Chinese Society of Educational Development Strategy, delivers a keynote speech. [Photo/Xiamen Torch Academy]

Zhu Wenzhang, president of Xiamen University of Technology, delivers a speech. [Photo/Xiamen Torch Academy]

Tong Deli, president of Huawei Developers Institute, delivers a speech. [Photo/Xiamen Torch Academy]

Zhao Fujun, general-manager of Yamaha (Xiamen) Motor Solutions Co Ltd, delivers a speech. [Photo/Xiamen Torch Academy]

Two parallel roundtable meetings, which were themed "Talent Cultivation: Responding to the Demand of Enterprises in Industry-Education Integration" and "Research & Development Integration: Shaping Core Competitiveness of Comprehensive Enterprises in the Midst of Industry-Education Integration" respectively, were held on the afternoon of the forum.

Kuang Dengfeng, a member of the Party committee of Xiamen Torch Development Zone for High Technology Industries and an academic supervisor for doctoral students at Nankai University, gave a concluding speech during the forum.

Roundtable meeting is held held on the afternoon of the forum. [Photo/Xiamen Torch Academy]