Signing Ceremony for Zhongguancun Demonstration Center of the UNESCO Chair on University-Industry Cooperation and University-Industry Cooperation Workshop Held

On the morning of September 9, 2007, BJU (Beijing Jiaotong University) and the Administrative Committee of Haidian Science Park held the signing ceremony for the joint construction of Zhongguancun Demonstration Center of the UNESCO Chair on University-Industry Cooperation and conducted the University-Industry Cooperation Workshop in the BJU Science Hall.

The UNESCO Beijing Office delivered congratulations from Y. Aoshima, a representative from the UNESCO Beijing Office who was away attending an international conference, and Mr. Shunmugam Jayakumar, also from the UNESCO Beijing Office. Xiu Xiaoping, vice-director of the MST (Ministry of Science and Technology) Torch Center, Li Xuewei, vice-principal of BJU, Yu Jun, a member of the CPC standing committee of Haidian district, deputy mayor of Haidian district, and vice-director of the Administrative Committee of Haidian Science Park, as well as representatives from the government, business, and academia, such as the International Development Section of the Torch Center, International Cooperation Section of Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission, Beijing University of Post and Telecommunication, China University of Geosciences, Thunep Holdings, Beijing ZhongChuang Telecom Test Co., Ltd., attended the signing ceremony and the workshop.

At the ceremony, Xiu Xiaoping, Yu Jun, and Li Xuewei, on behalf of Torch Center, the Haidian district government, the Administrative Committee of Haidian Science Park and BJU respectively, extended their congratulations to the establishment of the Demonstration Center. Xiu Xiaoping spoke highly of Haidian Science Park's contribution in building iBridge - a platform for international cooperation and exchanges - and the positive role it has played in promoting internationalization. Yu Jun said that Haidian district government and the Administrative Committee of Haidian Science Park will continue to give full support to the Demonstration Center, so as to make a platform for cooperation between government, industry, university and research.

Approved by the secretary-general of UNESCO in 2004 and officially launched in February 2005, the UNESCO Chair on University-Industry Cooperation set up in BJU is the result of the support of Zhou Ji, the Minister of Education.
　　
Thanks to support and assistance from UNESCO, the PRC Ministry of Education, BJU, Leuven Engineering School, GROUP-T, other universities and industries, and many governmental organs, the Chair, since its founding, has carried out many meaningful activities. The joint establishment of the Demonstration Center by the UNESCO Chair on University-Industry Cooperation and Zhongguancun Science Park aims to better utilize the resources and advantages of the governmental, educational, industrial and science and research organizations inside the Park, and jointly create a platform for S&T innovation and talent cultivation that features a multi-disciplinary cooperation between "government, production, study and research". The Chair will play an exemplary role in the national university-industry cooperation and internationalization, advance China's reform and development of talent cultivation at a higher level, promote transformation from knowledge innovation to industry innovation, and make a greater contribution to the economic development of China as well as the world.

During the workshop, all the participants expressed the belief that this is an innovative strategic alliance with the features of  international university-industry cooperation. As a new mode for university-industry cooperation following the launch of the Strategic Alliance for Industrial Technology Innovation recently finished by six ministries and committees - MST, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education, SASAC of State Council, ACFTU (All China Federation of Trade Unions), and China Development Bank - the Demonstration Center has had a positive and guiding effect, and we should summarize its practices and lessons so that others can learn from it, and continue to give it attention and support.

As an important aspect of the Zhongguancun Demonstration Center, iBridge - a new type of network platform for international cooperation in Zhongguancun Haidian Science Park  - also officially opened on the same day, which, as a grand gift for the Zhongguancun Demonstration Center, reflected Haidian Science Park's sincerity and ability to cooperate. This new type of service platform will play an active role in information transmission, practical exchanges, case analysis, workshop and discussion, brand promotion, and so on.

That afternoon, the unveiling ceremony of the Demonstration Center took place at the closing ceremony of the 10th Zhongguancun Computer Festival. Johan De Graeve, co-host of the Chair and principal of Leuven Engineering School, GROUP-T, and Fu Shouqing, assistant to the Mayor of Haidian district and director of the General Office of the Administrative Committee of Haidian Science Park, unveiled the Demonstration Center together.  

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