From January 10 to 11, Wang Xiqin, president of Tsinghua University, headed a delegation to visit Singapore to strengthen bilateral exchanges on higher education, sci-tech innovation and international cooperation, explore new approaches to promote talent cultivation and scientific research collaboration, deepen pragmatic cooperation in the medical sector, and respond to global challenges with innovative and collaborative methods. Wang Hongwei, vice-president of Tsinghua University, attended the delegation.

Wang Xiqin, president of Tsinghua University, and Ivy Ng, chief executive officer of Singapore Health Services Pte Ltd (SingHealth), sign a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between Tsinghua University and SingHealth on January 10.

On the morning of January 10, Wang held a meeting with Ivy Ng, chief executive officer of Singapore Health Services Pte Ltd (SingHealth), Thomas Coffman, dean of Duke-NUS Medical School and board member of SingHealth, and others from SingHealth.

Wang briefed attendees on the general development of Tsinghua University and its efforts to deepen reform and the building of its medical disciplines. He said that Tsinghua University has further strengthened the development of its medical disciplines and the cultivation of innovative talents with rich clinical experience, sci-tech research capabilities, high humanistic care and international vision, and that can engage in scientific research, medical service, education and management in the medical field, adding that it is looking forward to advancing bilateral cooperation on the cultivation of medical experts, drug research and development, pharmaceutical innovation, the vocational training of medical workers, and innovation-driven development in medical education and research.

Ng gave an introduction to the main achievements made by SingHealth in medical and health education and cutting-edge academic studies, as well as its development plans. Coffman talked about the organizational structure, cooperative forms and talent cultivation programs of Duke-NUS Medical School.

Both expressed their willingness to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Tsinghua University and to make concerted efforts to promote talent cultivation and sci-tech research.

Later, Wang and Ng signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between Tsinghua University and SingHealth in such sectors as medical education and training, scientific research, clinical nursing, medical services and management.

Wang Xiqin, president of Tsinghua University, visits Singapore General Hospital, the National Cancer Center of Singapore and Duke-NUS Medical School on the afternoon of January 10.

In a visit to Singapore General Hospital, the National Cancer Center of Singapore and Duke-NUS Medical School on the afternoon of January 10, Wang held exchanges with experts, administrative and medical workers and learned of their practices and experiences in facilitating medical research, service and education.

Wang Xiqin, president of Tsinghua University, and other members of the delegation hold a meeting with officials from Singapore's Agency for Science, Technology and Research on the morning of January 11.

The visit also brought Wang and the delegation to Singapore's Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) on the morning of January 11, where Wang held talks with Frederick Chew, chief executive officer of the A*STAR.

A*STAR is a subordinate organization of Singapore government, aiming at promoting the integration of scientific research and talents in Singapore and assisting Singapore to transform and move towards knowledge-based economy pattern. It has two major councils including biomedical research and scientific & engineering research, and manages several institutes to carry out scientific research in related fields.

Wang said that in the past decade, Tsinghua University has implemented its workforce development strategy, conducted reforms in many fields like personnel system, education, sci-tech research, international exchanges and cooperation, and state key laboratories, and established academies and special schools, adding that it will strengthen exchanges and mutual learning with its global partners, study and benefit from advanced international experiences, and based on national conditions of China to make new contributions to the country.

Wang called on the two sides to further deepen bilateral people-to-people exchanges and scientific research cooperation in bio-medicine, engineering technologies and the commercialization of research results.

Noting that the delegation of Tsinghua University was the first Chinese delegation to visit A*STAR in the post-epidemic era, Chew agreed with Wang's proposals to strengthen bilateral collaboration in the above-mentioned sectors.

Wang Xiqin, president of Tsinghua University, and Frederick Chew, chief executive officer of the A*STAR, sign a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between Tsinghua University and A*STAR on January 11.

Later, Wang and Chew signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between Tsinghua University and A*STAR.

Wang Xiqin, president of Tsinghua University, visits the National University of Singapore (NUS) on the afternoon of January 11.

When visiting the National University of Singapore (NUS) on the afternoon of January 11, Wang met with Bernard Tan, senior vice-provost for undergraduate education at the NUS. They conducted in-depth discussions on the challenges confronting worldwide higher education, the corresponding measures and bilateral cooperation.

Wang said that Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visited Tsinghua University ahead of its 110th anniversary. Xi emphasized that the development of science and technology as the primary productive force, the cultivation of talents as the primary resource, and the enhancement of innovation as the primary driver of growth should be better combined to better serve the reform and opening up and socialist modernization.

In the report of the 20th CPC National Congress, education, science and technology, and human resources are planned and carried out in tandem, and are placed in a prominent position after the "high-quality development". It highlights that science and technology as the primary productive force, talent as the primary resource, and innovation as the primary driver of growth are the foundational and strategic pillars for high-quality development.

Wang said that the three primaries correspond to the three roles of research institutions, educational institutions and social service institutions undertaken by universities, and correspond to the three duties of scientific research, talent cultivation and social services that universities need to perform. Tsinghua University has been working on the integration of the three duties. He hoped that the two universities will deepen bilateral exchanges and cooperation and make full use of their resources in supporting talent cultivation.

Tan talked about efforts made by the NUS to align with Singapore's Industry 4.0 (i4.0) transformation initiative, provide undergraduate students with general education, and strengthen inter-disciplinary integration and the lifetime education of all alumni. He also agreed with Wang on furthering bilateral exchanges and cooperation.

Wang also had exchanges with Benjamin Tee, assistant vice-president and head of the entrepreneurship department of the NUS, and Yue Chee Yoon, director of the enterprise organization.

On the afternoon of January 11, Wang also visited the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, the Cardiovascular Research Institute and the Institute for Health Innovation & Technology (iHealthtech), all of which are affiliated with the NUS. He talked with experts, professors, researchers and students, and learned more about experiences and measures taken by the NUS in scientific research, talent cultivation, the application of research findings, and management.

Wang said that Tsinghua University will seek to consolidate the development of its medical disciplines with the advanced experience of the NUS, and that more efforts should be made to strengthen bilateral collaboration on scientific research, talent cultivation, management and training, as well as to promote the building of international cooperation and innovation platforms for medical disciplines.

Yeoh Khay Guan, senior vice-president for health affairs at the NUS, said that the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine highly values its cooperation with Tsinghua University, and expressed the hope that the two sides will conduct exchanges and dialogues on a wide range of topics and explore more opportunities for cooperation.

During his visit to Singapore, Wang also met with Cherie Nursalim, vice-chair of GITI Group and vice-president of the United in Diversity (UID) Foundation. He thanked Nursalim for her efforts in the building and development of the Tsinghua Southeast Asia Center (Tsinghua SEA) in Indonesia and voiced his hope that the center will grow into a leading platform for Tsinghua University to strengthen its cooperation with Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries and will foster more talented people for Indonesia in its economic development and industrial upgrading.

Wang Xiqin, president of Tsinghua University, visits the Chinese embassy in Singapore during his two-day tour.

Wang also visited the Chinese embassy in Singapore and held talks with ambassador Sun Haiyan on Chinese and Singaporean education and China-Singapore cooperation in scientific research.

Wang introduced a series of development and reform measures taken by Tsinghua University in recent years. He emphasized that universities play an important role in promoting international cooperation and exchanges and coping with common challenges that all people face. Tsinghua University is willing to further increase exchanges and cooperation with Singapore, Southeast Asia and countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.

Sun extended a warm welcome to Wang and the delegation. She pointed out that there is great potential for cooperation between China and Singapore in the fields of education and scientific research, and Tsinghua University can play an important role in promoting China-Singapore dialogue and cooperation.

When meeting with alumni of Tsinghua University in Singapore, Wang conveyed his thanks to them for their consistent care and support in the university's development, and urged them to continue to participate in its further growth and contribute to building it into a world-class university with Chinese characteristics.

Editor: Li Han