On the morning of March 20, a Symposium on the Sino-Germany Institute for Industry and Education Integration was held at Suqian University, aimed at advancing the university’s holistic and systematic collaboration with applied universities, enterprises, and institutions in Germany. Attending leaders at the symposium included Xu De, Secretary of the Party Committee of Suqian University, Pan Zhiming, President of Suqian University, Liu Zhimin, Director of the Department of Innovation and Development, National Center for Schooling Development Programme, and Zhang Xianyan, Secretary of the Party Working Committee of Hubin New District.

At the meeting, Tang Ming, Chief Representative of the Greater China Region of the German Association for the Promotion of Education, Science and Technology, briefed on the construction scheme of the Sino-Germany Institute for Industry and Education Integration, and introduced the detail some Sino-Germany projects for cooperative specialty construction and joint school-running. Heads of relevant functional departments and colleges attending the meeting conducted in-depth exchanges on related cooperation fields.

Secretary Xu De promised that the university would press ahead with and follow up on the development of the Sino-Germany Institute for Industry and Education Integration. On the one hand, he requested overall and systematic project planning with carefully orchestrated objectives and paths to ensure its coordinated implementation. On the other hand, he called for moves to promote project implementation progressively in terms of time, scale and difficulty level, work out an annual plan and clarify the responsibilities of all relevant parties. He identified the goal of building Suqian University into a key demonstration base that would lead the entire Jiangsu Province in innovation. He also promised to provide strong support for the construction of the Sino-Germany Institute for Industry and Education Integration by establishing a sound mechanism to ensure project implementation and achievement of fruitful results.

Director Liu Zhimin made a number of instructions regarding efforts to further promote project construction. First of all, in order to promote the high-quality development of applied universities in the new stage, priority should be given to building specialty clusters based on the industrial chain to serve practical industrial needs. Secondly, a discipline innovation system should be established in alignment with regional and national innovation systems to ensure an incessant supply of creative ideas. That would help promote the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, and ensure consistent transport of talents for scientific and technological innovation and economic and social development. Thirdly, we should join the digitalization and intelligentization trend by deepening cooperation with existing industrial colleges (e.g., JD.com) with a focus on digitalization and intelligentization. A nationwide innovation community shall be built to play a linkage role and serve as a model of digitalization and intelligentization. Fourthly, the university should expand its global presence while taking into account local reality. Relying on its advantages, the university should establish a new discipline and specialty system, build a new campus with a new look and foster a new development pattern.

Secretary Zhang Xianyan stressed the importance of continuously strengthening exchanges and cooperation with other universities and colleges so that concerted efforts would be made to enhance the effectiveness of project construction through resource allocation and sharing. Sustained efforts shall be made in the construction of an industry and education integration demonstration base in Suqian Vocational Education Park, turning it into a high-level, large-scale, cluster-based and international demonstration base for vocational education. We should also strengthen project communication, i.e., understanding project details through case studies, visits, in-depth exchanges, etc. to lay a solid foundation for further cooperation. All sides must do their best to boost the development of Suqian University, contribute to Suqian’s economic growth, and create the most favorable conditions for student cultivation in Suqian.

This event was also attended by leaders of relevant departments such as the Party School Office, the International Cooperation and Exchange Office, and the Academic Affairs Office, as well as the main leaders of the Party and Government Office, Education Bureau, and Vocational Education Office of Hubin New District.