What defines XJTLU? The answer may lie in three words: originality, innovation, and commitment. Together, they capture the distinctive spirit that has taken shape over the University’s 20 years of educational practice. They also speak to how XJTLU responds to change, nurtures talent, and fulfils its responsibilities.
Originality
Our emphasis on originality comes from our understanding of what it will take to compete in the world of tomorrow.
In the age of AI, many people will know a great deal, and many will be capable of doing a great deal, because AI can help them accomplish so much. So, what will it take for someone to make their way in that world? The key is whether they can develop the creativity and imagination to bring something into existence that was not there before, do something others cannot, or produce something exceptional in a particular field.
Ultimately, making your way in the future will depend on your ability to create distinctive value. That is why we have always encouraged students to take their interests as far as they can and develop a skill that truly sets them apart. That is what will enable them to create value.
This is the uniqueness I have always emphasised.
I have often said that we do not place much emphasis on benchmarking at XJTLU. That does not mean we do not learn from others’ experience. But if matching others becomes your goal, you will always be a follower, never the one who sets the direction. Benchmarking is a way to learn from what others have already achieved. We need to build on a range of leading practices, then create something distinctly our own. Only then can we carve out a place for ourselves.
Look at XJTLU’s vision. We talk about being distinctive, rather than aspiring to be “world-class” or “world-leading”. Once you develop something truly unique, you naturally stand apart. And if you are genuinely distinctive and heading in the right direction, you will be among the best, at the forefront, setting the pace.
But there is another important point here: We should not be different simply for the sake of being different.
Uniqueness must start from an understanding of the world of tomorrow and the trends shaping society. You need to know what sets you apart. The aim is not to pursue difference blindly, but to be distinctive in ways that create value. Ultimately, uniqueness must serve the value it brings, whether that means advancing society, furthering education or contributing to human civilisation.
So, what does it mean to have the courage to be original? First, what you do must make sense in light of how the future is unfolding. Second, it must bring real value to society. Third, it must give you a firm place in the world through a distinctive approach and capabilities.
XJTLU’s uniqueness also rests on our understanding of the world of tomorrow. One of our fundamental beliefs is that education will inevitably change in this era. We need to rethink what education is for, reshape teaching and learning, and redefine the university.
As education is reshaped across the globe, educators have many paths to choose from. One is to learn from leading institutions and replicate what they do. Another is to embrace bold change, dare to innovate and forge a path of our own.
XJTLU has chosen the latter.
We believe this era has given XJTLU an opportunity to be distinctive. So, we have chosen to move beyond replication and take a path that demands the courage to innovate. Our sights are set on future trends, the talent the world will need, and the future of universities, particularly the entirely new possibilities that may emerge as AI reshapes our world. These guide us as we draw on the best the world has to offer and adapt it to our needs.
I have always felt that this era offers XJTLU a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in education. To seize it and make a substantial contribution to the future of education, we must be distinctive. We must respond to emerging trends, build on what has already been achieved worldwide, and pursue disruptive innovation to create new models and forms of education. This is the uniqueness we emphasise at XJTLU.
But being original is only part of it. It also takes courage.
Once I have explained this reasoning, everyone may find it convincing. Yet you will still see 90% of people taking the familiar path. Why? Because they want stability and fear risk.
They agree with the reasoning, but when it comes to their own lives, they think, “Forget it. I’d rather stop pushing myself and look for stability.” So, having the courage to be original really means confronting your own fears: You know a path is right, but do you have the courage to try it?
Of course, there are many factors at play. These include the resources your family can offer, your upbringing and your personality. Are you willing to take risks, or do you tend to avoid them? It is a test on many levels.
Having the courage to be original is therefore something we hope to see in XJTLU students. Why? Because in the future, only by developing something distinctive will they be able to carve out a place for themselves. We educate students in the hope that they will contribute to the world of tomorrow. How can they do that if they do not dare to be original?
But the courage to be original is something students can develop over time.
Take a willingness to take risks, for example. A student may be afraid to take risks at first. But if we encourage them to try, they may become more willing to do so after experiencing a few setbacks, gradually developing the ability to manage risk along the way. If they say they have no connections or do not know where to turn, we create opportunities for them. If they still lack resources, we teach them how to bring resources together, for example by using the concept of an “ecosystem” to organise and connect different resources. Gradually, they gain the courage to act.
I have already seen this spirit in many XJTLU students and alumni. Take the student whom the University’s official channels recently featured in a story. What struck me about him was his courage to be original, make his own choices, push beyond limits and take risks.
Then there is the young woman who opened a café on the Taicang campus. She had already received an offer from a leading university. Most people in her position would have gone straight on to postgraduate study. But she chose to follow her ambition to start a business: “I have an idea, and I believe it has value. Could I put it into practice first?” So, she decided to put her studies on hold and turn that idea into reality. That was a truly distinctive choice.
Another example is our alumna Ziyi Liu. The early days of her business were very difficult, and she had little money. Yet even then, she was willing to donate 1 million RMB to the University. Later, she came close to being unable to pay her staff and even sold her car, but she remained determined to see it through. She had a deep conviction: “I am going to make this work because I believe it is the right thing to do. It is something I am committed to, and I will not let difficulties deter me.”
To me, these students and alumni embody exactly what we mean at XJTLU by having the courage to be original.
Innovation
The second keyword is continuous innovation.
This is fairly straightforward. The world is changing so quickly that even a few days without learning or making progress could leave you behind. That is why XJTLU has always held firmly to one principle: We must move faster than change.
But we need to be clear: We are not changing for the sake of change. We change in response to change, seeking a relatively steady path of development. In other words, we make creative changes of our own to respond to the changes the world brings us, so that our work can continue on a relatively stable course.
This is the thinking that underpins our commitment to continuous innovation.
Why innovate? Because we need to change. If we do not change, we will fall behind. We risk being phased out entirely. But that raises another question: What can change, and what must remain constant?
This brings us back to our HeXie Management Theory.
Two important concepts in HeXie Management Theory are “orientation” and “positioning”. These are relatively unaffected by changes in the external environment and remain comparatively stable over the long term.
The same is true in life. What kind of person do you want to be? What are the fundamental beliefs and principles you want to live by? These cannot change from day to day.
Look at XJTLU. Has our vision changed? No. Has our mission changed? No. They define our long-term orientation and positioning, reflecting our most fundamental understanding of the world. The world may keep changing, but as long as there are people, there will be a need for education. So, these foundations must remain constant.
What does change? Our strategies and priorities at different stages of development.
There are different levels to this. Some things remain constant over the long term. Others are adjusted over the medium term. And some tactical decisions need to change whenever circumstances demand it.
Take what we call a “HeXie Theme”. This, too, is relatively stable. It does not change from one day to the next. As long as neither the external environment nor the organisation itself changes significantly, a HeXie Theme may remain in place for many years. During XJTLU’s first decade, for example, we focused more on continually improving on traditional education. Then, as digitalisation accelerated, we developed Syntegrative Education alongside it. Later, as AI evolved rapidly and digitalisation continued to break down existing boundaries, ecosystems became increasingly important. But making an ecosystem work depends on syntegration. That is why we have recently placed particular emphasis on two elements: ecosystems and syntegration. They are crucial to connecting XJTLU’s different models.
So, for an organisation to truly understand continuous innovation, it must be clear about what needs to change and what should remain constant over the long term; what needs to be adjusted over the medium term and what must adapt whenever circumstances demand it; and what needs to change quickly and what should evolve gradually.
With this “HeXie Mindset”, you can judge when to move quickly, when to take a more gradual approach, and what must never change.
What must never change is the purpose that set you on your path in the first place.
Commitment
“Taking responsibility” is a phrase we hear a lot these days. The commitment we are talking about here is rooted in a sense of social responsibility and the ability to contribute to society. Only with that ability can you take on greater responsibilities and overcome unexpected challenges and difficulties.
What underpins this commitment? I think it begins with a person’s convictions.
In recent years, I have placed particular emphasis on conviction. Chinese and Western cultures each have their own cornerstones. Science, law and religion, for example, are cornerstones of Western culture, while Chinese culture places greater emphasis on morality and the arts. In conversations with other university leaders, they suggested adding conviction to that list. But I have my own understanding of what conviction means.
Conviction is not simply a matter of what you believe in. It is about developing an understanding of the world through learning, research and observation, and forming a sense of how you want to engage with the world and with society. That is what conviction means to me.
Your convictions directly shape your underlying sense of purpose.
Once you have developed your own convictions, you can define what gives your life meaning and value. Challenges and difficulties then become less daunting. The same is true of an organisation. Take XJTLU’s vision and mission, for example. Once these are established, taking responsibility follows naturally. With such a vision and mission, we have to take responsibility. Otherwise, neither would mean anything.
So, the courage to take responsibility must first be grounded in a clear understanding of why we should do so.
The reasoning runs from conviction, through vision and mission, to the courage to take on social responsibility.
Only then do we come to the next questions: How will you take on that responsibility? Do you have the capabilities you need? Do you have enough resources?
Taking responsibility requires real capability. You need to be able to manage and bring together resources, respond to difficulties and challenges, and balance competing demands in complex situations. The better you are at bringing resources together, the greater the responsibilities you can take on. If your resources and capabilities are limited, you can still take on responsibilities on a smaller scale.
But first, you must be willing to take responsibility. If you truly want to do something that benefits others, the wider public, society, and future generations, that commitment will grow. Without this desire to contribute, you will have little motivation to make the effort.
This is what taking responsibility means. We want XJTLU to be a university that lives up to its responsibilities.
So, what responsibilities should XJTLU take on?
I have always said that this era offers XJTLU a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. As education is reshaped around the globe, can we offer the world a new approach to education? To me, this is the greatest responsibility XJTLU can take on.
How many universities dare to set themselves such an ambition? You would struggle to find many, whether among Sino-foreign joint venture universities or leading Chinese universities. Many aim to become world-class universities within 30 years. But how many say they want to offer the world a new approach to education?
This is the responsibility XJTLU takes on as a university. Only with this understanding of the world and the future of education can we develop such a commitment.
But ultimately, a university relies on its people to fulfil its responsibilities.
University leaders must be the first to step up. You have to take responsibility and be willing to take risks. There may be political risks. You may face widespread misunderstanding and even attacks. You also have to persuade the various parties involved in the University’s governance to support you and trust you.
Take the decision to build the South Campus, for example. We could easily have stayed on the North Campus and remained a university of 7,000 to 8,000 students. But think about it: If XJTLU had remained that size, how long could it survive in today’s environment?
So, we worked hard to persuade the Board of Directors to build the South Campus, becoming the first Sino-foreign joint venture university to actually pay for land on which to build a campus. We went on to build the Life Sciences Building, the Taicang campus, and the new North Campus, and began establishing a presence around the world.
All of these decisions meant taking responsibility.
For the University, these are initiatives we must actively pursue. As a university leader, you have to take on the risks, respond to all kinds of challenges and balance competing demands, while also inspiring others to move forward with you.
The same is true for our academic staff.
They need to be willing to take part in a process of constant innovation and experimentation. Most people prefer stability. They do not want to keep shaking things up every day. But at XJTLU, we shake things up year after year. That is how we move forward.
New ideas and models keep emerging, and at times people may even feel they cannot keep up. Yet our academic staff also need that willingness to explore.
When Professor Konstantinos Papadikis addressed our new postgraduate students, he said he had been at XJTLU for 13 years. Why had he chosen to stay? Because he found it an exciting place to be, where he was making progress every day.
Many of our academic staff share that passion. Leaders, in particular, should have it. At its heart, the courage to take responsibility means saying: “I want to contribute something to the world and be someone who makes a difference.”
Of course, taking responsibility means different things in different roles. Wherever you are, you need to put that commitment into practice through your abilities and the responsibilities of your role.
The same applies to students.
We want XJTLU students to be willing to take responsibility. When we talk about global citizenship, we expect students to look beyond their immediate surroundings and even raise questions of global significance. Someone may want to take on no responsibilities at all, stop striving and retreat to a quiet corner of the world to live a secure life. But even that security may not last. Over time, they may find the world leaves them behind.
So, students, too, need to take responsibility.
Ultimately, there are three dimensions to this: the willingness to take responsibility, the ability to do so, and the courage to act.
I believe that if more than half of the people at XJTLU truly embodied this spirit of originality, continuous innovation, and commitment, the University’s growth would be all but inevitable.
How the Three Connect
Why bring originality, innovation and commitment together, and why in this order? There is a clear logic connecting them.
The courage to be original is about having the vision to see ahead and choosing your direction.
First, you need to understand where the world is heading, choose your own direction and path, and know what distinctive value and impact you want to create.
Continuous innovation is how you turn that vision into reality.
Over the years, we have used various expressions to describe continuous innovation, including continually “resetting”. At XJTLU, we need to reset and keep innovating at every stage. But resetting does not mean starting from scratch. It means moving forward from a new foundation. Once your direction is clear, you still need to keep adapting and innovating to find ways to get there.
Commitment is the spirit that drives you.
It is a way of acting, driven by determination, conviction and your original purpose: having the courage to do what needs to be done.
So, these three ideas are connected. First, you must be willing to innovate and create, while making sure you choose the right direction. Second, you need to find the right approach to bring your ideas to life. Finally, you must have the determination, the mental readiness, and the capabilities to take on the responsibility.
Originality answers the question of where to go. Continuous innovation answers how to get there. Commitment asks whether you have the courage and ability to see the journey through.
This is the logic that unites the three defining elements of XJTLU’s spirit.
Professor Youmin Xi
Executive President of Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Liverpool
XJTLU in Three Words
What defines XJTLU? The answer may lie in three words: originality, innovation, and commitment. Together, they capture the distinctive spirit that has taken shape over the University’s 20 years of educational practice. They also speak to how XJTLU responds to change, nurtures talent, and fulfils its responsibilities.
Originality
Our emphasis on originality comes from our understanding of what it will take to compete in the world of tomorrow.
In the age of AI, many people will know a great deal, and many will be capable of doing a great deal, because AI can help them accomplish so much. So, what will it take for someone to make their way in that world? The key is whether they can develop the creativity and imagination to bring something into existence that was not there before, do something others cannot, or produce something exceptional in a particular field.
Ultimately, making your way in the future will depend on your ability to create distinctive value. That is why we have always encouraged students to take their interests as far as they can and develop a skill that truly sets them apart. That is what will enable them to create value.
This is the uniqueness I have always emphasised.
I have often said that we do not place much emphasis on benchmarking at XJTLU. That does not mean we do not learn from others’ experience. But if matching others becomes your goal, you will always be a follower, never the one who sets the direction. Benchmarking is a way to learn from what others have already achieved. We need to build on a range of leading practices, then create something distinctly our own. Only then can we carve out a place for ourselves.
Look at XJTLU’s vision. We talk about being distinctive, rather than aspiring to be “world-class” or “world-leading”. Once you develop something truly unique, you naturally stand apart. And if you are genuinely distinctive and heading in the right direction, you will be among the best, at the forefront, setting the pace.
But there is another important point here: We should not be different simply for the sake of being different.
Uniqueness must start from an understanding of the world of tomorrow and the trends shaping society. You need to know what sets you apart. The aim is not to pursue difference blindly, but to be distinctive in ways that create value. Ultimately, uniqueness must serve the value it brings, whether that means advancing society, furthering education or contributing to human civilisation.
So, what does it mean to have the courage to be original? First, what you do must make sense in light of how the future is unfolding. Second, it must bring real value to society. Third, it must give you a firm place in the world through a distinctive approach and capabilities.
XJTLU’s uniqueness also rests on our understanding of the world of tomorrow. One of our fundamental beliefs is that education will inevitably change in this era. We need to rethink what education is for, reshape teaching and learning, and redefine the university.
As education is reshaped across the globe, educators have many paths to choose from. One is to learn from leading institutions and replicate what they do. Another is to embrace bold change, dare to innovate and forge a path of our own.
XJTLU has chosen the latter.
We believe this era has given XJTLU an opportunity to be distinctive. So, we have chosen to move beyond replication and take a path that demands the courage to innovate. Our sights are set on future trends, the talent the world will need, and the future of universities, particularly the entirely new possibilities that may emerge as AI reshapes our world. These guide us as we draw on the best the world has to offer and adapt it to our needs.
I have always felt that this era offers XJTLU a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in education. To seize it and make a substantial contribution to the future of education, we must be distinctive. We must respond to emerging trends, build on what has already been achieved worldwide, and pursue disruptive innovation to create new models and forms of education. This is the uniqueness we emphasise at XJTLU.
But being original is only part of it. It also takes courage.
Once I have explained this reasoning, everyone may find it convincing. Yet you will still see 90% of people taking the familiar path. Why? Because they want stability and fear risk.
They agree with the reasoning, but when it comes to their own lives, they think, “Forget it. I’d rather stop pushing myself and look for stability.” So, having the courage to be original really means confronting your own fears: You know a path is right, but do you have the courage to try it?
Of course, there are many factors at play. These include the resources your family can offer, your upbringing and your personality. Are you willing to take risks, or do you tend to avoid them? It is a test on many levels.
Having the courage to be original is therefore something we hope to see in XJTLU students. Why? Because in the future, only by developing something distinctive will they be able to carve out a place for themselves. We educate students in the hope that they will contribute to the world of tomorrow. How can they do that if they do not dare to be original?
But the courage to be original is something students can develop over time.
Take a willingness to take risks, for example. A student may be afraid to take risks at first. But if we encourage them to try, they may become more willing to do so after experiencing a few setbacks, gradually developing the ability to manage risk along the way. If they say they have no connections or do not know where to turn, we create opportunities for them. If they still lack resources, we teach them how to bring resources together, for example by using the concept of an “ecosystem” to organise and connect different resources. Gradually, they gain the courage to act.
I have already seen this spirit in many XJTLU students and alumni. Take the student whom the University’s official channels recently featured in a story. What struck me about him was his courage to be original, make his own choices, push beyond limits and take risks.
Then there is the young woman who opened a café on the Taicang campus. She had already received an offer from a leading university. Most people in her position would have gone straight on to postgraduate study. But she chose to follow her ambition to start a business: “I have an idea, and I believe it has value. Could I put it into practice first?” So, she decided to put her studies on hold and turn that idea into reality. That was a truly distinctive choice.
Another example is our alumna Ziyi Liu. The early days of her business were very difficult, and she had little money. Yet even then, she was willing to donate 1 million RMB to the University. Later, she came close to being unable to pay her staff and even sold her car, but she remained determined to see it through. She had a deep conviction: “I am going to make this work because I believe it is the right thing to do. It is something I am committed to, and I will not let difficulties deter me.”
To me, these students and alumni embody exactly what we mean at XJTLU by having the courage to be original.
Innovation
The second keyword is continuous innovation.
This is fairly straightforward. The world is changing so quickly that even a few days without learning or making progress could leave you behind. That is why XJTLU has always held firmly to one principle: We must move faster than change.
But we need to be clear: We are not changing for the sake of change. We change in response to change, seeking a relatively steady path of development. In other words, we make creative changes of our own to respond to the changes the world brings us, so that our work can continue on a relatively stable course.
This is the thinking that underpins our commitment to continuous innovation.
Why innovate? Because we need to change. If we do not change, we will fall behind. We risk being phased out entirely. But that raises another question: What can change, and what must remain constant?
This brings us back to our HeXie Management Theory.
Two important concepts in HeXie Management Theory are “orientation” and “positioning”. These are relatively unaffected by changes in the external environment and remain comparatively stable over the long term.
The same is true in life. What kind of person do you want to be? What are the fundamental beliefs and principles you want to live by? These cannot change from day to day.
Look at XJTLU. Has our vision changed? No. Has our mission changed? No. They define our long-term orientation and positioning, reflecting our most fundamental understanding of the world. The world may keep changing, but as long as there are people, there will be a need for education. So, these foundations must remain constant.
What does change? Our strategies and priorities at different stages of development.
There are different levels to this. Some things remain constant over the long term. Others are adjusted over the medium term. And some tactical decisions need to change whenever circumstances demand it.
Take what we call a “HeXie Theme”. This, too, is relatively stable. It does not change from one day to the next. As long as neither the external environment nor the organisation itself changes significantly, a HeXie Theme may remain in place for many years. During XJTLU’s first decade, for example, we focused more on continually improving on traditional education. Then, as digitalisation accelerated, we developed Syntegrative Education alongside it. Later, as AI evolved rapidly and digitalisation continued to break down existing boundaries, ecosystems became increasingly important. But making an ecosystem work depends on syntegration. That is why we have recently placed particular emphasis on two elements: ecosystems and syntegration. They are crucial to connecting XJTLU’s different models.
So, for an organisation to truly understand continuous innovation, it must be clear about what needs to change and what should remain constant over the long term; what needs to be adjusted over the medium term and what must adapt whenever circumstances demand it; and what needs to change quickly and what should evolve gradually.
With this “HeXie Mindset”, you can judge when to move quickly, when to take a more gradual approach, and what must never change.
What must never change is the purpose that set you on your path in the first place.
Commitment
“Taking responsibility” is a phrase we hear a lot these days. The commitment we are talking about here is rooted in a sense of social responsibility and the ability to contribute to society. Only with that ability can you take on greater responsibilities and overcome unexpected challenges and difficulties.
What underpins this commitment? I think it begins with a person’s convictions.
In recent years, I have placed particular emphasis on conviction. Chinese and Western cultures each have their own cornerstones. Science, law and religion, for example, are cornerstones of Western culture, while Chinese culture places greater emphasis on morality and the arts. In conversations with other university leaders, they suggested adding conviction to that list. But I have my own understanding of what conviction means.
Conviction is not simply a matter of what you believe in. It is about developing an understanding of the world through learning, research and observation, and forming a sense of how you want to engage with the world and with society. That is what conviction means to me.
Your convictions directly shape your underlying sense of purpose.
Once you have developed your own convictions, you can define what gives your life meaning and value. Challenges and difficulties then become less daunting. The same is true of an organisation. Take XJTLU’s vision and mission, for example. Once these are established, taking responsibility follows naturally. With such a vision and mission, we have to take responsibility. Otherwise, neither would mean anything.
So, the courage to take responsibility must first be grounded in a clear understanding of why we should do so.
The reasoning runs from conviction, through vision and mission, to the courage to take on social responsibility.
Only then do we come to the next questions: How will you take on that responsibility? Do you have the capabilities you need? Do you have enough resources?
Taking responsibility requires real capability. You need to be able to manage and bring together resources, respond to difficulties and challenges, and balance competing demands in complex situations. The better you are at bringing resources together, the greater the responsibilities you can take on. If your resources and capabilities are limited, you can still take on responsibilities on a smaller scale.
But first, you must be willing to take responsibility. If you truly want to do something that benefits others, the wider public, society, and future generations, that commitment will grow. Without this desire to contribute, you will have little motivation to make the effort.
This is what taking responsibility means. We want XJTLU to be a university that lives up to its responsibilities.
So, what responsibilities should XJTLU take on?
I have always said that this era offers XJTLU a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. As education is reshaped around the globe, can we offer the world a new approach to education? To me, this is the greatest responsibility XJTLU can take on.
How many universities dare to set themselves such an ambition? You would struggle to find many, whether among Sino-foreign joint venture universities or leading Chinese universities. Many aim to become world-class universities within 30 years. But how many say they want to offer the world a new approach to education?
This is the responsibility XJTLU takes on as a university. Only with this understanding of the world and the future of education can we develop such a commitment.
But ultimately, a university relies on its people to fulfil its responsibilities.
University leaders must be the first to step up. You have to take responsibility and be willing to take risks. There may be political risks. You may face widespread misunderstanding and even attacks. You also have to persuade the various parties involved in the University’s governance to support you and trust you.
Take the decision to build the South Campus, for example. We could easily have stayed on the North Campus and remained a university of 7,000 to 8,000 students. But think about it: If XJTLU had remained that size, how long could it survive in today’s environment?
So, we worked hard to persuade the Board of Directors to build the South Campus, becoming the first Sino-foreign joint venture university to actually pay for land on which to build a campus. We went on to build the Life Sciences Building, the Taicang campus, and the new North Campus, and began establishing a presence around the world.
All of these decisions meant taking responsibility.
For the University, these are initiatives we must actively pursue. As a university leader, you have to take on the risks, respond to all kinds of challenges and balance competing demands, while also inspiring others to move forward with you.
The same is true for our academic staff.
They need to be willing to take part in a process of constant innovation and experimentation. Most people prefer stability. They do not want to keep shaking things up every day. But at XJTLU, we shake things up year after year. That is how we move forward.
New ideas and models keep emerging, and at times people may even feel they cannot keep up. Yet our academic staff also need that willingness to explore.
When Professor Konstantinos Papadikis addressed our new postgraduate students, he said he had been at XJTLU for 13 years. Why had he chosen to stay? Because he found it an exciting place to be, where he was making progress every day.
Many of our academic staff share that passion. Leaders, in particular, should have it. At its heart, the courage to take responsibility means saying: “I want to contribute something to the world and be someone who makes a difference.”
Of course, taking responsibility means different things in different roles. Wherever you are, you need to put that commitment into practice through your abilities and the responsibilities of your role.
The same applies to students.
We want XJTLU students to be willing to take responsibility. When we talk about global citizenship, we expect students to look beyond their immediate surroundings and even raise questions of global significance. Someone may want to take on no responsibilities at all, stop striving and retreat to a quiet corner of the world to live a secure life. But even that security may not last. Over time, they may find the world leaves them behind.
So, students, too, need to take responsibility.
Ultimately, there are three dimensions to this: the willingness to take responsibility, the ability to do so, and the courage to act.
I believe that if more than half of the people at XJTLU truly embodied this spirit of originality, continuous innovation, and commitment, the University’s growth would be all but inevitable.
How the Three Connect
Why bring originality, innovation and commitment together, and why in this order? There is a clear logic connecting them.
The courage to be original is about having the vision to see ahead and choosing your direction.
First, you need to understand where the world is heading, choose your own direction and path, and know what distinctive value and impact you want to create.
Continuous innovation is how you turn that vision into reality.
Over the years, we have used various expressions to describe continuous innovation, including continually “resetting”. At XJTLU, we need to reset and keep innovating at every stage. But resetting does not mean starting from scratch. It means moving forward from a new foundation. Once your direction is clear, you still need to keep adapting and innovating to find ways to get there.
Commitment is the spirit that drives you.
It is a way of acting, driven by determination, conviction and your original purpose: having the courage to do what needs to be done.
So, these three ideas are connected. First, you must be willing to innovate and create, while making sure you choose the right direction. Second, you need to find the right approach to bring your ideas to life. Finally, you must have the determination, the mental readiness, and the capabilities to take on the responsibility.
Originality answers the question of where to go. Continuous innovation answers how to get there. Commitment asks whether you have the courage and ability to see the journey through.
This is the logic that unites the three defining elements of XJTLU’s spirit.
Professor Youmin Xi
Executive President of Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Liverpool