Christmas and New Year Greetings to All Staff and Students

Dear staff and students,

With Christmas and New Year around the corner, I would like, on behalf of Xi‘an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, to extend the most heartfelt gratitude and best wishes to you all and to express sincere appreciation for your unremitting efforts and significant contributions to the development of XJTLU as well as congratulations to students on your progress and advancements in the past year. As family and friends come together at this festive time, I wish to avail myself of this opportunity to deliver thanks and respect to your family members and to the people in all social strata who care for and support the development of XJTLU. Thank you all! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

In retrospection, we yielded much in 2009. The vision and mission of the University have been well recognised by staff members and students, and also won acknowledgement and respect in social dimensions. The 5-year Strategic Plan was initiated and the university scale and academic staff numbers continued to expand, the campus environment and facilities for teaching and scientific research kept improving, the education concept featuring a perfect match of Western and Chinese essence has taken shape, students enjoy a passion for study with much lifted quality and capability, and the educational and operational modes unique to international universities are highly commended. All the achievements are the fruit of diligence and joint endeavours from you all. We are on the way to building XJTLU into a research-led international university in China and a Chinese university recognised internationally with its unique features, and your pioneering spirit is much valued and respected.

With the New Year approaching, XJTLU will also usher in a new chapter. We will continue the in-depth exploration and practice of an innovative educational model, reinforce our efforts towards constructing a research-related infrastructure, enhance research strength, speed up the construction of the Technology Transfer Centre approved and supported by Jiangsu province, upgrade social services, enlarge the teaching staff numbers and continually improve the basic management services platform. In addition, the Science Teaching and Research Building, which has blended modern, eco-friendly and fashionable elements, will be opened for use; a ceremony will be launched to celebrate the first-ever graduates of XJTLU; the Administration and Learning Resources Building (a landmark for XJTLU and Suzhou City at large) and Buildings for Engineering Sciences, Architecture, Language and Culture, Business Economics and Management will begin construction; nearly 100 prestigious scholars from a host of countries will join us to boost our teaching and scientific research power, and more than 1,000 top-level undergraduates, postgraduates and doctoral students will be enrolled.

To be honest, as a university with no more than four years of history, the road ahead is bound to be long and winding. However, with the wisdom and devotion of all staff, the creativity and efforts of all students, the assistance and contributions from our parent universities, the strong support from governments at all levels and the care and supervision from student parents and the whole society, plus the effective resource integration in match with unique university model, educational conception highlighting the perfect combination of Western and Chinese culture and education essence in keeping with the world development trend, and much assured guarantee based on sound governing system and efficient management mode, I’m convinced that in the new year, a brand-new brilliance will be displayed by XJTLU. 

Finally, I wish everybody a very Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and health and happiness to all. 

Professor Youmin Xi
Executive President of XJTLU
Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool, UK
8 December 2009