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 to extend the most heartfelt gratitude and best wishes to you all. Thanks go to our staff for your unremitting efforts and significant contributions to the development of XJTLU in the past year, and to our students for your interaction and contribution to the unique learning and teaching model. At this special time of year, I would like you to join me in expressing our sincere gratitude to students’ family members and to people in all social strata who care for and support the development of XJTLU.

Christmas means this year is coming to an end. Every time when we look back on the road young and vigorous XJTLU has passed, we felt extremely excited and encouraged for what the University has achieved: XJTLU was granted degree awarding powers from the Ministry of Education, our first cohort of graduates were well received by the academic community, more than 1,700 new students from around the world joined XJTLU, the Science Building was put into use, construction of the north campus started, the University set aside a generous amount of external funding for the Research Development Fund and Postgraduate Research Scholarship Fund, a number of innovative research projects were initiated, the University has attracted wider recognition from society. In particular, it is worth mentioning that the proposal on the development of Chinese higher education based on XJTLU’s experience has attracted attention from the Ministry of Education and was shared with the provincial department of education and universities that are directly under the administration of the MoE.

Christmas also means the start of a brand new year. Realisation of XJTLU’s vision and mission urges us to keep considering, exploring and experimenting with this new model of education. The effective implementation of XJTLU's five-star education model relies on a shared understanding of the model among staff and students, and on staged application in all aspects of learning and teaching. Becoming a research-led international university depends on more top-quality research projects and more research students. A pleasant, international campus and culture and a powerful support system are also essential to the achievement of the vision and mission. In a new year of pursuing these objectives, I hope XJTLU is able to display brand-new brilliance.

As we clearly know, the development of XJTLU is only in its foundation stage, and there will be more challenges and peaks to conquer, which requires all staff and students belonging to the XJTLU family to continuously devote their passion, faith and efforts to the University.

In this special season, I would like to send my best wishes to you and your family, 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
20 December 2010