Light and Wings

Dear staff and students,

The time has come for us to bid farewell to 2014 and welcome in the eagerly anticipated New Year. The annual Christmas celebrations bring us together as a family, as we express our thanks for all the opportunities and support we have received, celebrate the accomplishments and developments of the past 12 months, and confidently step into a challenging yet promising New Year. At this special moment, I would like to extend my congratulations and heartfelt thanks to all staff members and students on behalf of Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University. Congratulations on the great job each one of you has done in the past year! I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to all of you for your diligence and hard work, which have undoubtedly made XJTLU a better place to study for its students. Without you, all our achievements over the past year would not have been possible. I am also immensely thankful to students’ parents, alumni and society for their enduring support! Please allow me to wish you all the best in your life and career.

Over the past eight years, we have dreamed big, held on to our pioneering spirit, turned the seemingly impossible into reality, and achieved many "firsts" for a Sino-foreign cooperative university. For example, we were the first Sino-foreign cooperative university with strong-strong collaboration to become an independent legal entity; the first such institution to propose the long-term vision of becoming an international institute in China and a Chinese institute recognised internationally for its unique features; the first university in which all students receive a UK and Chinese dual degree; the first international university to be equipped with such a large-scale language centre; and the largest and most comprehensive institution that also set up a Sino-foreign Cooperative Universities Union.

XJTLU has just unveiled its motto: “Light and Wings”. Firstly, the new motto combines the concept of shedding light on knowledge (in response to the University of Liverpool’s motto Fiat Lux, which means “let there be light”). The idea is that education gives students the wings to fly, and thus the ability to surpass themselves. “Light and Wings”, therefore, is an abbreviated version of “light to see” and “wings to fly”. The Chinese version of the motto, meanwhile, is considered an abbreviated form of Xi’an Jiaotong University’s motto: “Rigour, integrity, determination, and loyalty”. The Chinese version also pays homage to a number of Chinese classics. For example, it draws spirit from “A gentleman shall learn extensively and keep himself under the restraint of the rules of propriety” (The Analects of Confucius), and “Learn extensively, inquire thoroughly, ponder prudently, discriminate clearly and practice devotedly” (The Book of Rites). Moreover, it emphasises the unity of knowing and practising, as well as the courage to bear responsibilities. Last but not the least, the motto echoes XJTLU’s core philosophy of “happy life, successful career”.

Globalisation and the internet have brought radical changes to our lives, and it is within this context that XJTLU has committed itself to exploring new educational philosophies and educational models. Our aim is to create a new type of international university capable of exerting influence on the world stage. The uncertainties, ambiguities, complexities and capriciousness of modern society have placed new demands on nurturing talent. Traditional educational concepts, teaching methods and university management models are all facing unprecedented challenges brought about by new science and technology. Universities must reconsider the significance and value of education, and continuously enhance their teaching and management models in response to the new demands of society. Only by breaking away from the traditional approaches and embracing innovative ideas can we achieve better development in the future.

Looking into the future, XJTLU will ride the wave of this new era as it continues to explore advanced educational philosophy that fits in with current and future trends. It will also continue to redefine the teaching process by employing the latest educational technology. As a second-mover in the field of education with unique advantages and an ambitious mission, XJTLU will keep improving its newly-built, network-based organizational structure and the operation and management mechanism, and build an academic landscape that allows symbiosis and flurishing of XJTLU and other partner universities. XJTLU will also draw lessons from past experiences while extending the impact of its educational innovations, with a view to reinforcing social partnership and service, and promoting economic restructuring and upgrading.

Among all these important tasks, XJTLU places a great premium on research-led. XJTLU is determined to become a research-led university that encourages research-led teaching, learning and working. Unlike traditional universities, which develop research-led teaching and learning merely by introducing research results and methods into class and providing students with research opportunities, XJTLU breaks away from the traditional teacher-led class model by embracing an ability-led model that places students and learning at the centre of our education. Instead of simply imparting facts to students, classes at XJTLU introduce some of the latest educational technology, such as flipped classrooms, cloud-based resources and blended learning. Students are taught how to learn through “phenomena, scientific problems and existing challenges”, which guide them in their studies, stimulate their curiosity, strengthen their critical abilities, nurture their creativity, and transform the way they think.

“Research-led learning” is aimed at transforming students’ learning habits from passive to active, then to “research-led learning”, which encourages students to use modern technology such as the Internet to solve problems they have come across themselves or encountered in class, explain phenomena, questions and carry out research. It also calls for discussions in groups and classes that will help students learn better and improve their ability to combine and apply knowledge. Students also learn how to conduct research and solve problems, and gain new insights from this process. “Research-led working” encourages all faculty members at XJTLU to approach their work as if they were carrying out research. They are not only able to complete the tasks assigned to them orderly and efficiently, but also get to take pleasure in innovating. XJTLU encourages all faculty members to work in a positive, reflective and case-based manner, and bear in mind the philosophy of “always trying to do things better” and constant improvement and innovation.

There is growing awareness of “XJTLU education” and the “XJTLU model” in China and even the world. They are the embodiment of the wisdom of all XJTLU staff members and students, and represent the expectations of all parents and members of society who have lent their support to this course. XJTLU is trying to build itself as a miracle-maker in education and to honour its name by taking the best from both Eastern and Western education and combining traditional education with online education, teaching and learning with scientific research, and taking them to a higher level. As an emerging international university meeting up with future trends and demands, XJTLU will give full play to its second-mover advantages and extend its impact to the blooming higher education reform in China, and even to the world’s higher education development.

2015 is the year of the goat according to the Chinese Zodiac. The goat symbolises beauty, peace and wisdom in Chinese culture. Here I would like to express my wish that all XJTLU staff members and students bear in mind our new motto, “Light and Wings”, and develop a “research-led” attitude towards study and work. I also wish all of you a happy and successful new year!

Professor Youmin Xi
Executive President of Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
Pro-Vice-Chancellor of University of Liverpool