International Connections at XJTLU

Recent activities demonstrating XJTLU’s international connections included:

• a joint international workshop with academics from the University of Liverpool and Xi’an Jiaotong University, XJTLU’s parent universities;
• the selection of XJTLU’s International Business School Suzhou as a Champion School for the UN Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME) for a second year;
• hosting a delegation from Universitat Politècnica de València; and
• the first outcome of a partnership between XJTLU’s School of Science and Pusan National University in South Korea.

Universities’ joint workshop promotes international academic research

XJTLU’s School of Mathematics and Physics recently hosted a two-day academic workshop with the University of Liverpool and Xi'an Jiaotong University (XJTU). The joint workshop attracted more than 70 experts, scholars and students from XJTLU and other universities.

In an opening speech, Professor Zhoulin Ruan, Vice President at XJTLU, thanked the University of Liverpool and Xi'an Jiaotong University for their ongoing commitment to exchange and cooperation.

The workshop enabled scholars from the three universities to meet face-to-face to discuss cutting-edge academic issues and share research results and experiences, he said, promoting the development of international research.

Attendees of joint academic workshop with the University of Liverpool and Xi'an Jiaotong University

It also provided a valuable opportunity for academics and students, especially for those involved in the 2+2 programme and PhD students, to discuss research and teaching with academics from the universities, he added.

Seventeen researchers from the three universities gave presentations, sharing recent insights in different research areas related to mathematics and physics.

Professor Fei Ma, Associate Vice-President for Research and Impact and Acting Dean of the School of Mathematics and Physics at XJTLU; Professor Yibao Li of the School of Mathematics and Statistics at Xi'an Jiaotong University; Professor Corina Constantinescu, Director of the Institute for Financial and Actuarial Mathematics in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Liverpool; and Professor Conghua Wen, Deputy Dean of the School of Mathematics and Physics at XJTLU, hosted the event.

IBSS named PRME Champion for second year

International Business School Suzhou (IBSS) has been named a PRME Champion for the second year in a row.

The Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), an initiative of the UN Global Compact for sustainability in business and management education, awarded the designation.

IBSS was named among 47 other business and management school selected by the PRME Secretariat from a diverse and competitive pool of applicants.

The first and only PRME Champion in China, IBSS is working to create significant impacts in Responsible Management Education (RME) across the country. The school has developed award-winning sustainability initiatives, maintained leadership in RME through its research centres, and is committed to both dialogue and action on the UN Sustainability Development Goals.

According to PRME, the PRME Champions Programme not only allows academic staff to develop and share collaborative educational approaches but also serves as a 'living lab' for pioneering ideas in promoting sustainability and support of the SDGs in business and management education.

Universitat Politècnica de València and XJTLU Forge Partnerships

XJTLU hosted a delegation from Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) to discuss shared interests and potential research partnerships.

Delegation from Universitat Politècnica de València with XJTLU representatives

The UPV delegation received a warm welcome from Professor Qiuling Chao, Vice President of XJTLU, along with other representatives including Kirsty Mattinson, Head of XJTLU Global.

UPV is a Spanish institution founded in 1968. One of the top educational institutions in Spain and Europe, UPV is known for excellence in teaching, research, and innovation.

XJTLU, Pusan National University partnership results in research paper

A partnership between XJTLU’s School of Science and Pusan National University in South Korea has led to the recent acceptance of a paper in the chemistry journal Small.

This is the first outcome of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two education institutions in July. The work adds to the body of electrochemistry theory and could impact developments in renewable energy materials.

The fuel cells for hydrogen-powered vehicles produce energy through an electrochemical process. Metal/carbon composites act as catalysts, speeding reactions. However, what metals are used in the composites and how the composites are made impact these full cells’ efficiency and cost.

Platinum/carbon composites are commercially used as catalysts, but researchers are looking at other metals that could be used in the composites that are cheaper, like cobalt.

In the paper, Professor Heechae Choi of XJTLU’s Department of Chemistry at XJTLU described a way to make a cobalt/carbon composite, which exceeds the performances of the expensive commercial platinum/carbon based fuel cell catalyst.

Professor Choi combined classical electrodynamics theory and quantum mechanics calculations to create a modified theory model for this cobalt/carbon composite.

Then, Professor Helena Oi Lun Li of Pusan National University in South Korea used a plasma synthesis technique to test Professor Choi’s hypothesis and theoretical predictions.

By Qinru Liu, IBSS, XJTLU Global and Luyao Wang
Edited by Wei Zhang, Precious Chibeze, and Tamara Kaup
Photos by Jingrui Duan and courtesy of XJTLU Global