25 Nov 2025
Held on the afternoon of 19 November, the Department of Foundational Mathematics at the School of Mathematics and Physics (SMP), Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU), hosted a "Linear Algebra Student-Staff Dialogue". The event attracted active participation from Year 1 students. Through exchanges between staff and students, alongside sharing from outstanding senior students, the session provided a multi-dimensional interpretation of learning pathways and the application value of Linear Algebra, helping students grasp key course concepts, understand disciplinary logic, and establish effective university-level study methods through face-to-face communication.
The session was hosted by Dr Yi Wang. Dr Rui Zhang, Head of the Department, delivered the opening remarks, emphasising the irreplaceable importance of Linear Algebra as a foundational tool for modern science and engineering, particularly in fields such as data science, engineering modelling, and artificial intelligence. "Building a solid foundation and asking questions actively are crucial steps in embarking on academic studies at university," Dr Zhang stated.
Dr Rui Zhang
During the event, Dr Wang also introduced the rules for this semester's "Academic Excellence Award", designed to motivate students to pursue academic excellence and enhance their classroom engagement and learning initiative.
Dr Yi Wang
The session then moved to the staff-student exchange segment, where several academic staff members, including Dr Haoran Chen, Dr Mu He, Dr Bo Liu, Dr Linxiao Xu, Dr Chi-Ru Yang, and Dr Qiang Niu, engaged with the students. Dr Mu He, Dr Bo Liu, and Dr Linxiao Xu combined their teaching and research experiences to share insights on key learning focuses in Linear Algebra, disciplinary applications, and effective learning methods extended to university studies. They not only explained how theoretical knowledge connects to practice but also provided detailed answers to difficulties raised by students, creating a lively interactive atmosphere.
Dr Mu He
Dr Linxiao Xu
In addition to staff sharing, the event invited six Year 2 students from various programmes—including Applied Mathematics, Financial Mathematics, Information and Computing Science, Economics and Finance, and Electrical Engineering and Automation—to offer advice based on their own learning journeys.
The student speakers, Youze Zhang, Bowei Tu, Tongyu Wu, Haohan Lin, You Wu, and Jiawei Zou, shared their personal experiences with Linear Algebra and insights from subsequent courses. They offered practical advice from different perspectives, covering topics such as time management, exercise practice, and knowledge expansion, providing valuable references for their juniors.
During the discussion, students raised common concerns regarding "how to understand abstract concepts", "how to complete after-class exercises efficiently", and "how to make use of office hours". Addressing these queries, the teachers encouraged students to participate actively in exchanges without anxiety. They pointed out that "learning mathematics is not about rote memorisation of knowledge points, but understanding structure and logic". The staff emphasised that office hours are a valuable resource, and students should learn to bring specific questions to explore thought processes together with their lecturers.
This dialogue not only built an open and equal platform for communication but also effectively helped Year 1 students clarify the direction of their Linear Algebra studies, strengthening their confidence in facing academic challenges at university. The School of Mathematics and Physics has always prioritised staff-student exchange. Supported by the Department of Foundational Mathematics, the Linear Algebra Student-Staff Dialogue has become a tradition. The School will continue to promote such interactions to support students’ continuous progress on their academic paths.
By Yi Wang
Edited by Qinru Liu
25 Nov 2025