XJTLU establishes a CIE branch in Singapore

Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) officially opened a new overseas division in Singapore as part of its growing initiatives to connect academic expertise with international industry.

The Singapore centre, the second outpost of XJTLU's College of Industry-Entrepreneurs (CIE) Belt and Road Division, was formally established on 13 April 2026 at the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM). The division opened its first overseas presence in Budapest in 2024.

Set to bridge the gap between research and global business, the centre offers Chinese enterprises a single platform for entering Southeast Asia. It provides an integrated range of services covering market research, investment consulting, government-enterprise matchmaking, talent development, and technology incubation.

The ceremony brought together Professor Youmin Xi, Executive President of XJTLU, and Professor Kwok Kee Wei, President and Chief Executive Officer of SIM, who jointly unveiled plaques marking both the Belt and Road Division (Singapore) of the CIE and the simultaneous launch of an International Student Exchange Centre (Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University) at SIM.

Professor Youmin Xi (left) and Professor Kwok Kee Wei unveiling the plaques for the CIE Belt and Road Division (Singapore)

Professor Youmin Xi (left) and Professor Kwok Kee Wei unveiling the plaques for SIM International Student Exchange Centre (Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University)

Both institutions described the partnership as an "integration and interdependence" model of cooperation. Yunyu Jia was formally appointed Industry Dean of the new division, receiving his appointment letter from Professor Xi at the ceremony attended by assembled guests from the education, business, industrial, and media sectors of China and Singapore.

Yunyu Jia (right) being appointed as the Industry Dean of CIE’s Belt and Road Division (Singapore)

Five organisations were accredited as founding strategic partners: Bank of Suzhou Singapore Representative Office, Soochow Securities (Singapore) Financial Holdings, Zhongtai International Holdings, SIG Global, and Homeland Digital Consulting.

Both presidents delivered speeches at the ceremony, expressing high expectations for deeper cooperation between China and Singapore across education, industry and talent development. Joining them was Professor Xiaobo Xu, Executive Dean of CIE and Director of the HeXie Management Research Centre, who would go on to moderate the day's panel discussion.

Professor Youmin Xi

Professor Kwok Kee Wei

In his keynote, titled "Ecologisation in the Digital Intelligence Era: From XJTLU's Exploration to Practices in Southeast Asia", Professor Xi argued for a model of industrial development in which universities do not sit apart from commerce but are woven directly into it. He outlined specific pathways for industry-university-research integration and spoke to what he sees as the practical implications for Chinese enterprises expanding into Southeast Asia.

The panel discussion that followed, moderated by Professor Xu, gave the founding partners a chance to speak plainly. Lingjie Shen of Soochow Securities, Rong Rong of Zhongtai International, Riwei Gao of SIG Global, and Jing Huang of Homeland Digital Consulting each addressed the opportunities available in Southeast Asia and the specific difficulties Chinese firms face when expanding abroad.

From left: Professor Xu, Lingjie Shen of Soochow Securities, Rong Rong of Zhongtai International, Riwei Gao of SIG Global, and Jing Huang of Homeland Digital Consulting

The Singapore division will cater to the Southeast Asia region, including Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. It follows the CIE’s Central and Eastern Europe division, which opened in Hungary in 2024. These centres mark significant steps in XJTLU’s global development in its 20th anniversary while also serving the national Belt and Road initiative.

By HeXie Management Office
Edited by Vionna Fiducia Theja and Patricia Pieterse
Photos courtesy of HeXie Management Office