Two decades of Syntegration as prologue; together we chart XJTLU's future

Dear colleagues, students, alumni and friends,

As the lights of XJTLU's 20th anniversary celebration illuminated Suzhou, Xi'an, New York, Liverpool and other parts of the world, this grand event spanning mountains and seas may have drawn to a close. Yet those shining moments and warm memories will be etched forever into the annals of XJTLU's development.

What the outside world saw could be a thought-provoking forum and a global alumni reunion, but what I want you to see most is the human warmth of every XJTLU community member behind it all: the lights burning through the night in academic halls, the meticulous care embedded in administrative services, the thirst for knowledge shining in students' eyes, the heartfelt homecoming of our alumni who journeyed thousands of miles to revisit XJTLU, and the selfless support of friends from all sectors. It is precisely this connection that transcends mountains and seas that makes us all gaze toward the future with the same starlight of shared aspiration in our eyes. On behalf of the university, I would like to express my most sincere gratitude to all staff, students, alumni and friends who have dedicated their efforts to this great event and walked with us on this remarkable 20-year journey.

Looking Back Over Two Decades: From “One Building” to “An Ecosystem”

Twenty years ago, XJTLU began its journey from a single building on Ren'ai Road in Suzhou Industrial Park. From the XJTLU 1.0 Model through 2.0, 3.0, to today’s 4.0 Model, every expansion and evolution has been guided by the same principle: “Future Oriented, Wisdom Driven”.

The XJTLU 1.0 Model established the foundational framework of international education, integrating Eastern and Western educational philosophies and best practices, and adopting a student-centred approach. XJTLU 2.0 pioneered the industry elite cultivation model, building the Syntegrative Education system that combines academic excellence with practical industry experience and development trends. XJTLU 3.0 deepened industry-education integration further, taking university as adhesive, catalyst and booster for nurturing an industrial innovative ecosystem.

I often say to my friends that one’s life and career both follow natural cycles. To achieve long-term prosperity, we must proactively step out of our comfort zones, expand or upgrade in a timely manner, and enter new cycles of development. My decision to leave China’s public higher education system to join XJTLU at 50 was precisely such a leap. Today, standing at the milestone of our 20th anniversary, we embark on the XJTLU 4.0 Model, which is an equally proactive upgrade. Peaks are always followed by decline, and the best way to keep the tree of our university evergreen is to proactively reset, reflect and reposition ourselves before reaching the summit.

Embarking on a New Journey: XJTLU 4.0, Building a “Value Hub” for Future Society

Today, we must confront the profound questions of our time. As the tide of deglobalisation surges, as AI widens the wealth and intelligence divide, and as humanity's deepening confusion about “the meaning of work” and “the value of life” grows, future society will inevitably face profound governance challenges. As educators and as a university, how must we reshape ourselves to explore solutions for the sustainable development and civilisational progress of future societies?

XJTLU 4.0 is our definitive response to these questions. This is an upgrade, but more importantly, is a paradigm revolution toward a broader social arena and the construction of a syntegrative ecosystem.

Under the 4.0 Model, we will transcend the physical walls and ideological barriers between universities and society. We will transform our campuses into "Societal Laboratories for the Future", where teachers, students, alumni, enterprises, governments and all sectors of society jointly explore our unique solutions to complex challenges including education in the digital-intelligent era, responses to population aging, carbon neutrality practices, artificial intelligence ethics, new social structures, and sustainable development. We will extend education from stage-based learning to a lifelong learning ecosystem, enabling people to achieve capability iteration and value creation on the XJTLU platform. We will elevate XJTLU's 3.0 mission of serving industrial innovation ecosystems to one of deep participation in the creation and exploration of a society of lifelong learning and continuous innovation.

At the core of this exploration lies an altruistic and synergistic development as well as win-win or mutual-benefit mechanism. It will enable XJTLU to become a true value hub connecting industry, academia, research, government, and society, and contributing XJTLU's wisdom to building a future lifelong learning and innovative social ecosystem where everyone can participate and benefit.

The Next 20 Years: Illuminating Our Path Forward with "the Same Starlight"

The 20th anniversary marks a new beginning. As long as the entire XJTLU community preserves our innovative spirit and stands solidly, we will undoubtedly carve out our own distinctive path in this transformative era. Teachers remain committed to enlightening minds and shaping the future. Students embody the spirit of curious exploration and pioneering courage. Alumni carry forward the commitment to giving back to their alma mater and serving society. Administrative teams uphold the responsibility of efficient collaboration and enabling innovation. Friends from all sectors extend their trust through openness, inclusiveness and unwavering support.

Once again, thank you to every XJTLUer for your tireless efforts. Let us embark on this new journey together and write the next glorious chapter of XJTLU.

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