Forever a 'young adult': Professor Xi joins Melbourne alumni for XJTLU’s 20th anniversary

On 8 August, the second Southern Hemisphere stop of “Next Together” – XJTLU’s series of 20th-anniversary alumni events – was held in Melbourne, Australia. Alumni gathered to reflect on their journeys, exchange career insights, and celebrate two decades of their alma mater.

The event opened with a relaxed luncheon, where alumna Lanke Li presented Professor Youmin Xi, Executive President of XJTLU, with an Australian-themed gift on behalf of alumni in the country. Alumna Yaxin Luo noted that 8 August also marked the 18th anniversary of Professor Xi joining XJTLU full-time, and wished that he would remain the University’s “young adult” forever. The group then sang My People, My Country, and XJTLU’s anthem, Onwards We Go, a nod to their lasting ties to both homeland and alma mater.

Alumni network spans the globe

Kun Wang, Deputy Head of the Student Admissions and Career Development Office, traced how the University’s alumni network has grown over two decades and highlighted recent progress in XJTLU’s partnerships with Australian universities.

XJTLU now counts more than 50,000 alumni worldwide. A development report covering its first 10 graduating classes – over 6,000 alumni – shows graduates active across technology, finance, research, government, healthcare, and consulting. In Australia, alumni are concentrated in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, with 61% holding manager-level roles or above. Wang said XJTLU’s globalisation shows not just in how many graduates study abroad, but in their ability to become genuine “global players”.

Beyond AI, embrace responsibility

Professor Xi reflected on XJTLU’s rapid growth over 20 years, the evolution of its educational philosophy, and its vision ahead. He stressed that XJTLU’s mission goes beyond running a successful university – it aims to shape education in China and globally through its own practice.

Turning to careers in the AI era, Professor Xi urged alumni not to see AI as a rival. Instead, he said, they should learn to work alongside it while building the higher-order judgement and creative sense that AI cannot replicate – skills that let people understand technology more deeply and take responsibility for how it is used.

He went on to describe the “XJTLU Family”: a community bound by shared success, in which alumni achievements build the University’s reputation while XJTLU’s growth opens new platforms for graduates. Success, he said, has no single definition – “if something is worthwhile and you make it happen, that is success.” He encouraged alumni to meet every challenge with a positive mindset, turning difficulty into achievement.

Kun Wang

Professor Youmin Xi

Start first, recalibrate later

Alumni speakers traced careers across countries and industries – from running DiDi’s Australian operations to rehabilitation robotics, hotel management, and entrepreneurship – each shaped by continuous learning and adaptation.

Lanke Li, who began her BSc in Information Management and Information Systems at XJTLU in 2011, graduated with offers from University College London, the University of Melbourne and Uber – yet chose the path with the least certainty. Over 15 years across the UK, Singapore, Australia, and the Middle East, she learned to keep observing and relearning in each new market, later leading DiDi’s Egypt team to over 30% market share. “At XJTLU, I stopped looking for the one right answer,” she said. “I learned to take the first step even without one.”

Lanke Li

Yaxin Luo, who started her BA in China Studies at XJTLU in 2017, moved into hotel management – a career she never planned – after graduating. From a frontline role at Haidilao to management at Quest, and later founding her own travel agency, she took each opportunity as it came. “Real job security isn’t one stable job,” she said. “It’s the ability to make a living wherever you go.”

Yaxin Luo

Yangmengfei Xu, who began his BEng in Electrical Engineering at XJTLU in 2012, is now pursuing a PhD at the University of Melbourne’s Human Robotics Lab. After working as an engineering technician at DJI, he moved into research spanning tactile sensors, rehabilitation and mining robotics, and community-use robots – work that bridges research and real-world application.

Yangmengfei Xu

Professor Xi presents letters of appreciation to alumni who supported the event

Deepening ties with Melbourne

On 7 August, Dr Qijian Xie, Director of XJTLU’s Student Affairs Office, led a visit to the Melbourne Business School to discuss student progression, admissions collaboration, and doctoral training. Ranked among the world’s leading universities and home to students from over 150 countries, the School covers accounting, economics, finance, management, and marketing.

Drawing on XJTLU students’ progression pathways, both sides discussed streamlining applications, creating a direct university-to-university early-application track, simplifying materials, and exploring doctoral scholarships and further collaboration, with plans to formalise a cooperation agreement. The School also plans to visit XJTLU this autumn for a session with Year Three students.

The Melbourne trip marked both a key stop in XJTLU’s 20th-anniversary celebrations and a step in its wider push to expand international partnerships. By connecting alumni, universities and global partners, XJTLU is building an ever more connected network for education and collaboration.

By Bo Kou

Translated by Xiangyin Han

Edited by Xinmin Han

Photos courtesy of XJTLU Alumni Affairs Office