The 7th TCTF-NTU Advanced Leadership Development Forum Successfully Held in Singapore

中文

On 8 March, the 7th TCTF-NTU Advanced Leadership Development Forum was successfully held in Singapore. The theme of this forum was "Innovation-Driven Development Strategy and Talents Nurturing in the Post Pandemic Era". The forum brought together university-level leaders of six well-known Chinese universities, as well as officials from the universities, research institutions, and government departments in Singapore to deliberate this central topic in depth both in person and online. Over 200 people attended the event in person, and nearly 200 others participated online. Prof Liu Hong, Nanyang Technological University’s (NTU) Associate Vice President (International engagement), Associate Prof Wang Jue, Director of the Nanyang Centre for Public Administration (NCPA) at NTU , as well as Dr Dai Shiyan and Mr Wang Hang, both Deputy Director of NCPA, attended the forum in person.

In the opening addresses, Prof Cham Tao Soon,  member of the board of directors of the Tan Chin Tuan Foundation (TCTF) and President Emeritus of NTU, and Prof Liu Hong, spoke respectively on behalf of the TCTF and the NTU. Prof Cham emphasized the importance of both universities and industries adapting to constantly changing environments, with innovation remaining the driving force behind growth. Universities must cultivate individuals who are willing to break conventions and propose innovative strategies and solutions. Prof Liu stated that China's influence in the global innovation landscape is increasingly significant, with enhanced innovative capabilities meaning that talent plays a critical role in autonomous innovation in more focused areas.

During the keynote speech at the Forum, Vice President Han Shenghao of Shandong University delivered a presentation entitled "Promoting Innovation through Integration and Cultivating High-Quality Talent for the Future". He shared insights on the cooperation between School of Medicine Shandong University and multiple units within the university to develop knowledge-based professionals capable of addressing real-world clinical problems. Meanwhile, Prof Liu Hong delivered a speech on "Technological Innovation and the Talent War," highlighting the university's experience in discipline construction, research strategy, faculty recruitment, and training.

Deputy Vice President Tan Zheming of Nanjing University, President Yang Renshu of University of Science and Technology Beijing, and President An Lizhe of Beijing Forestry University delivered speeches online on a range of topics pertaining to interdisciplinary education, innovation, talent development, and strategic development and talent cultivation theory. In their presentations, they shared their respective institutions' best practices in responding to national development goals and nurturing multifaceted talents leveraging their unique strengths.

In the afternoon session, the forum featured a panel of distinguished speakers comprising Prof Wang Ming, Assistant President of Beijing Normal University, Prof Hong Wanjin, Director of the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Singapore, Associate Prof Wang Jue, Director of the NCPA, Prof Zhang Yanning, Assistant President of Northwestern Polytechnical University, and Mr Feng-Ji Sim, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Office of the Smart Nation and Digital Government in the Prime Minister's Office in Singapore. The speeches were delivered either in person or online. The speakers provided valuable insights from various angles on the significance of innovation and talent to both economic development and social progress, and how the two complement and reinforce each other in reality.

The three speakers from Singapore provided unique insights on Singapore's policies and advancement in science and technology innovation, from the perspectives of government, research institutions, and universities. Mr Sim shared Singapore's initiatives in building a smart nation, promoting economic growth, and enhancing national trust. Prof Hong emphasized the government's role in investing in scientific and technological development to achieve sustainable economic growth, using the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology as an example. Associate Prof Wang used the innovation policies of Hong Kong and Singapore as case studies to explain the impact of government intervention on corporate innovation.

The TCTF-NTU Advanced Leadership Development Forum has been successfully organized for seven consecutive years. The forum brought together over 100 speakers from approximately 60 universities, enterprises, and government agencies. This annual platform has significantly enabled the universities from China and Singapore to enhance their understanding in several areas, including university internationalization, innovative talent development, and inter-school cooperation, which has in turn developed the relationship among themselves and also expand their collaborations.