President S. Joe Qin delivers keynote address at Eastern Institute of Technology, Ningbo, inauguration ceremony
President S. Joe Qin delivers a keynote speech at the inauguration ceremony of the Eastern Institute of Technology, Ningbo.
Prof S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science at Lingnan University, joined over 700 distinguished guests and leaders from academia, industry, and government for the Eastern Institute of Technology, Ningbo's (EIT) inauguration ceremony.
Later, at the Eastern Institute of Technology Higher Education Forum, President Qin delivered a keynote speech, A Global Research University in the Digital Era, to over 40 senior members of higher education institutions, offering a visionary perspective and exploring the transformation and development of the sector amid the wave of artificial intelligence (AI).
President Qin began by extending warm congratulations on the EIT, and then described Lingnan University's pioneering work as a key case study, presenting the systematic "action plan" adopted by the international research-focused liberal arts university in response to the digital age.
President Qin describes Lingnan University's pioneering work as a model for international research-focused liberal arts universities.
His address focused on the disruptive impact of generative AI on higher education, where he noted that AI is not only reshaping how knowledge is acquired and created, but also directly challenging traditional models of cultivating talent. He emphasised that education must remain centred on nurturing the core human qualities that AI cannot replace, specifically the development of students' critical thinking and ethical judgement.
Other keynote speakers included Prof Lin Jianhua, former President of Peking University; Prof Shi Yigong, President of Westlake University; Prof Mao Junfa, President of Shenzhen University; Prof Gu Sai, Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Warwick; Prof Jasper Knoester, Pro-Rector of Leiden University; and Prof Leo Liu Mian, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International) of the University of Technology Sydney, as well as leading educators from China and all over the world.