On March 27, the Launch Ceremony and Work Deployment Meeting for the 2026 SEU Year of Global Engagement was convened at the Jizhong Building Lecture Hall at SEU Jiulonghu Campus. The meeting was attended by SEU Party Secretary Wu Xiaocheng, SEU President Academician Sun Youhong, Academician Liu Jiaping, Director of SEU Academic Committee, Prof. Wang Jiangzhou, Foreign Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Peter Lund, Foreign Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, University leaders Liu Pan, Gao Liguo, Xing Jihong, Qiu Haibo, and Jin Shi, as well as David Leatherbarrow, the foreign Dean of the Architecture Internationalization Demonstration School, as well as representatives from relevant departments and faculties, foreign experts, outstanding overseas young scholars, and student representatives. The meeting was presided over by Wu Xiaocheng.
Sun Youhong pointed out that theuniversity's designation of 2026 as the “Year of Global Engagement” is a major strategic initiative based on an overall and long-term perspective. Its core is to build consensus across the university and consolidate development efforts, with greater determination and more concrete measures to construct a comprehensive, multi-level, and high-standard new pattern of opening up, making internationalization a powerful engine for theuniversity's pursuit of world-class status. He emphasized that aiming for the grand goal of ranking among the world's top universities by 2035, the University will take the “Year of Global Engagement” as a starting point to systematically advance four key tasks: First, to focus on the frontiers in scientific research cooperation, creating “major platforms” with international influence and promoting the deep transformation of international scientific research cooperation from a “project-based” approach to a “platform-based” and “institutionalized” one; Second, to integrate talent cultivation, establishing “new benchmarks” for Sino-foreign cooperative education by fully advancing the construction of Sino-foreign cooperative education institutions and deepening strategic cooperation models; Third, to strategically position key points in global engagement, strengthening “bridgeheads” that serve national strategies by substantively advancing the establishment of overseas campuses and improving the construction of a global cooperation network; Fourth, to recruit and cultivate talent with a global perspective, building a “strong magnet” for top intellectual resources by implementing the “Global Academic Partner Action Plan” and improving the support system for overseas talent recruitment.
Wu Xiaocheng announced the official launch of the 2026 SEU Year of Global Engagement. The meeting also held the inauguration and appointment ceremony for the Internationalization Strategy Advisory Committee, where Sun Youhong presented appointment letters to the appointed experts. The establishment of the Internationalization Strategy Advisory Committee will help SEU refine its international cooperation strategic layout and expand its global network.
Major initiatives, including the “Ten Internationalization Measures,” the International Communication Matrix, the AI4SEU International Student Cultivation System for students studying in China, and the cooperation project with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), were also unveiledat the meeting.
At the ceremony, Wang Jiangzhou and Liu Pan jointly inaugurated the China-UK Joint Research and Development Center for Future Wireless Communication Networks and the Southeast University China-UK Intelligent Mobile Research Center. The establishment of these two international cooperative research centers will not only focus on cutting-edge technology and deepen China-UK research collaboration, but also inject new momentum into the university's high-level international cooperation.
Peter Lund, David Leatherbarrow, and Liu Jiaping delivered speeches as expert representatives, offering suggestions and insights to deepen international cooperation and promote academic innovation.
Qiu Haibo outlined the specific work arrangements for the Year of Global Engagement, focusing on the “Twelve Action Plans for the Global Cooperation Expansion Project.”
Wu Xiaocheng stated that this meeting charts the course and consolidates efforts for SEU's international development. The university is standing on the right side of history and on the side of humancivilization's progress. More concrete measures should be adopted to advance the implementation of its internationalization strategy, continuously enhance its educational strength and international influence, and make SEU's contributions to improving the international competitiveness of Chinese education and building China into a leading country in education. He put forward three requirements: First, to enhance political awareness. We should place international development in a prominent position, integrating it throughout the entire process of fostering virtue and cultivating talent to empower the university's high-quality development through internationalization. Second, to strengthen the sense of responsibility and commitment. We should adhere to the work orientation of “creating highlights and setting benchmarks” to develop distinctive international branding achievements, strengthen inter-departmental coordination, and form a collaborative work pattern. Third, to uphold openness and inclusiveness. We should adhere to the principle of “serving our own needs while drawing on global resources” while remaining well-grounded inChina's context, maintaining SEU's distinctive characteristics, telling China's story well, and pooling global efforts.
Source: International Cooperation Department, SEU
Translated by: Melody Zhang
Proofread by: Leah Li
Edited by: Leah Li
