On June the 14th, President Pei Gang, VP Dong Qi, VP Wu Zhiqiang and other leaders of Tongji University arrived in Helsinki, Finland, companied by Dean of D&I, Prof. Lou Yongqi, Director of International Office, Prof. Li Zhenyu, to participate the fifth SFC Advisory Board Meeting. Along with the president delegation were nearly 50 students and teachers of 2013Tongji on Tracks.
On 15th, President Pei came to the Business school of Aalto University, President Pei and VP Seristö from Aalto had a thematic discussion on how to expand collaboration among Executive Education, entrepreneurship education and architecture education. Assistant Dean, Prof. Shi Qian from Tongji Economy and Management School and Dean Björkman introduced the endeavors of Executive Education in each university. President Pei suggested two universities to improve the collaboration level of executive education by many approaches, such as EMBA, double degree and so on. Later, Prof. Lou introduced the Tongji Entrepreneurship Valley. Associate Vice President Dr. Seppo Laukkanen introduced Aalto Venture Program and entrepreneurship supporting system.
On 17th, the fifth SFC AB meeting was launched in Aalto University. President Pei made the opening speech, stating that this year is a productive year for SFC as well as for China, great changes have happened in china, along with opportunities and challenges. Advisory Board members discussed the future blueprint of SFC, especially focusing on the core work of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, building the international minor degree and launching joint-school on research of feasibility. Both agreed that in the future AB meeting would be set during Shanghai Design Week in November.
President Pei stated to build minor degree, including business, design, technology and other majors, to all students in Tongji with Aalto, as well as sustainable education program. President Pei also encouraged more higher level exchange programs among young scholars.
Referring to Tongji Entrepreneurship Valley(TEV), President Pei pointed out that innovative practical courses of SFC, such as Tongji on Tracks, could be put into minor degree, as well as practical projects of TEV. President Teeri introduced Aalto’s experience on building minor degree.
After AB Meeting, President Pei and President Teeri held the annual president dialogue. President Teeri introduced Aalto’s recent strategic work, like Green Campus, entrepreneurship education, interdisciplinary research platform. She agreed on the minor degree building, joint summer school which were discussed in the AB Meeting. President Pei underlined that two universities had many similarities on development strategy. He proposed to recruit Tongji-Aalto joint chair, absorbing Chinese teaching teachers for the development of Aalto’s Chinese education.
Besides visiting Aalto University, leaders from Tongji also visited Chinese Embassy, Tekes, TONE, Espoo Economic and Trade Bureau and Helsinki University.
