The Chancellor Inauguration Meeting of Guangdong Technion - Israel Institute of Technology was held at the Auditorium this afternoon. 

Mr. Zhu Chaohua, Deputy Director General of Guangdong Education Department; Mr. Lin Xiaoyong, Deputy Mayor of Shantou; Prof. Jiang Hong, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of GTIIT and President of Shantou University; Mr. Huang Huiyang and Prof. Wang Quan, board members of GTIIT; Prof. Gong Xingao, Chancellor of GTIIT; leaders from Shantou government and Shantou University, as well as the faculty, staff, and student representatives from GTIIT were also present on site to witness this exciting moment together.

Prof. Uri Sivan, Vice Chairperson of GTIIT Board of Directors and President of the Technion; Prof. Liu Wenhua, former Acting Chancellor of GTIIT and Vice President of Shantou University; board members of GTIIT Prof. Aaron Ciechanover, Prof. Oded Rabinovitch and Prof. Boaz Golany; Prof. Eliezer Shalev, Vice Chancellor of GTIIT, and other management and faculty currently in Israel or other places attended the meeting online.

The meeting was hosted by Prof. Lin Danming, Pro-Vice Chancellor of GTIIT.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of GTIIT, Prof. Jiang Hong, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of GTIIT and President of Shantou University announced the official appointment of Prof. Gong Xingao as the Chancellor of GTIIT. She also congratulated Prof. Gong on behalf of the leadership of Shantou University. “Under the leadership of Prof. Gong, GTIIT will surely become a gathering place of talents, advance better to a world-class research-based university, and cultivate more high-level talents in science and engineering for Guangdong and Shantou.” Said Prof. Jiang Hong.

Prof. Uri Sivan, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of GTIIT and President of the Technion –Israel Institute of Technology expressed his warm welcome to Prof. Gong Xingao. He said that science was a bridge between different countries and it was a common language of the world. "We hope that under the leadership of Prof. Gong, GTIIT will cultivate more future scientists and engineers, and provide high-level talents and intelligent support to facilitate high-quality development of the world."

Mr. Zhu Chaohua, Deputy Director General of Guangdong Education Department congratulated Prof. Gong Xingao for his appointment as chancellor of GTIIT. He said that the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial Government and Provincial Education Department attached great importance to the construction of the leadership team of GTIIT. "Prof. Gong is an eminent scientist in the field of computational physics. He has excellent scientific research achievements as well as rich university management experience. We believe that he is very appropriate for the position of GTIIT Chancellor and hope that he will fulfill his responsibilities, lead GTIIT to a higher level and achieve more substantial progress."

Mr. Peleg Lewi, the Consul General of Israel in Guangzhou expressed his welcome to Prof. Gong Xingao though a congratulation letter. He said that GTIIT and the Consulate had long and firm relations, and the Consulate would always provide solid support to GTIIT when needed. “I hope to have opportunity to welcome you personally in Guangzhou and develop stronger bond between us.”

Prof. Gong Xingao, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chancellor of GTIIT delivered his inaugural speech. He expressed his gratitude to Guangdong Provincial Government, Shantou Municipal Government, the Li Ka-Shing Foundation, Shantou University and the Technion for their devotion to the construction of GTIIT. He also expressed his special thanks to GTIIT’s first Chancellor Li Jian’ge, as well as Acting Chancellor Liu Wenhua for their significant contributions and efforts to GTIIT. 

Prof. Gong said, "GTIIT will keep in mind the original aspiration and mission of Sino-foreign cooperative education, seize the strategic opportunities in scientific and technological innovations, promote the talent cultivation and strive to become an internationally recognized research university as quickly as possible." He believes that with the care and support of the government at all levels, Shantou University and Li Ka-Shing Foundation, and with the joint efforts of our faculty, staff and students, GTIIT will bank on the Technion, our mother institute, inherit and carry forward the outstanding academic genes and traditions of the Technion, and will successfully blaze a new trail in building a world-renowned leading university with distinctive features. “Let’s work together and strive for a better future of GTIIT.” Said Prof. Gong Xingao.

As the first "Academician Chancellor" of a university in the east, west and north of Guangdong Province, Prof. Gong Xingao's appointment has been highly valued and fully supported by the provincial and municipal government, and will have a positive impact on the development of both GTIIT and Shantou City.

After the inauguration ceremony, Prof. Gong Xingao was interviewed by the journalists at the Visitors and Innovation Center of GTIIT.

Text/Photos: GTIIT News & Public Affairs