2022 marks the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Israel. On September 4, the 2022 China-Israel Innovation Cooperation Week (CIICW) & China-Israel Innovation and Development Forum, hosted by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the PRC, Ministry of Economy and Industry of Israel, Jiangsu Provincial Government, and Embassy of Israel in China, opened in China-Israel Changzhou Innovation Village in Jiangsu. Prof. Gong Xingao, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Chancellor of Guangdong Technion – Israel Institute of Technology (GTIIT) attended and shared his practices on innovative education via a keynote speech at the event.

Themed “With You·With Innovation”, the 2022 CIICW is among the congratulations events on the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Israel. It is a five-day series of exchanges and docking in fields of industry, investment, technology, education, talents, and culture for enterprises and research institutes across the country, with the purpose of joint development in innovation on both sides.

Secretary of the Communist Party of China’s Jiangsu Provincial Committee Wu Zhenglong attended and announced the event open. Head of China’s Science and Technology Ministry Wang Zhigang, Minister of Economy and Industry of Israel Orna Barbivai, CEO of the Israel Innovation Authority Dror Bin, and Chinese Ambassador to Israel Cai Run delivered video addresses at the opening session. China’s Vice Minister of Science and Technology Zhang Guangjun, Vice-governor of Jiangsu Province Hu Guangjie, and Israel’s Ambassador to China Irit Ben-Abba Vitale attended the opening ceremony.

At the Forum, Chancellor Gong gave a keynote speech entitled “Innovative Education Provides Fundamental Guarantees for Innovative Development”. In a constantly developing sci-tech era, innovation, for which Israel is known world-widely, revealed the country’s power. As a model of China-Israel educational cooperation, GTIIT is practicing the Israeli “Chutzpah” spirit – to challenge authority, take risks, and tolerate failure.

Chancellor Gong introduced GTIIT’s history and achievements and stressed the university’s commitment to establishing an elite STEM university with worldwide recognition and cultivating innovative talents through highly qualified education recourses with its root in Chinese culture. With the theme of “innovation and entrepreneurship” throughout, GTIIT’s undergraduate education has seen fruitful results: students have received offers world’s top universities and institutions. This reflects the success of GTIIT and innovative cooperation between the two countries, he said.

Chancellor Gong concluded his speech by saying, “Development requires innovative talents from an innovative ground, which is indispensable from education’s cultivation and continuation of innovative culture.” He stressed that GTIIT is a seed of Israeli innovation gene, and with the joint support of both countries, it would set on its even path of training talents with Chinese characteristics.

Chancellor Gong’s speech resonated with audiences. After his address, representatives exchanged views with Chancellor Gong on the university and sought future collaboration.

Text/Photos: GTIIT News & Public Affairs