From November 20th to 21st, Prof. Liu Qing, President of Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute and Director of the National Innovation Center par Excellence (NICE), together with NICE Management Committee member Prof. Shi Gongqi and their team visited Guangdong Technion – Israel Institute of Technology (GTIIT). Prof. Gong Xingao, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chancellor of GTIIT; Prof. David Gershoni, Vice Chancellor of GTIIT; Prof. Lin Danming, Pro-Vice Chancellor of GTIIT and others held discussions with the visitors. The two parties engaged in in-depth discussions on the implementation of the undergraduate students Co-op training program, scholarship for postgraduate students, establishment of a concept validation mechanism for innovation projects, and the technical support for Suzhou and Shanghai top companies.

Prof. Gong Xingao warmly welcomed the visitors. He stated that GTIIT emphasizes industry-university-research cooperation and works together with the government to facilitate research, promoting professors to actively participate in such cooperation through clear systems. Nurtured in GTIIT’s open and innovative educational environment, most of the graduates continue their further studies in world-known universities or receive offers from top companies. He added that the cultivation of innovative talents requires three major elements: a strong sense of curiosity, the spirit of exploration, and an environment that tolerates failure. He hopes to cooperate with NICE in supporting innovation projects, cultivating innovative projects and fostering an innovative culture.

Prof. David Gershoni introduced the establishment, educational characteristics and development of GTIIT to the guests. He stated that as a research university focusing on science and technology, GTIIT has high-level scientific researchers from more than 30 countries and regions, dedicated to cultivating talents with innovation ability and global vision. Until now, GTIIT has four cohorts of graduates and has achieved fruitful results in both scientific research and talent cultivation.

Prof. Liu Qing affirmed the development and the talent cultivation model of GTIIT. He detailed the construction, industry-university-research projects and the Co-op project of NICE. He looked forward to opening up deep cooperation with GTIIT in the establishment of concept validation center, the Co-op program and addressing enterprise needs, to jointly promote the transfer, incubation and industrialization of advanced technologies and deepen the integration of education, science and technology, and talents.

During the meeting, Elissaios Stavrou, Deputy Dean of Graduate Studies and Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering program (MSE) at GTIIT; Qi Yuanshen, Associate Professor of MSE program; Yigal Achmon, Associate Professor of Biotechnology and Food Engineering program; Wang Yan, Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering program; Huang Xiaowu, Associate Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering Research Group introduced the achievements and progress of their research teams and discussed about industrial cooperation.

Prof. Liu Qing and his team also held discussions with representatives of GTIIT students and leaders of administrative departments, delving into the specific details of the previously signed Agreement 

About NICE to Co-op

NICE, jointly built by relevant institutions in the city of Shanghai and Provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui, is a comprehensive national technology innovation center approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China. Co-op, short for Cooperative Education, is a paid internship program for undergraduates. It's an effective practice of integrating industry and education and is a well-established talent cultivation model in many countries. In the coming future, students will have the opportunity to alternate between on-campus classes and work at a company on a regular basis. The project would help them learn professional development skills and accelerate their careers.