XJTLU Taicang campus to foster elites for a new era

The new Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University Entrepreneur College (Taicang) is expected to cultivate more industry elites capable of spearheading development in an era of artificial intelligence.

The campus for the XJTLU Entrepreneur College is under construction in Taicang, a county-level city in Suzhou, Jiangsu province.

XJTLU Entrepreneur College students began study at the Suzhou campus in September 2019.

The Taicang campus is scheduled to open in 2022 and will function as a base for the university to explore its innovative education model called Syntegrative Education.

"This is an important strategic move for XJTLU rather than an expansion of area. We foresee the problems and challenges of the future, and based on our current strengths, want to offer a unique solution through innovation," said Xi Youmin, executive president of the university.

Syntegrative Education aims to cultivate international industry talents who can thrive in the age of AI and robotics. They will not only have leadership and management skills, but also a strong ability to innovate and drive future development. Such education models will be the focus of the XJTLU Entrepreneur College, according to Xi.

AI and robots are already having a huge impact on industries, replacing, transforming and upgrading old models of production, and even creating new industries. They will be well-rounded yet specialized, know their industries thoroughly and be able to mobilize resources and lead people, Xi said.

"XJTLU will also be raised to a higher level through the experiments and exploration in Taicang," Xi said.

Xi said the future XJTLU Entrepreneur College will be a center of learning and resources, a community of research and development, an innovation hub and a liaison between industry, academia, research centers and society. It will provide a comprehensive learning ecosystem and an environment for lifelong learning and the realization of creativity.

The university will also bridge the gap between students, businesses, local communities and society at large.

A half-dozen industry schools have been established at the XJTLU Entrepreneur College. The programs were jointly developed with industry leading companies such as Haier, Sugon, Siasun, Eolane, Ali-Cloud Shanghai Qiyuan Technology and China Cultural Media Group.

Programs include Intelligent Manufacturing Engineering, Data Science and Big Data Technology, Intelligent Robotics Engineering, Internet of Things Engineering, Intelligent Supply Chain, and Arts, Technology and Entertainment.

XJTLU Entrepreneur College will develop six supporting platforms: XJTLU Learning Mall, Innovation Factory, Community of Research and Development, Platform of Standardization, IP Quality and Accreditation, Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Hub, and Alliance of Industry and Society. A number of entities, such as PNP, TüV Nord, Amazon, Siemens and the Hong Kong Management Association will collaborate with XJTLU to develop these platforms, ensuring that XJTLU Entrepreneur College will be innovative, the university said.

"Through intensive interactions with industry and society, we will create an educational model that fosters innovation and prepares leadership for the challenges from AI and the automation of industry," Xi said.