Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management (Tsinghua SEM) held its 2021 Advisory Board Meeting on the evening of October 19, 2021. It was the board's 22nd annual meeting since its establishment.

Chinese Vice President WANG Qishan meets with members of the advisory board of the Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management via video link in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 20, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

Chinese Vice President WANG Qishan met with members of the advisory board of the Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management in Beijing via video link on October 20, calling on them to make greater contributions to promoting exchanges between China and other countries and enhancing common interest. "China has started a new journey toward building a great modern socialist country in all respects," WANG said during his meeting with the advisors.

China is ready to enhance coordination with other countries to foster an open, fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for scientific exploration and technological development, according to the vice president. China will work with other countries to promote trade liberalization and investment facilitation, respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, digital economy, climate change and other challenges, and build an open world economy, he added. "We are ready to work with other countries to practice real multilateralism, improve global governance and build a community with a shared future for mankind," said WANG, adding China is willing to open its education to the outside world and deepen mutual understanding and integration with other nations.

MA Kai, Former Chinese Vice Premier of the State Council, attended the meeting. Tim Cook, chairman of Tsinghua SEM Advisory Board, and other members expressed their willingness to strengthen cooperation with China and contribute to China's education and economic development. ZHENG Fuzhi, Vice Minister of Education; QIU Yong, Tsinghua University President and vice chairman of the Advisory Board; CHEN Xu, Secretary of the CPC Tsinghua University Committee and Chairperson of the University Council; WU Jianghao, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs; YANG Bin, Vice President and Provost of Tsinghua University; QIAN Yingyi, vice chairman of Tsinghua SEM Advisory Board, Distinguished Professor of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Tsinghua University and the fourth dean of Tsinghua SEM; BAI Chong-En, dean of Tsinghua SEM; and CHEN Yubo, Secretary of CPC Tsinghua SEM Committee were present at the meeting with officials of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Education.

ZHU Rongji's letter to the 22nd Advisory Board Meeting

ZHU Rongji, founding dean of Tsinghua SEM, honorary chairman of Tsinghua SEM Advisory Board, former member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and former Premier of the State Council, sent a letter in response to the report on work related to the 2021 Advisory Board Meeting. ZHU congratulated board members on their 22nd meeting and extended his heartfelt gratitude to the members for their support to the School over the years. He said he hoped the members would continue to strengthen communication, promote international cooperation, work together to overcome global challenges, and contribute more to building a better planet. Professor BAI Chong-En read ZHU's letter at the meeting on October 19.

Tsinghua University President QIU Yong speaks at the meeting, Oct. 19, 2021

QIU Yong recalled that Chinese President XI Jinping addressed the advisory board meeting via video and expressed his congratulations on the board's 20th anniversary in 2020. QIU welcomed the members of the 2021 Advisory Board Meeting and thanked them for their valuable insights on the development of Tsinghua University and the School, and for strengthening the ties between China and the world. Tsinghua University held the Global Forum of University Presidents 2021 in April during the University's 110th anniversary, and pledged a Tsinghua Consensus, which advocated that universities should be more open, integrated and resilient, and should undertake greater social responsibility. In the future, Tsinghua University will continue to leverage its strengths in science and technology to play an active role in key areas such as climate change, public health, online education and AI governance, he said. In September, Tsinghua established the Institute for Carbon Neutrality, which will focus on pioneer research of fundamental theories and key technologies connected with carbon neutrality. Tsinghua University is willing to work with global partners to make contributions for sustainable development and the shared future for mankind, QIU said.

Tim Cook, chairman of Tsinghua SEM Advisory Board and CEO of Apple, speaks at the meeting, Oct. 19, 2021

Tim Cook, chairman of the Tsinghua School of Economics and Management Advisory Board and CEO of Apple, addressed the meeting and introduced the current advisory board. Cook said he appreciated the contributions of the members, whose continuous support was invaluable in building Tsinghua SEM into a world-class school. He said he hoped the members would actively share their perspectives and discuss at the meeting, which was a positive first step in that process.

Professor BAI Chong-En, dean of Tsinghua SEM, speaks at the meeting, Oct. 19, 2021

Professor QIAN Yingyi, vice chairman of the Advisory Board, hosts the meeting, Oct. 19, 2021

Afterwards, Professor BAI Chong-En summarized the School's progress in the past year and briefly described the topic of the meeting, "Boosting the Impact of Research." Cook asked Professor QIAN Yingyi to continue the meeting.

Before the meeting, Tsinghua SEM shared BAI's video report about the School, which introduced the expansion of the School, responses to COVID-19, students and educational programs, faculty and research programs, Advisory Board engagement and the School's 14th Five-Year Plan. In conjunction with this meeting, Tsinghua SEM also submitted BAI’s video report on the School's prominent academic achievements from 2011 to 2021, which also introduced the key research directions of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, as well as the School's reflection and efforts to conduct "meaningful and influential research."

The 2021 Tsinghua SEM Advisory Board meeting, Oct. 19, 2021

The meeting was held in a mixed online-offline model with 41 members in attendance, including 34 who were abroad. Some Chinese members such as ZHAO Chunjun, second dean of Tsinghua SEM, attended the meeting in person. Other members attended the meeting online, such as LIU Mingkang, former chairman of former China Banking Regulatory Commission, and Robin Li, co-founder, chairman and CEO of Baidu, Inc. Overseas members who attended the meeting online included Henry M. Paulson, Jr, the first chairman of the Advisory Board (2000-2003), founder and chairman of Paulson Institute, executive chairman of TPG Rise Climate, former US Secretary of the Treasury and former chairman and CEO of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc, John L. Thornton, fourth chairman of the Advisory Board (2010-2013), executive chairman of Barrick Gold Corporation, chairman of Pinebridge Investments, and chair emeritus of Brookings Institution, David M. Rubenstein, fifth chairman of the Advisory Board (2013-2016), co-founder and co-executive chairman of The Carlyle Group, and Jim Breyer, sixth chairman of the Advisory Board (2016 -2019) and founder and CEO of Breyer Capital. Members of the Tsinghua SEM Joint Committee of Party and Administration and heads of relevant departments also attended.

The Tsinghua SEM Advisory Board was established in October 2000 and consists of well-known business executives, business school deans, renowned scholars at home and abroad (including Nobel laureates in economics). ZHU Rongji, first dean of Tsinghua SEM, serves as the honorary chairman of the Advisory Board. The mission of the board is to enhance links between Tsinghua SEM and the rest of the world, to improve its teaching and research capabilities in economics and management, and to help its progress toward becoming a world-class school in economics and management.

Editors: REN Zhongxi, LI Ying, Derrick Sobodash