The opening of XJTLU Toptalk: Talking to President Xi

As the first guest to the XJTLU Toptalk, Professor Xi, President of the Xi an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, attended the inaugural ceremony of this student organisation activity on the 25th, February, 2011. During this two-hour visit, President Xi talked about his opinions on life, education, society and development with more than 300 XJTLU students.

President Xi answered many students questions regarding their interest in his life experiences, his beliefs about higher education, university life, Sino-foreign cooperation in education, and postgraduate education and employment.

President Xi shared his study and life experiences in his youth with the students, which was the first time he has had a chance to talk to students about his youth. President Xi also told them his secret to success: At first, you must have a strong sense of achieving success for it can bring you motives.

Secondly, you have to be positive in front of challenges. Thirdly, you have to develop a rational philosophy in dealing with interpersonal relationships on a basis of self-confidence. Fourthly, you must pay attention to the improvement of your comprehensive capabilities. At last, you should develop a strong spirit of team work.

Of course, it is indispensible to acquire knowledge, which should be run through all the above five aspects.

In response to some students concern about how to keep XJTLU s top position when faced with more Sino-foreign cooperative institutions, President Xi expressed his own opinion from an ecological perspective: it is a hot topic recently and I believe it shall definitely be helpful for XJTLU s development if there are more and more Sino-foreign universities in China.

It is just like the situation when there is only one restaurant on the street, it will struggle to succeed. However, it could be doing good business when the restaurant is opened in a food street, because the ecology system per se can provide more resources to itself. Therefore, the status of Sino-foreign universities shall be highly improved for sure in Chinese higher education if there are more Sino-foreign universities.

President Xi reminded us at the same time not to fear competition:"to the traditional universities in China, we have the so-called late-mover advantages in that we are free from a lot of burdens including traditional systems and conventional thoughts, but our university beliefs are at the top level. To the future Sino-foreign universities, we have the first-mover advantages.

We started much earlier and have made many achievements. I believe the XJTLU model would become more mature after our joint effort. Besides, we have the state-of-the-art teaching facilities, world-class academic staff and excellent students, all which should strengthen our firm faith in the future of XJTLU.

At last, the students presented President Xi a manual autograph album, on which his life experiences, published works, his well-known remarks and the words students want to tell him were all inclued. President Xi loved this delicate album: it records many milestones in my life. Thank you very much. The best gift you give to XJTLU is to feel happy here, learn more and make greater contributions to our society in future, which will also make me happy.

(Editor: Chili Li)