On December 30, ZJUI convened a Dean's Exchange Forum. Prof. Wu Yingcai, Executive Vice Dean of International Campus, Zhejiang University, and Dean of ZJUI, met with faculty and staff to discuss the Institute's priorities in international engagement, education, faculty development, and research. During the forum, he articulated a clear vision and strategic roadmap for ZJUI's future development. Prof. Wang Hongwei, Vice Dean of the International Campus, and Prof. Ong Wee-Liat, Vice Dean of ZJUI, also attended the meeting.
The forum was held in two dedicated sessions, bringing together faculty representatives and staff members. Prof. Wu underscored ZJUI's unwavering commitment to its internationalization strategy, emphasizing the importance of collective effort in transforming current transitional challenges into opportunities to enhance educational quality and strengthen the cultivation of globally competitive talent. He noted that the Institute will continue to expand high-quality international partnerships, broaden its global network of collaborators, and steadily grow its international student body, thereby laying a solid foundation for long-term, sustainable development.
Reaffirming ZJUI's student-centered philosophy, Prof. Wu highlighted the Institute's strong focus on excellence in student cultivation. He emphasized the importance of students' mental health and well-being, and noted that ZJUI will continue to advance educational and curricular reforms to further improve teaching quality and learning outcomes, contributing to Zhejiang University's broader mission of nurturing globally minded innovators.
Faculty development, Prof. Wu noted, remains a central pillar of the Institute's strategy. ZJUI will maintain a stable and diverse international faculty profile, support clear and sustainable career pathways for early-career scholars, and promote the balanced integration of teaching and research. These efforts aim to strengthen faculty members' academic impact and visibility both in China and internationally. With international research collaboration as a defining feature, the Institute will work toward a development framework driven by major research initiatives, supported by key platforms, oriented toward high-impact outcomes, and characterized by the emergence of leading scholars. In parallel, ZJUI will diversify research funding channels and foster an open, deeply integrated ecosystem for international industry–academia–research collaboration.
During the discussions, faculty and staff representatives shared insights grounded in their respective research areas and professional roles. Conversations focused on optimizing the student training framework, enhancing teaching and administrative support systems, strengthening faculty teams, and supporting the professional development of early-career academics. Many participants expressed a strong desire to further deepen collaboration with Zhejiang University's main campus and with international research institutions, with the shared goal of advancing research translation and improving the synergy between research and talent cultivation.
In his closing remarks, Prof. Wu expressed sincere appreciation for the thoughtful and constructive feedback offered by both faculty and staff, and spoke highly of the Institute's strong development potential and sense of community. He emphasized that ZJUI will continue to stay true to its educational mission, refine its working mechanisms, and strengthen coordination across administrative, teaching, and research teams, jointly advancing high-quality development in international education, research innovation, and talent cultivation.
