Schwarzman College of Tsinghua University hosted its 10th anniversary meeting on October 19.
Tsinghua President Wang Xiqin, and Stephen A. Schwarzman, founder of Schwarzman Scholars and chairman of the Blackstone Group, delivered speeches at the event. Tsinghua Vice Presidents Yang Bin and Wang Hongwei were also in attendance.
Dean of Schwarzman College, Xue Lan, presented a report on the college’s development in the past 10 years. Amy Stursberg, the executive director of the Blackstone Charitable Foundation, was present. The event was presided over by the executive dean of Schwarzman College, David Qingzhong Pan.
Wang extended his congratulations to all the students, faculty, staff, and alumni of Schwarzman College. He expressed his gratitude to all who have shown concern, supported the development of the college, and contributed to the college’s development. He pointed out that when the Schwarzman Scholars program was launched in 2013 and when the Schwarzman College held its inaugural opening ceremony in 2016, the two heads of state of China and the United States sent letters of congratulations on both occasions. Schwarzman College has upheld the principle of "taking root in China and embracing the world" for a decade. With a keen spirit of innovation, the college has carved out a path for nurturing young international leaders. With an open and inclusive approach, it has established a platform for promoting cross-cultural exchange and collaboration; with a deep commitment to education, it has cultivated a cohort of outstanding talents with a global perspective and a strong sense of social responsibility. Over the past 10 years, the college has closely followed contemporary themes, upheld its mission, persisted in reform and innovation, bravely faced challenges, maintained an open perspective, and actively responded to challenges, accumulating valuable experience for the development and reform of the university.
Wang mentioned that a decade is a milestone worth reflecting on and commemorating, and it is also a starting point to set sail once again. Facing new circumstances and tasks, he hopes that Schwarzman College will adhere firmly to the guidance of President Xi Jinping, uphold its core principles, be resolutely proactive, and seize the momentum to take the initiative. The college should stay true to its founding mission, bear in mind the broader interests of the nation, integrate seamlessly into Tsinghua, and focus on its self-development. It should strive for high-quality growth, establishing itself as a top domestic and world-class international hub for cultivating future global leaders and facilitating international cultural exchanges. Moreover, the college should play a larger role in building a community with a shared future for mankind, supporting the openness of national education in this new era, and aiding Tsinghua‘s endeavor to build a world-class university.
In his address, Schwarzman reflected on the establishment of the Schwarzman Scholars program and the inception of Schwarzman College. He expressed his gratitude to every faculty member, staff, and student for their unwavering dedication to the college's growth and development and voiced his pride in the accomplishments of the college. Schwarzman remarked that, over the past decade, the college has grown in tandem with Tsinghua, nurturing successive batches of outstanding talents with broad international perspectives and exceptional leadership. This has resulted in remarkable academic achievements and garnered widespread acclaim from the international community. He expressed hopes that the college will continue to cultivate future leaders with an in-depth understanding of China for the global community, further enhancing friendly exchanges among different nations.
Xue presented a report on Schwarzman College’s achievements over the past 10 years. He stated that, standing at a new starting point, the college will employ agile governance mechanisms to address changes and challenges. With a more proactive attitude, it aims to explore and expand collaborations, continuously drive innovation in talent cultivation, and genuinely make significant contributions to the peace and development of the future world.
At the meeting, Scott MacEachern, the vice chancellor for Academic Affairs of Duke Kunshan University; Deng Feng, the founder of Northern Light Venture Capital; and Li Jintian, the 2017-class alumnus of Schwarzman College, delivered speeches to commend the achievements made by the college over the past decade in establishing a platform for Sino-foreign exchanges and cultivating international talents.
That afternoon, two parallel forums were held: one on higher education and the other for alumni. Xue and Pan respectively chaired the forums.
Around 300 people, including representatives from the academic community, various Tsinghua departments, donors to the college, alumni representatives, faculty, and students, attended the event.
Schwarzman Scholars is a significant initiative of Tsinghua University's centennial strategy, aiming to cultivate future leaders with a global perspective who are dedicated to advancing human civilization. To date, Schwarzman College has trained nearly 1,000 students from over 80 countries and regions since its inception in April 2013.
Editors: John Paul, Li Han
