Tsinghua was recently honored by a group of ministries and state commissions for its continued academic exchanges with Qinghai University.

For its outstanding contribution to the educational programs at Qinghai University, Tsinghua was named an Advanced Unit, and professor Song Liexia was recognized as an Advanced Individual.

On Feb. 11, the ministries of education, finance, and personnel, together with commissions on development planning, ethnic affairs, and poverty reduction, and the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, issued a joint statement commending the units and people at universities across the country for their contributions to their counterparts.

The list included 111 units from six universities, including Tsinghua, and 150 individuals, among them Professor Song Liexia from the Office of Academic Affairs.

In mid-February, the ministries and commissions held a televised teleconference to review the various work done by the honorees in various academic fields. During the meeting, Tsinghua Vice President Cen Zhangzhi delivered a speech highlighting Tsinghua's work with Qinghai University.

Professor Song was involved in the already-concluded first phase of the educational exchange program. The second phase began in August 2002, and is headed by Professor Yao Jian from the Department of Industrial Engineering.

The exchange currently underway focuses on programs dealing with electrical engineering, electronics, and biology, and the construction of four teaching labs.