China lies in a critical period of comprehensively promoting high-quality economic development and ushering in a new round of opening up to the world at a high level. Chinese higher education trailblazer, Shanghai Jiaotong University aims to be a first-class institution by aligning with the global trends through open cooperation. As a result, it opens a new chapter of cooperation in Singapore and Southeast Asia. Based on its fruitful efforts overseas, Antai College of Economics & Management is poised to attach parallel importance to research and teaching as well as integrating Chinese and western education.
On November 28, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Singapore Asia-Pacific Graduate Institute (SJTU-APGI) held the unveiling ceremony in the Theatrette Hall of the Singapore CREATE Building. The ceremony was attended by a number of celebrities, including Hong Xiaoyong, Chinese Ambassador to Singapore, Education Counselor Kang Kai, Lim Khiang Wee, Executive Director of the National Research Foundation of Singapore, President Tan Eng Chye, Vice President Freddy Boey of National University of Singapore, Jimmy Hsia, Dean of the Graduate School and the forthcoming Vice President of Nanyang Technological University, Timothy Clark, Governor of Teaching Affairs of Singapore Management University, and Tan Thiam Soon, President of Singapore Institute of Technology. SJTU Party Secretary and Chairman of University Council Jiang Sixia attended the ceremony, unveiled the SJTU-APGI and gave a keynote speech. Ceremony attendees also included Hu Hao, Member of the Standing Committee of the SJTU Party and Publicity Minister, Wang Yaguang, Dean of the Graduate School, Luo Peng, Director of the International Cooperation and Exchange Office, Cheng Jiaojie, Director of the Development Liaison Office, Chen Fangruo, Dean and Liu Shaoxuan, Deputy Dean of Antai College of Economics & Management, to name a few. The event was chaired by SJTU-APGI Dean Peng Yinghong.
Hong Xiaoyong, Chinese Ambassador to Singapore, delivered a welcome speech. Jiang Sixian and Hong Xiaoyong jointly unveiled the SJTU-APGI. The first batch of SJTU-APGI honorary directors are four moguls, namely Wu Jiong, a well-known alumni of Shanghai Jiaotong University, Li Yixian, Chairman of Singapore Business China, and senior business leaders Wu Xueguang and Guo Kongfeng. Singapore’s Emeritus Senior Minister and former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and Singapore ’s Education Minister Ong Ye Kung sent written congratulatory letters on the occasion in hopes of SJTU-APGI making greater efforts for the Sino-Singapore cultural integration and future social development.
To coincide with the formal unveiling of SJTU-APGI, Antai Asia-Pacific Center, SJTU-APGI’s first education entity, was formally established. Antai Asia-Pacific Center will have permanent residents from Antai College of Economics & Management. It hopes to expand the scale of Singapore's existing MBA programs, and provide more education and consulting services to entrepreneurs in Southeast Asia and countries along the Belt and Road. Asia-Pacific Center will actively provide a variety of teaching projects (full-time degree cooperative education, high-end market training, study abroad and more) and cooperative research projects (academic research, industry research and more) to strengthen mutual understanding and exchanges between China and the rest of the world in an all-round manner.
Jiang Sixian gave a keynote speech entitled Composing a New Chapter on Open Cooperation and Creating the Future of Higher Education. He pointed out that Shanghai Jiaotong University is one of the fastest growing universities in China since the reform and opening up. Reform and innovation is an inborn trait of Jiao Tong University. In recent years, Jiao Tong University's international reputation has continuously improved. The friendly cooperation between Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Singapore's higher education community has enjoyed a profound history and boasted fruitful results. The unveiling and development of SJTU-APGI is not only a continuation of a series of fruitful work carried out in Singapore by Antai College of Economics & Management, but also the opening of a new journey for education cooperation. In the future, under the leadership of SJTU-APGI's excellent management team, the newcomer is bound to get better and better, and the bilateral education cooperation will be more promising.
As a forerunner in the internationalization of Chinese higher education, Antai College of Economics & Management set up its first overseas teaching site in Singapore in 1993, and held a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. In the past two decades, it has nurtured over 600 business elites and managers, contributed to Singapore's education management and laid a solid foundation for Chinese universities to run schools overseas. In October 2002, with the approval of the Ministry of Education, the ‘Shanghai Jiao Tong University Graduate School at Singapore’ was established at Nanyang Technological University. It was China’s first university to set up a graduate school overseas, signifying that China's advanced degree and graduate education officially moved abroad.
Chen Fangruo, Dean of Antai College of Economics & Management attended the unveiling ceremony and alumni discussion. In the interview and panel speeches, Chen Fangruo congratulated the SJTU-APGI establishment and expressed high hopes for the formal establishment of the Asia Pacific Center. “After the establishment of the Antai Asia-Pacific Center, I hope Antai in Singapore will emerge as an all-round education entity with equal emphasis on teaching and research. In the future, by leveraging on Singapore’s geographical advantages and favorable policy, we will attract world-leading faculties to join Antai for carrying out research projects,” Chen said. “In spite of being a small territory, Singapore integrates Chinese and Western cultures, and we may also conduct industry research in Singapore in the future.” Antai Asia-Pacific Center will be based in Singapore and its future development goals are the entire Southeast Asia and nations along the Belt and Road.
“The establishment of the Antai Asia-Pacific Center heralds a new level of internationalization for Jiao Tong University and Antai College,” said Yang Jie, Party Secretary of Antai College of Economics & Management. “Antai College of Economics & Management will take this as an opportunity to better integrate the development of the college into the development of world business education. By showcasing Antai style and contributing Antai wisdom, we will become a truly world-class business school.”
“We actively expand cooperation and exchanges and create a fulcrum for overseas cooperation. The exchanges and cooperation with Singapore poses challenges and brings opportunities. SJTU-APGI is ready to embrace a bright future with its legacy and strength. Antai Asia-Pacific Center will sail forward with concerted efforts.”
[All photos courtesy of Shanghai Jiaotong University]
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