Tsinghua, Tel Aviv University Launch XIN Center
Tsinghua University and Tel Aviv University in Israel signed an agreement for establishing XIN, a joint center for innovative research and education, on May 20 (Israel time). Chinese Vice-Premier Liu Yandong, Minister of Education Yuan Guiren, National Health and Family Planning Commission Director Li Bin, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Chao, Vice-Minister of Science and Technology Wang Weizhong, and the Chinese ambassador to Israel Gao Yanping attended the inauguration ceremony held at Tel Aviv University. Tsinghua University President Chen Jining and Prof. Joseph Klafter, the President of Tel Aviv University, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective universities.
The XIN Center, meaning "new" in Chinese, will initially focus on nanotechnology with medical and optical applications and will later expand to other scientific fields.
It will recruit leading international researchers and top students from Israel and China, as well as the rest of the world.
The XIN Center will be headed by Prof. Zheng Quanshui, Director of Tsinghua University's Center for Nano and Micro Mechanics. Prof. Yael Hanein, Director of the Tel Aviv University Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, will serve as XIN co-director.
"The Center is based on the advantages of both universities in promoting higher education, boosting academic advancement, and promoting cross-disciplinary innovation. Joining hands with top innovative scholars, innovators, and industries, this center will tackle the global grand challenges in science and technology and will boost global innovation," said President Chen.
XIN means 'new' in Chinese, with ‘X’ standing for cross-disciplinary and cross-ingenuity, and ‘IN’ for international and innovation. Combined, XIN reflects the wish that the Center will be an international hub for cross-disciplinary scientific and technological innovation, integrating the ingenuity of China and Israel and the world. Based at Tsinghua University, XIN will operate concurrently at both universities, with the other branch at Tel Aviv University.
XIN will bring together the very best scientists and students from both campuses. Partnering with one another, and enriched by this cross-cultural and interdisciplinary collaboration, the Israeli and Chinese researchers will address the most urgent scientific issues and grand challenges on today's global agenda. Their ultimate goal will be to develop bold and original solutions that will contribute significantly to their countries and to humanity as a whole.
