On Aug. 23rd, 2017, leaders from Tianjin University (TJU) and Tianjin Medical University (TIJMU) signed an agreement to comprehensively deepen strategic cooperation. Attendees at the signing ceremony included Li Jiajun, Secretary of the Party Committee of TJU, Yao Zhi, Secretary of the Party Committee of TIJMU, and leaders and representatives from the two universities. On behalf of the two sides, Zhong Denghua, President of TJU, and Yan Hua, President of TIJMU sighed the agreement. TJU vice-president Wang Shuxin hosted the ceremony.
On behalf of the two sides, Zhong Denghua, President of TJU, and Yan Hua, President of TIJMU sighed the agreement.
As General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping said, there was no all-around well-off society without health. The “Healthy China” concept was first proposed during the 5th plenary session of the 18th CPC central committee. The session also emphasized the importance of constructing a new popularization system for national medicine and health technology innovation and relevant technology, which will quicken the pace of medical technology development.
Based on the agreement, the two universities will jointly establish an international high-level School of Medical Science and Engineering and create Tianjin-specific comprehensive reforms in the fields of new medical education and science and technology. The establishment is guided by the “Healthy China 2030” national strategy and “world-class universities and disciplines with Chinese characteristics” concept.
TJU and TIJMU are both highly supported by the Tianjin government under the “double first-rate” policy. The cooperation between the two universities indicates the good prospects of Tianjin medical science development. Moreover, the construction of the new school has become a symbol of TJU’s great development in the fusion of medicine and engineering.
The School of Medical Science and Engineering was established for strategic cooperation
The fusion of medicine and engineering has high status in modern medical development. Engineering science can forcefully promote foundation medicine and offset deficiencies during the transformation from foundation medicine to clinical medicine. Those who can successfully break down the barrier between medicine and engineering will reach commanding heights in this field and make great breakthroughs in medical science.
According to the agreement, the two universities aim to develop their all-round strategic cooperation in the training mode of top-notch innovative medical talents, the study of technology, academic exchange and cooperation, and more. The universities will jointly run undergraduate majors, such as Biomedical Engineering and Intelligent Medicine. Besides, the students who obtain qualifying grades will receive dual-degrees in medicine and engineering. The universities would like to set up a medical education research industry with global influence, to deepen the “world-class universities and disciplines” construction and to enhance the comprehensive strength of Tianjin medical education and international competition in clinical research. At the same time, the collaboration also focuses on the improvement in the layout of the medical discipline system of Tianjin and the transformation of innovative achievements in medical engineering.
Aside from this, TJU and TIJMU will continue to support Tianjin Neural Engineering Research Centre and establish the Future Medical Science and Technology Innovation and Transformation Center. They have plans to set up a public service platform for large instruments and equipment by which the two universities can share resources including libraries, databases etc.
Li Jiajun emphasized the significance of the establishment of the new school. He believed that the long relationship between the two universities will contribute to this characteristic medical development. “As people from TJU,” Li said, “we should be rigorous, ensuring the schedule of the agreement to the best of our ability with TIJMU and expediting the process of the construction.”
Li Jiajun emphasized the significance of the establishment of the new school.
Yao Zhi said that the cooperation is essential for TIJMU’s “world-class disciplines” construction. Both sides should make good use of their advantages and achieve the integration of disciplines as soon as possible. The collaboration will be clinic-oriented, explore the combination of medicine and engineering, and pioneer new research areas such as intelligent medicine. He sincerely hoped that it would be an opportunity to create a high-level medical technology talents training zone and a medical research innovation base.
Yao Zhi delivered a speech during the signing ceremony.
Ming Dong, the director of the Institute of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine expressed that the partnership will have a good effect, like “1+1>2”. Both sides will take advantage of superior resources to strive for more support and achieve a “win-win” situation. Obviously, the efforts will improve the development of Chinese health care and other emerging industries.
The Cooperation between TJU and TIJMU can be dated back to 1978 when the presidents of the two universities made a decision to establish the Biomedical Engineering major together. In the past 30 years, their partnership has continued, which can positively supply further development. As a rule of thumb, TJU and TIJMU will have more opportunities to accomplish multidisciplinary cross connection on a large-scale.
Photo: Chen Xiaojin
By: Liu Ziqi and Zhang Xuan
Editor: Qin Mian and Christopher Peter Clarke
