University President Forum
To address the global development trends, challenges and opportunities in the global higher education in the pandemic era
1. Overall Context of the Forum
The main goal of the University President Forum is to explore the new normal and rethinking of the global trends, opportunities and challenges of the universities and colleges in the global higher education sector in the COVID-19 era, inspire current and strategic thinking, provide a platform for exploring linkages and mechanisms, and explore appropriate and effective modes of delivering sustainability without compromising the mission and vision of the universities.
We are pleased to announce that our goal has been achieved that on the 10th of December 2021, Global University President Forum 2021 London with the Strategic Theme of New Normal and Rethinking, Building Quality Higher Education Systems Global Trends, Opportunities and Challenges in the Global Higher Education in the pandemic era, co-organized by United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) and China Association for Management of Technology (CAMOT), in collaboration with Research Center for Technological Innovation (RCTI), Tsinghua University and co-hosted by the University of Law (ULaw) and ELITE Innovation College Cambridge (EICC), was successfully held online with Zoom webinar.
However, due to the outbreak of Omicron new variant, with consideration of various factors and challenges particularly the UK government health regulation, and the time difference of all the speakers and participants around the world, the event was entirely held online via Zoom webinar. The well scheduled offline event with opening and closing ceremony at ULaw, London had to be cancelled. However, this did not prevent the event in making a great success. It has genuinely become one of the most prestigious and influential grand gathering for the global thinkers and innovators to address the global development trends, opportunities and challenges in the global higher education in the pandemic era.
The Forum VIP room opened at between 08:30 – 09:00 am. 2. Opening Ceremony of the Forum We were very pleased to notice that 20 university presidents, vice chancellors, leaders, innovators and schalors including Vassilis Konstantinou, Pro Vice Chancellor, University of Law, UK, Professor Richard Li-Hua, General Convenor, University President Forum 2021 London, Professor Maurits Van Rooijen, Chief Executive Academic (Rector) Global University System, UK, Professor Tim Nichol, Pro Vice Chancellor, Liverpool John Moores University, UK, Professor TU Shandong, Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering and Former Vice President of East China University of Science and Technology, China, Professor Philip G. Laird, Vice President, Innovation, Global and Academic Partnerships, Trinity Western University, Canada, Professor Yinshan Tang, Vice Dean of Henley Business School, Reading University, UK, Dr Abdul Almhdie, Associate Vice President of Global Engagement, EICC and Akram Momammed, Director of Global Operation, EICC, etc. attended the Opening Ceremony. In his Opening Remarks, Professor Richard Li-Hua expressed his gratitude to UNAI, Research Centre of Technology Innovation, Tsinghua University and the host, ULaw in London, which provided the venue and all-round support to this event. “Over a decade, we, UNAI and CAMOT, have been successfully organizing international conferences and forums with global universities, including Tsinghua University (2014 CAMOT Conference) and the University of Cambridge (2016 CAMOT Conference) with university presidents, vice-chancellors, deans, experts, scholars, government officials, and doctoral candidates in the field of the global higher education participated in the events”, Professor Li-Hua highlighted. In fact, this is first time that the global education community has witnessed that CAMOT International Conference has been upgraded onto a very successful Global University President Forum.
As we are all aware, the world is now a different place to the one we knew. From survive to thrive we need to be more imaginative, innovative and creative when socio-economic paradigms break down as we see they are currently doing. However, there is an opportunity for innovation, entrepreneurship and experimentation in the global higher education to tackle the digital landscape, internationalization and global engagement areas so as to identify innovative solutions, new working approaches, innovative services and sustainable processes that create positive change in the global higher education. “In the pandemic era, technology enhanced learning and digitalization plays a key role for the continuity of the education and learning. More emerging online innovative universities have begun to penetrate the global higher education systems which post challenges in changing the traditional university model of 800 years old. No doubt, this unprecedented impact caused by the pandemic would ultimately lead to a great revolution in the global higher education”. Professor Richard Li-Hua further elaborated and raised foundamental questions as follows. How will the global higher education evolve over the next 20 years? How can governments and education institutions take the challenges and make the most of the opportunities in the post COVID-19 era?
Vassilis Konstantinou, Pro Vice Chancellor, The University of Law, UK, delivering his welcome remarks at the Opening Ceremony of University President Forum 2021 London
Professor Richard Li-Hua, General Convenor, University President Forum 2021 London, delivering his opening remarks at the Opening Ceremony of University President Forum 2021 London
Professor Maurits Van Rooijen, Chief Executive Academic (Rector), Global University System, UK, delivering his welcome remarks at the Opening Ceremony of University President Forum 2021 London
Professor Philip G. Laird, Vice President, Innovation, Global and Academic Partnerships, Trinity Western University, Canada, delivering his remarks at the Opening Ceremony of University President Forum 2021 London
Professor Tim Nichol, Pro Vice Chancellor, Liverpool John Moores University, UK, delivering his remarks at the Opening Ceremony of University President Forum 2021 London
Professor TU Shandong, Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering and Former Vice President of East China University of Science and Technology, China delivery his remarks at the Opening Ceremony of University President Forum 2021 London 3. Our Distinguished High-profile Keynote Speakers The Forum was scheduled into Morning Session: Theme 1: Global Trends, Opportunities, and Challenges in the Global Higher Education in Post Covid-19 Era and the Afternoon Session: Theme 2: Transformational Leadership with Resilience during the Post Covid-19 and the Future of Global Higher Education followed by a Plenary Session with questions and answers as well as discussion. We were privileged that we have secured 42 distinguished world known speakers, presidents, vice chancellors, thinkers and innovators delivered their speeches virtually or with a pre-recorded video, including:
Topic: Building Excellence in Higher Education in Singapore delivered by Professor Arnoud De Meyer, Former President, Singapore Management University, Singapore
Topic: Role of Academia in the Post-COVID World delivered by Mr. Robert Skinner, Chief, United Nations Academic Impact
Topic: Be Prepared for the Next Normal-A Symbiotic Perspective, delivered by Professor CHE Yi, Vice President, Geely Talent Development Group, China
Topic: Shaping the world through innovation, leadership and resilience in the global higher education in the post COVID -19 era, delivered by Professor Richard Li-Hua, Founder and President, CAMOT and ELITE Innovation College Cambridge, UK
Topic: The Opening-up of Chinese Higher Education in the Post-Pandemic Era, delivered by Professor WANG Rihua, Executive President, Guangzhou College of Technology and Business, China
Topic: Perspective of a Chinese University: Xi’an Peihua University, delivered by Dr. Jiang Bo, Chairman, Xi’an Peihua University, China
Topic: Engineering Education in China, delivered by Professor TU Shandong, Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering and Former Vice President of East China University of Science and Technology, China
Topic: Expanding the Availability and Flexibility of Higher Education, delivered by Dr. Henri Hatayama, President, J.F.Oberlin University, Tokyo, Japan
Topic: The Post-Pandemic Future of Higher Education: Flexible Delivery, Outcome-Driven Models, delivered by Professor John Han, Chairman of Davis College, USA and Co-Founder of EICC
Topic: Leadership with resilience leads changes from Pandemic to the Post Pandemic Era, delivered by Dr. Fernando León-García, President, International Association of University Presidents (IAUP)
Topic: The transformation was already on the way prior to the onset of the epidemic, delivered by Dr. Vera Jelinek, Divisional Dean, Center of Global Affairs, New York University, USA
Topic: E-learning for education in the Post-Pandemic Era, delivered by Ms. Elsie N. Effange-Mbella, Senior Gender Adviser, UN-MONUSCO in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Topic: Rethinking Medical and Public Health Education during Covid and in Post Covid Era delivered by Dr. Padmini Murthy, Professor and Global Health Director at New York Medical College School of Health Sciences and Practice
Topic: Innovate or Die: The Future of Higher-education in a Post Pandemic World delivered by Professor Philip G. Laird, Vice President, Innovation, Global and Academic Partnerships, Trinity Western University, Canada
Topic: Future of the Global Higher Education, delivered by Professor Maurits Van Rooijen, Chief Executive Academic (Rector), Global University System
Topic: The Role of University in the Higher Education in post Covid-19 Era, delivered by Dr. Juan Carlos Sainz-Borgo, Dean of University for Peace, on behalf of Dr Francisco Rojas Aravena, President of University for Peace, Costa Rica
4. The Plenary Session
The Plenary Session which was live session had been genuinely pro-active and interactive with smart thinking and deep thought about the future development trends of the global higher education in the pandemic era.
Mr. Ramu Damodaran, Chief, UNAI, 2010-2021
Professor CHEN Jin, Director of Research Centre of Technology Innovation, Tsinghua University, attending the Panel Session
Professor Yinshan Tang, Vice Dean of Henley Business School, Reading University, attending the Panel Session
Professor LU Dan and Professor CHE Yi, attending the panal session
Professor WANG Rihua, Executive President, Guangzhou College of Technology and Business (GCTB), and Dr LIU Xin, Dean, School of International Education, GCTB, China, attending the Panel Session
Prof. Yuelian LIU, Vice President, Xi'an Peihua University, China, attending the Panel Session
Professor LU Dan, President, Geely Talent Development Group, China, attending the Panel Session
Vice president of Tunisian International University in Niger, Tunis, attending the Panel Session
Professor CHE Yi, Vice President, Geely Talent Development Group, China, attending the Panel Session
Dr Ridha Rejeb, Founder and President, Tunisian International University, attending the Panel Session
Prof. Pramod Shah, President, Dibyahbumi Multiple College (Affiliated to Tribhuvan University) Kupondole, Lalitpur, Nepal, attending the Panel Session
This is genuinely a global grand gathering in addressing global issues with global innovation perspectives,approaches and solutions during the pandemic era in the global higher education. It is an excellent event for the global leaders and scholars to explore the future development trends, opportunities and challenges in the global higher education arena. Global University President Forum 2021 London also witnessed the two grand strategic cooperation signing ceremonies: 1. Signing Ceremony between Trinity Western University(TWU), Canada and ELITE Innovation College Cambridge (EICC), UK
2. Signing Ceremony between ELITE Innovation College Cambridge (EICC), UK and Global Education Alliance(GEA), China
The ceremonies were warmly congratulated by the university presidents and government officials and participators in the forum from around the world.
42 distinguished university presidents, vice chancellors and government officials from around the world, including Cameron, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Japan, Nepal, Tunisia, UAE, UK, and USA etc. delivered their inspiring speeches virtually. Over 100 participants via Zoom webinar worldwide from Asia, Europe, America, and Africa etc. participated in this global event. The forum has continually received many excellent comments, feedback and warm congratulations.
Professor Maurits Van Rooijen and Professor Vasillis Konstantinou, delivering their closing remarks at the closing ceremony 5. Closing Ceremony At 5:30 pm on the Closing Ceremony, Professor Maurits Van Rooijen and Professor Vassilis Konstantinou as hosts expressed their thanks to our our distinguished speakers and participants around the world at the Board Room in University of Law, London. They also proposed the toast together with all the speakers and participants to the very successful global event. At his closing remarks, Professor Richard Li-Hua, the General Convenor expressed gratitude to our distinguished speakers and their thought-provoking speeches and to the participants around the world. He also announced the Global University President Forum next year： Time: 21-22 September, 2022 Venue: TBC Strategic Theme: Innovation for Peace, Innovation with Resilience in the Global Higher Education in the Pandemic Era The Forum starts on the United Nations’ International Day of Peace Please get in touch with EICC Global Office for a summary of all the presidents’ speech or to watch the pre-recorded videos.
Profile of ELITE Innovation College Cambridge：
ELITE Innovation College Cambridge (EICC) ELITE is an acronym of E-Learning of Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship. It was during the COVID-19 pandemic that ELITE Innovation College Cambridge (EICC) was consolidated and re-created. Still, its history can be traced back to 2006, when a group of outstanding management scholars launched CAMOT during IAMOT International Conference in Tsinghua University.
The four colleges: Innovation College, Technology College, Entrepreneurship College and Global Leadership College that we have established based upon the 15 years of accumulation of global academic resources provide an academic arm of EICC and extra liberal arts curriculum to our degree and non-degree programmes and qualifications that we deliver for the enhancement of student journey which delivers alongside our degree awarding power universities.
Further, an online to offline (O2O) structure pioneering education platform that challenges the traditional ways of learning, coupled with prestigious academic quality, global engagement, and strategic collaboration with worldwide partners, is what differentiates EICC from conventional higher education.
Our strength lies in our innovation and entrepreneurial spirit that has underpins a holistic educational framework and a unique pedagogy with online capabilities to create a focused and flexible learning for our learners and offline delivery centres in cities around the world extends the online learning to provide further engaged social learning experience. Such learning model combines explicit and tacit knowledge transfer that is entrenched in human learning behaviour and contribute to the delivery of an enriched and enhanced student experience.
In addition, EICC's global research and engagement, which includes EICC’s Global Innovation Webinar series and the Global University President Forum, develops and sustains worldwide higher education, research and global engagement, creates globally connected learning and practice communities
We are privileged to be a strategic partner of United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI). Over a decade, we have been successfully organizing international conferences and forums with global universities, including Tsinghua University (CAMOT Conference 2014 Beijing) and University of Cambridge (CAMOT Conference 2016 Cambridge) and University of Law (University President Forum 2021 London) with university presidents, vice chancellors, deans, experts, scholars, government officials and doctoral candidates in the field of higher education participated in the events.
The core team members are composed of education experts from 8 countries who have held senior positions in universities and have rich management and teaching experience. EICC also has an international academic advisory committee composed of 12 senior university presidents, former presidents, deans, former deans, scholars and experts from all over the world. EICC and 18 strategic partners from many countries around the world, mainly the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, China, Singapore, etc., who promote the Global Innovation Webinar Series and the Global University Presidents Forum to develop Sino-foreign cooperation, education and innovation. All of the videos from distinguished speakers will be updated on our website. Website: www.eiucambridge.com Please contact our Global Office for inquiries and collaboration: Email: globaloffice@eiucambridge.com
