In the ethos of boosting Wuhan’s rise with WUT alumni’s intellectual and capital investment, the 4th Session of Introducing Intellectual and Capital Investment back to Wuhan by Millions of Alumni, the special session in WUT was unveiled on Nov. 4th, with 43 projects contracted at scene valuing 260.7 billion Yuan, marking the highest contract volume so far of such initiatives.

The pageant was co-hosted by Wuhan Municipal Party Committee of the Communist Party of China, the People’s Government of Wuhan and WUT. Among the galaxies of 500 attendants were Mr. Chen Yixin, Deputy Secretary of Hubei Provincial Party Committee and Secretary of Wuhan Municipal Party Committee, Mr. Wan Yong, Deputy Secretary of Wuhan Municipal Party Committee and Mayor of Wuhan, comrades and cadres from Wuhan Municipal Party Committee, Wuhan Municipal People’s Congress, the People’s Government of Wuhan and Municipal Political Consultative Conference. Prof. Xin Sijin, Party Secretary of WUT, Prof. Zhang Qinjie, President of WUT, some other cadres from WUT, eminent entrepreneurs from construction, transportation and automobile, strategic talents and alumni from home and abroad, faculties and students reps attended the event.

Mr. Chen Yixin presided over the event and made a keynote speech. Ms. Xu Honglan, deputy mayor of Wuhan chaired the kernel meeting.

Mr. Chen, on behalf of the Party Committee and Government of Wuhan, extended a cordial welcome to the distinguished guests and alumni. He praised WUT has been sharing weal and woe with the City and their fates are inextricably intertwined. Through years of revolution, reforms and construction, generations of WUTers have been striving unremittingly to blaze new trails that lead to quintessential contributions to Wuhan’s socioeconomic growth. “WUTers while asserting your own values, win glories for your alma mater, for which and the City you’re the sheer pride!”, said Chen.

Chen introduced the today and tomorrow of the City for the guests from seven perspectives. Firstly, Wuhan, a metropolis in the spotlight of national strategies, is embarking on a new journey to rejuvenate itself. Secondly, Wuhan, with its fantastic landscape, is establishing itself as an influential postcard city in the world. Thirdly, boasting hi-tech and education resources, the City is making itself a key hi-tech innovation center across the country. Fourthly, as a thoroughfare in Central China, Wuhan is upgrading itself a hub megalopolis for international communications. Fifthly, thanks to its manifold industries, the City is striving to turn itself into an efficient land of high-and-new technologies. Sixthly, Wuhan is trying to make itself a home for emerging private businesses due to its abundant talent resources. Lastly, as a highly habitable city, Wuhan is building itself into a world-famous eco-city along the Yangtze River and around many of its lakes.

Chen pledged that the local Government will for the sake of WUT’s development and needs, optimize comprehensively public services so as to provide the best service and guarantee for the University. It will also fully support WUT in its efforts to attract talents, upgrade research and inspire students to innovate and undertake their own businesses, making the University a powerhouse, a talent bank and an intellectual hub for the innovative development of Wuhan. It is his hope that people will be affectionate and concerned for Wuhan, advocate in favor of its growth, support industrial upgrading and talent recruitment so as to eventually revitalize the City.

Prof. Xin Sijin pointed out in his address that every year witnesses around 25% of undergraduates, 40% of postgraduates and 50% of doctoral students, altogether nearly 3,000 WUT graduates choose to get employed or self-employed in Wuhan, with their quantity and quality taking a safe lead among universities in Wuhan. He maintained that it is the ethos of WUTers to be affectionate for their alma mater and Wuhan and, supporting Wuhan is to support WUT. It is our unshirkable responsibility to contribute to Wuhan and make progress together with the City.

Prof. Xin reiterated that WUT is committed to doing its utmost to develop and rejuvenate Wuhan. He applauded this investment pageant timely appropriate as the City is striving to reform, innovate and develop. He is convinced that thanks to this remarkable event, WUT alumni, WUT and Wuhan will further consolidate their community of a shared development and destiny through pooling together intellectual and capital resources from all around the world. In this way, the rise of Wuhan will be soon expected.

The alumni participants include: Li Jianhong, President and Party Secretary of China Merchants Group, Cheng Yibing, academician of the Australian Academy of Engineering, Peng Yi, General Manager of Chinese Coal Energy Company, Liu Weidong, standing member of Party Committee and Deputy General Manager of Dongfeng Motor Corporation, Yu Zenggang, Party Committee member and Deputy General Manager of China Ocean Shipping Group, He Shuping, Vice President of Wuhan Research Institute of Posts and Telecommunications, Chen Huayuan, President of the No.3 Engineering Bureau of China Construction, Fang Shengli, General Manager of the No.7 Engineering Bureau of China Construction, Peng Shou, President of Kasen Technology Group, Wang Bing, Party Secretary and President of Beijing New Building Material Group, Zeng Jin, General Manager of BBMG Group, Zhang Ye, President of Shanghai Shipping Exchange, Liu, Jianbo, Vice President, Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industry Group, Jin Zhihong, General Manger of CITIC Construction Engineering Design, Xiong Aihua, President of CITIC Industrial Investment Development, Jiang Chongzhou, President for Central China Region of Poly Real Estate (Group), Li Yeqing, President of Huaxin Cement, Yao Zuoping, Party Secretary and Deputy General Manager, SAIC GM Wuling Automobile, Yuan Zhijun, President of Guangxi Automobile Group, Li Xinghu, President and Party Secretary of Fujian Provincial Communication Transportation Group, Zhou Kui, fund partner of Sequoia Capital China, Xu Maodong, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Beijing Galaxy World Group, Liu Qiming, Executive Vice General Manger of Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center, Liu Nan, President of Tianhai Fusion Defense Equipment Technology, Lu Zongjun, President of Zhonggu Shipping Group, Zhang Guoliang, President of Lianyungang Eagle Textile Machinery Group, Zhang Wenming, co-founder and co-CEO of Wuhan Betta Network Technology and so on.

During the event, alumni Peng Shou, Yao Zuoping and Liu Nan were nominated as Talents Attraction Consultants while alumni Zhou Kui, Xu Maodong and Lu Zongjun were nominated as Investment Attraction Consultants.

\

A City-University strategic co-operation framework agreement was signed in the session, which points out that on the basis of drawing each other’s strengths, mutual benefits, earnest co-operation and joint development, the Government of Wuhan and Wuhan University of Technology will further expand co-operative areas, optimize co-operative mechanism in an attempt to set up a fine model of comprehensive co-operation between the government and universities. The major co-operative areas include: 1) jointly cultivating innovative talents, inter-disciplinary talents and leading entrepreneurs; 2) jointly establishing new self-innovation platforms through concerted research efforts; 3) jointly facilitating the integration of public administration, production, teaching and research; 4) jointly pushing forward the development of the Dual First-class University program of MOE and the Double Million program of Wuhan; 5) establishing a work connectivity mechanism between the City and the University.

China Merchants Group signed at scene a strategic co-operative framework agreement with the Wuhan Municipal Government, vowing to proactively participating in such projects as Wuhan Yangtze River New Town, China-France Eco-city and the development of Yangtze River shipping.

　　43 key projects were signed during the session.

Alumni Li Jianhong, Peng Yi, Peng Shou, Jin Zhihong, Yao Zuoping and Xu Maodong gave speeches, expressing their wish to be mutually beneficial with the Great Wuhan and to usher in an ever brilliant future jointly.

Three features can be identified from this special event, namely, the distinctive characteristics of the three mainstay industries where WUT excels (construction, transportation and automobile), the characteristics of core disciplines and the ones of attracting both intellectuals and investment. Firstly, based on the features of the three industries, WUT is attracting enterprises administered by Central Chinese Government to develop in Wuhan. Projects confirmed to have been contracted so far with construction, transportation and automobile enterprises accounted for around 70% of the project aggregate, with the investment volume occupying approximately 75% (50% from central enterprises) of the total volume. Secondly, giving full play to its edges in engineering disciplines and distinctive features of core disciplines, WUT is facilitating a closer integration of investment projects with the sectors concerned in Wuhan. So far, the investment projects confirmed involve WUT’s eminent disciplines: materials, transportation and logistics, mechanical and electrical vehicles, information technology, new energy, resources and environment. Altogether, they account for 80% and 70% in terms of the project number and volume respectively. Thirdly, thanks to its feature of appealing to both talents and investment, technological and talent supports will be continuously available for Wuhan’s innovation and development. Sticking to scooping both investment and talents, the University is meticulously scheming the attraction and co-development of a number of hi-tech research bases, including the Research Institute of New Energy Automotive Industry, the R&D Center for Yangtze River Shipping Industry, the Research Institute of Clean Energy Application, the Traffic Collaborative Innovation Base and the Research Institute of Engineering Technologies for Airports. Through a synergy of multiple disciplines and technologies and concerted efforts between various teams and institutions, a number of top-notch innovative researchers and entrepreneurs will be magnetized to Wuhan, with more intellectual and capital resources accumulated in Wuhan, making the City a gathering place for national innovative bases and outstanding overseas returnees.