On October 15-16, the 13th Meeting of the Port-city Universities League on Green Port Development: Innovation and Practice was held in Qingdao Campus and Innovation Institute of Shandong University in Shibei District of Qingdao. Representatives from Japan, South Korea, Britain, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and other countries and regions as well as nearly 100 graduate students from the School of Life Sciences and the School of Environmental Science and Engineering attended the opening ceremony and related academic activities. Han Shenghao, Vice President of SDU and President of Qingdao Campus attended the meeting and delivered a speech.
The opening ceremony was held on the morning of October 15. Han introduced the profound relationship between SDU and port-cities, saying that Qingdao Campus and Weihai Campus are located in important port-cities. He stressed that the port-cities play a crucial role in the development of world civilization. As globalization and innovative development is becoming the theme of the world, port-city universities will contribute more to society. He hoped that seminars of the major social problems like world's climate change, and environmental management can deepen the cooperation and exchanges between Port-city Universities League members and jointly tackle new challenges of the times.
Professor Fumihiko Nakamura, Vice President of Japan Yokohama National University, introduced in his speech the basic situation of Yokohama National University and Port-city Universities League, hoping that in the future the 17 League members can establish closer cooperation in student exchange, combined training and scientific research.
Professor Qin Dahe, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Director of the Academic Committee of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and former Director of China Meteorological Administration, delivered a keynote speech entitled "Climate Change and Sustainable Development" at the opening ceremony.
Dr. Tony Raven, CEO of the Cambridge Enterprise of Cambridge University, brought a report called "Innovation Ecosystem". He introduced the history of the innovation ecosystem in Cambridge University and the successful building of innovation ecosystem around the world.
On the afternoon of October 15, the Management Conference of Port-city Universities League was held. At the meeting, Sumatra University of Science and Technology in Indonesia and University College Cork in Ireland applied to join the League. The conference also discussed the future plans and priorities of the League for the coming year.
On October 16, the theme seminar was held in the Innovation Institute of SDU in Shibei District of Qingdao.
During the conference, the experts visited the cruise terminal and the automation wharf in Qingdao port.
The Port-city Universities League (PUL) was founded in 2006 and its members are all from the world's famous port-cities. Currently, PUL consists of 17 universities from 12 countries, including the University of British Columbia, University of Southampton and Incheon National University, etc. Its secretariat is located in Yokohama National University. Shandong University (Qingdao) is the third university in China to join and become a full member of PUL, following Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Dalian University of Technology. PUL aims to build a network between port-cities and universities around the world. The League holds an annual conference to discuss issues related to ports.
Translated by: Song Jinxu, Sun Yangyang