Peking University President Hao Ping attends IARU University Presidents’ Online Meeting
Peking: Hao Ping, president of Peking University, attended University Presidents’ Online Meeting convened by the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), along with Makoto Gonokami, president of the University of Tokyo, Carol Christ, chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley, and Tan Eng Chye, president of the National University of Singapore.
Hao delivered a speech on the construction of the cloud campus. Hao noted that encountering severe challenges brought by COVID-19, a cloud campus has been normalized, which will change the running mode and the education concepts of universities. Hao shared PKU’s experience in building cloud platforms and online service stations. He also introduced how cloud computing has contributed to PKU’s current graduation season and cooperation with universities overseas. Hao hoped that universities could work together, draw experience from each other to address challenges brought by COVID-19 and continue to help universities around the world cope with the pandemic.
Makoto Gonokami, Carol Christ, and Tan Eng Chye made speeches respectively on the recent adjustments in university management strategy, the development of international cooperation, major challenges in the new normalcy.
After the speeches, the presidents of four universities discussed the role of IARU during and after COVID-19, the advantages and disadvantages of online education, and other issues. A consensus has been reached that IARU can promote cooperation among universities through online education and can also help balance online and offline education.
The International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), established in 2006, is a network of eleven international research-intensive universities from nine countries across the globe. The eleven members share similar values, a global vision and a commitment to educating future world leaders. Central to these values is the importance of academic diversity and international collaboration as reflected in IARU’s principles.