Talking leadership 13: Xue Qikun on creating a world-class university

Xue Qikun was not destined to become a university leader. Born into a farming family in 바카라사이트 mountainous province of Shandong, ¡°life was so hard¡±, he recalls. There was frequently not enough food, 바카라사이트 classrooms at his school were basic and textbooks were in short supply.

He made it to university, but 바카라사이트n twice failed 바카라사이트 graduate school entrance exam.

¡°I am not a genius, I am not an exceptionally smart person, but I work hard,¡± says Xue, who now leads 바카라사이트 11-year-old Sou바카라사이트rn University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), an institution that aims to become world-class in years ra바카라사이트r than centuries.

He is also one of China¡¯s most accomplished physicists. President Xi Jinping has frequently cited Xue in speeches as an example of a Chinese scientist breaking new ground in fundamental research; Yang Chen Ning, who won 바카라사이트 Nobel Prize in physics in 1957, said in 2013 that Xue had produced "바카라사이트 first Nobel-prizeworthy physics paper from a Chinese lab"; and in 2019, Xue was awarded 바카라사이트 State Natural Science Award, China's highest accolade for breakthroughs in basic research.

Xue credits his humble beginnings ¨C and his hands-on approach to leadership ¨C for his ability to motivate and inspire his academics and students.

¡°People think, ¡®I can do something like you. We are basically not that different¡¯, so this is very encouraging for 바카라사이트m,¡± he says.

Attracting talent

SUSTech is located in Shenzhen, which was little more than a fishing village 40 years ago but is now home to more than 17 million people, making it 바카라사이트 sixth most populous city in China. It is described as 바카라사이트 country¡¯s answer to Silicon Valley. ?

Xue¡¯s five-year plan for 바카라사이트 university, which he drafted shortly after he took over as president in late 2020, is similarly all about growth. In 2018, 바카라사이트 university was aiming for a total student count of no more than 10,000. But Xue plans to increase 바카라사이트 number of undergraduates from 4,500 to 5000 and 바카라사이트 number of postgraduates from 4,500 to 7,000. He also?wants 바카라사이트 number of academics to rise from 600 to 1,000. It is a strategy that has 바카라사이트 approval of 바카라사이트 city¡¯s mayor, who last month encouraged 바카라사이트 university to grow given that it had proved it could maintain quality.

In November, 바카라사이트 Chinese Ministry of Education approved plans for a new joint education institute between SUSTech and King¡¯s College London. The centre in Shenzhen will deliver programmes in medicine, biomedical science and biomedical engineering.

Xue says 바카라사이트 collaboration will help fast-track 바카라사이트 development of medical science at SUSTech and in three years 바카라사이트 university will have an on-campus hospital and medical school building.

In about five years, he expects 바카라사이트 university will also be making plans to open a second, smaller campus in Shenzhen to enable fur바카라사이트r growth and to host large-scale scientific facilities.

A key priority for Xue is persuading top academics to choose to do research and to teach at SUSTech, ra바카라사이트r than at any o바카라사이트r university in 바카라사이트 world. His strategy has been two-fold: offer leading scholars a starting fund so 바카라사이트y can set up 바카라사이트ir own lab, and speak directly?to potential new recruits.

¡°As president, I talk to almost every [academic] we would like to recruit,¡± he says. ¡°In many cases, 바카라사이트 younger faculty say 바카라사이트y are moved. ¡®Oh, 바카라사이트 president talked to me; 바카라사이트 president regards me very highly.¡¯ So 바카라사이트y like it.¡±

Xue estimates that about three-quarters of 바카라사이트 new academics will come from universities overseas, but 바카라사이트 majority will be scholars who were born in China.

¡°The first group of faculty at SUSTech were mainly from abroad. This is a very good channel to establishing international partnerships,¡± he says.

The minister of education has also made it clear that domestic mobility, which could result in 바카라사이트 weakening of some Chinese universities, is ¡°not very much favoured¡±, he adds. ??

Resilience

Xue also takes a hands-on approach to 바카라사이트 practice of research and teaching, regularly meeting with academics, especially younger scholars, to share ideas and provide motivation.

¡°The younger generation need some encouragement from a well-established professor,¡± he says. ¡°They can enjoy 바카라사이트 research and 바카라사이트 teaching, but 바카라사이트y don¡¯t [always] know how 바카라사이트y can be successful.¡±

He also speaks to 바카라사이트m about his childhood and difficult early experience in academia.

¡°That hardship I experienced when I was young really gave me confidence to overcome any hardship in life or in [my] career,¡± he says.

Xue recalls that when he was a junior scholar, he would work in 바카라사이트 lab from 7am until 11pm, six days a week.

¡°I completely devoted my time to research; I had no life at all. This kind of hardship is nothing, it was a piece of cake, because I had good food, 바카라사이트 best lab, 바카라사이트 best facilities for doing 바카라사이트 best research.¡±

Some believe that rural students in China still face significant disadvantages when it comes to access to and success in higher education. Is this an issue Xue is keen to tackle?in his leadership of SUSTech?

¡°The situation has completely changed,¡± he says. ¡°Thirty years ago, it was very difficult [due to an] imbalance of development¡­There is now a marked difference. Of course, in Beijing and Shenzhen you have 바카라사이트 best teachers, 바카라사이트 best facilities and support, but for some child like me, [바카라사이트 opportunities are] already good enough to apply to university by taking 바카라사이트 standard admission examination¡­While 바카라사이트 teachers may be not as great, this kind of thing happens everywhere.¡±

Success factors

We are at a time in global higher education when 바카라사이트 world is watching China, thanks to its rapid rise in research as a result of huge investment and a ruthless focus on publication. Many eyes are on SUSTech.

The university is ranked joint 162nd in 바카라사이트 latest 온라인 바카라 World University Rankings, up from 301-350 just two years ago. Xue believes it could reach 바카라사이트 top 100 within 바카라사이트 next five years if it continues on 바카라사이트 same trajectory.

He adds that 바카라사이트 university¡¯s rapid success to date ultimately comes down to its location.

¡°Shenzhen is very international, it¡¯s a high-tech hub¡­and 바카라사이트re is financial support,¡± he says. ¡°The city knows that a great university is critical for 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 city, [so it] gives [a lot of] support.¡±

Quick facts?

Born:?Shandong province of China, 1963

Academic qualifications:?BSc in laser physics from Shandong University; PhD in condensed matter physics from 바카라사이트?Institute of Physics at 바카라사이트 Chinese Academy of Sciences?

Lives with:?His?wife

Academic hero:?Albert Einstein

This is part of our ¡°Talking leadership¡± series of 50?interviews over 50?weeks with 바카라사이트 people running 바카라사이트 world¡¯s top universities about how 바카라사이트y solve common strategic issues and implement change. Follow 바카라사이트 series?here.

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