2026.06.07
ShareThe 2026 Yongjiang Forum took place at the Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT) in Ningbo from June 6 to 7. Nearly 80 distinguished young scholars from world-leading universities and research institutions including Harvard, Cambridge and Oxford gathered along the Yongjiang River. They conducted in-depth discussions on cutting-edge scientific challenges and technological innovation achievements, jointly writing a brand-new chapter for EIT on this dynamic land of innovation.
Chen Shiyi, President of Eastern Institute of Technology and Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, extended a warm welcome to young scholars from across the globe gathered by the Yongjiang River.Since its launch in 2022, the Yongjiang Forum has successfully held five sessions. More than 40 outstanding young scholars in the university’s high-caliber talent team joined EIT through the Yongjiang Forum. Growing steadily and producing fruitful achievements in their respective fields, they have become an important new force driving the university’s development.
Facing the Yongjiang River, Eastern Institute of Technology reaches out to the world. According to Chen Shiyi, as a young new-type research university, EIT adheres to its educational philosophy of high starting point, small-but-excellent scale, innovation-driven development and internationalization. It undertakes the strategic mission of exploring a new path for China’s higher education, independently cultivating top-notch innovative talents, and tackling key core technologies.To the east lies the sea; we build dreams and create the future. He welcomes all young talents with aspirations to serve the nation to join EIT. Together, with the conviction of “wave breakers” and the courage of “pioneers”, we will draw the grand blueprint for a new-type research university and march toward the boundless sea of stars full of future possibilities.
Zhang Dongxiao, Executive Vice President, presented EIT’s progress in school development covering disciplinary layout, talent training, faculty team building and scientific research. EIT has actively explored talent recruitment and cultivation, research planning, and institutional mechanism innovation. Centered on talent training, the university has developed a distinctive talent training model. Rooted in Ningbo and empowering local industries, EIT consistently aligns its work with national strategic needs, realizing the vision that a first-class city nurtures a first-class university, and a first-class university underpins a first-class city.
Vice President Zheng Chunmiao pointed out that the Yongjiang Forum serves as a key exchange platform of EIT for outstanding scholars at home and abroad. Since its inauguration, the forum has continuously connected distinguished global scholars and witnessed the university’s rapid development, from the initial preparation stage to official operation, and from disciplinary planning to the aggregation of high-caliber talents. It is hoped that the Yongjiang Forum will become fertile ground for talent growth, where the vitality of innovation and creation surges and flourishes fully along the banks of the Yongjiang River.
Built upon major research platforms, EIT fully underpins breakthroughs in original innovation. Pan Yijie, Director of the Research Department, gave a detailed introduction to the university’s research platforms. Bao Shudi, Assistant Director of the Ningbo Digital Twin (Eastern Institute of Technology) Research Institute, presented the institute’s construction progress. Centering on major national strategies, regional development demands and global scientific frontiers, the university focuses on cutting-edge interdisciplinary fields including artificial intelligence, integrated circuits, unmanned technologies, new energy and advanced materials, intelligent manufacturing, and life and health. By constructing a series of major national, provincial and municipal research platforms as well as university-enterprise joint laboratories, EIT has formed an EIT-branded innovation matrix and produced a batch of high-level research outcomes.
Xu Gang, Associate Dean and Chair Professor of the Division of Information Science and Technology, and Foreign Member of the Engineering Academy of Japan, shared his motivation for returning from Japan to join EIT and commit himself to advancing the industrialization of humanoid robots. In Professor Xu’s view, joining EIT is “an entrepreneurial undertaking” rather than “a job”. For an academic entrepreneur, the greatest appeal lies in joining a university at the critical leap stage from “successful foundation establishment” toward “successful university operation”.
Qin Yiming, Associate Professor in the Division of Engineering, who has worked at Harvard University and City University of Hong Kong, shared her work and life experience at EIT as a representative of young talents. She participated in the 2024 Yongjiang Forum and joined EIT in early September last year. She also attended the inauguration ceremony for the first cohort of undergraduate students.
“Can I get off to a fast start? Can I achieve sustainable development? Can I keep moving forward in the long run?” Moving from a well-established university to a growing university, Qin Yiming asked herself these three questions before making her decision. Nearly one year after joining EIT, she believes the decision was absolutely right: “I am so glad I came. Here, I am not merely fulfilling KPIs; I am taking part in creation.”
Hosted by the External Cooperation Department of Eastern Institute of Technology, this year’s forum received support from the Jiaochuan Sub-district Office of Zhenhai District. A total of 455 young scholars submitted applications, and more than 80 participated online and on-site, coming from world-leading universities such as Harvard University, University of Cambridge, University of Oxford and Nanyang Technological University.
The opening ceremony was presided over by Zheng Chunmiao. Jin Bo, Secretary of the Party Committee, and other university leaders, all faculty members on teaching and research tracks, and heads of relevant units and departments attended the ceremony.
Invited scholars delivered academic presentations across nine parallel sessions hosted by the Division of Science, Division of Engineering and Division of Information Science and Technology at EIT. They shared research findings and experience, discussed disciplinary hotspots, and exchanged diverse viewpoints.
