Michael Fang教授：这是非常了不起的20年 Professor Michael Fang: It has been an amazing 20 years

本文首发于利物浦大学官网，系该校为庆祝西交利物浦大学20周年校庆推出的“20个故事”系列专题之一。

我于1970年加入利物浦大学并担任讲师。我一步步成长，从讲师晋升为教授，再到系主任，最终被任命为副校长，负责与中国的合作事务。1978年中国对外开放后，利物浦大学便开始了与西安交通大学的合作。

当时，利物浦大学校长Drummond Bone教授（2002—2008年在任）决定扩大中英之间的国际合作，而这恰逢中国政府决定对外开放教育市场之际。中国政府鼓励国内高校与国外院校合作，在华设立合作办学机构，以此将国际先进的教学与科研经验引入中国。

2004年，在苏州市政府的支持下，西安交通大学与利物浦大学签署协议，决定在江苏省苏州市共建一所联合大学。两校商定，这所联合大学首先开设电子、计算机科学、应用科学与电子商务方向的本科教育，之后再逐步拓展至工程、生命科学与管理学领域，同时尽快启动研究生教育与科研工作。

2005年3月，西交利物浦大学筹备办公室正式成立。我和Jeremy Smith教授当时常驻苏州，负责筹备联合大学的第一栋教学楼。2006年5月26日，我们拿到了中华人民共和国教育部的办学许可；同年7月，学校招收了第一届学生，共164人。

我对利物浦大学与西安交通大学这场合作一直以来的期许，就是培养出高度独立、富有创新精神的人才。而我相信，现在这个目标已经实现了。

这20年实在是太不可思议了！我从未想过西浦能发展到如今的规模——成为一所拥有2.5万名本硕学生的研究型大学。西浦在国内外都拥有极佳的声誉，我无比期待它的未来。

Originally published on the University of Liverpool’s website as part of its 20 Stories series for XJTLU’s 20th anniversary.

I joined the University of Liverpool in 1970 as a lecturer. Over the years, I gradually advanced through the ranks, being promoted from lecturer to professor, then to head of department, and finally being appointed Pro-Vice-Chancellor in charge of the collaboration with China. After China opened up to the world in 1978, the University of Liverpool began collaborating with Xian Jiaotong University (XJTU).

When the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Drummond Bone (2002 - 2008), made the decision to expand the international collaboration between China and the UK, it coincided with the time when the Chinese Government had decided to open its education market to the world. The Chinese Government encouraged Chinese universities to collaborate with foreign institutions to establish joint operations in China with the aim of introducing advanced teaching and research to China.

XJTU and the University of Liverpool signed an agreement to establish a joint university in Suzhou in Jiangsu Province in 2004 with support from Suzhou Municipality. Both universities decided that the joint University would provide undergraduate education in electronics, computer science, applied science and e-commerce. The provision would then be extended to cover engineering, life science, and management. Postgraduate and research would be introduced as soon as practical.

A preparation office for the establishment of XJTLU was set up in March 2005. Professor Jeremy Smith and I were then based in Suzhou to get the first building of the joint University ready. On 26 May 2006 a Chinese Ministry of Education (MoE) licence of operation was granted and in July 2006, the first cohort of 165 students was recruited.

My ambition for the partnership between the University of Liverpool and XJTU has always been to train individuals who are highly independent and innovative, and I believe that this has been achieved.

It has been an amazing 20 years: I could not have imagined that the University would have developed to its present status, a research university of 25,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students. XJTLU has a very good reputation within and outside China. I very much look forward to its future.