On May 21st, Prof. Yan Jia from School of Economic Sciences at Washington State University (WSU) of the United States visited Tianjin Chengjian University (TCU). Yang Jing, Member of the Standing Committee of TCU Council and Vice President, met with the guest. Director of TCU International Cooperation Office, Dean, teachers and students representatives from TCU School of Economics and Management attended the meeting.
Yang Jing extended a warm welcome to Prof. Yan Jia and expressed gratitude for his strong support for the cooperation between the two universities. She hoped to give full play to TCU's unique advantages in urban construction based on the research projects jointly conducted by the two universities. The focus will be on scientific research innovation and talent cultivation in the fields of artificial intelligence and big data, expanding scientific research cooperation in Chinese culture and architectural culture, and striving for excellence in promoting urban construction, cultural inheritance and development, thus contributing wisdom and strength to the urban renewal and development of Tianjin.
Prof. Yan Jia stated that the two universities had previously established a solid foundation for cooperation in scientific research fields including urban big data, urban management, and urban culture, etc. He hoped to continue advancing the construction of big data platforms in the future, exploring cooperation areas such as artificial intelligence and urban development research, etc. Guided by the integration of science and education, the aim is to continuously improve the quality of innovative talent cultivation and contribute to the high-quality economic and social development of Tianjin.
Later on, the two universities conducted in-depth exchanges and reached consensus on cooperative issues including faculty exchanges, short-term student exchange, joint training programs, and international conferences, etc. Student representatives from School of Economics and Management expressed that by participating in joint research projects between the two universities, they learned international leading research methods and had access to high-level journal articles, which broadened their academic horizons and enhanced their critical thinking abilities. They had benefited greatly and hoped to continue participating in international research cooperation projects and pursuing further studies overseas in the future based on their master's degree studies.
Established in 1890, WSU has a history of more than 120 years and ranks among the top 50 public universities in the United States. TCU has carried out extensive and in-depth exchange and cooperation with WSU in the fields of urban economy and urban planning.
Prof. Yan Jia is currently a tenured professor of School of Economic Sciences at WSU, member of Air Transport Research Society, and editorial board member of the SCI journal Transportmetrica. His main research areas include urban and regional economics, public economics, and applied econometrics. He has published several papers in top international economic journals such as Econometrica and has received the Best Paper Award of the International Transportation Economics Association and the Best Paper Award of the Transportation Research Forum .
This visit provides a valuable opportunity for TCU to further deepen consensus and expand cooperation with WSU. In the future, TCU will continue to consolidate the cooperative relationship, deepen international scientific research cooperation, establish inter-school platforms for faculty and student exchanges, and effectively improve the level of disciplinary development and the quality of international talent cultivation.
