The University of Michigan- SHanghai Jiao Tong University Joint Institute (UM-SJTU JI) Center for Entrepreneurship (CFE) was inaugurated on April 8, JI’s eleventh anniversary day. The ceremony was attended by faculty, staff, alumni from near and far, students led by the JI Entrepreneurship Club students minoring in entrepreneurship and senior representatives from JI’s corporate partners.
In his opening address, Dean Peisen Huang remarked that as the government attaches greater importance to fostering the entrepreneurial spirit, JI is also actively exploring innovative entrepreneurship training model. CFE aims to cultivate innovative global managerial leaders by providing entrepreneurship training and business management courses, strengthening corporate cooperation, establishing student innovation centers and research centers, etc. He expected the students to take full advantage of JI’s rich resources to pursue their dreams and ultimately change people’s lives.
Pradeep Ray, Director of CFE, gave an overview of the center. “JI launched the undergraduate minor in entrepreneurship in Sept 2016. One feature of this minor is the three-month (Feb-April) internship in companies as part of the new course VX423-Intrapreneurship where students learn about company cultures, business processes and practices to commercialize a new idea through a company. The first batch of students started this course in Spring 2017. In addition, we have started in 2016 new electives on brand management and creativity, an important part of entrepreneurship. More such programs will come in the future.” The center has been setting up the minor through entrepreneurship forum, student entrepreneurship club, alumni entrepreneurial activities, technological innovation and other forms of activities for students to practice innovate entrepreneurship. So far, the center has been collaborating with six companies, including Thunderbolt Information Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., General Electric Appliance Group, Bosch (Shanghai) Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd., Asia Institute, Shanghai Freesense Image Technology Co., Ltd., MediTool Industry and Trade Co., Ltd. More enterprises will join in the future.
Xinwan Li announced the formal launch of the JI CFE. Dean Huang and Pradeep Ray unveiled the plaque, witnessed by representatives of the six cooperative enterprises.
Jimmy Hsiao, CEO of Logic Solutions delivered a wonderful keynote speech. He recalled his entrepreneurial course and made recommendations based on his own experience. He stressed attracting more talents with lofty ideals to achieve greater success. Hsiao encouraged the future entrepreneurs to be determined in the process of entrepreneurship and constantly improve themselves and upholding maximal interests in the decision-making process, so as to achieve their goals.
On the same occasion, an entrepreneurship forum was held, attended by representatives of the six companies and two successful entrepreneurial JI alumni, Di Wu and Zongchang Liu. The guests discussed the future development and cooperation of the center, the setbacks in their own entrepreneurship process, the balance between the entrepreneurship and the study, and other related issues. The guests agreed that in the early days of the start-up, students must be aware of their own ideals and preferences so that they can make the right decision in the face of choice. Jimmy Hsiao stressed assuming one’s responsibility in the teamwork setting. Di Wu encouraged students to get inspiration during teamwork and strive to turn the idea into a reality and value for the community.
After the unveiling ceremony, the students and guests had in-depth exchanges on career development, innovation and entrepreneurship, leadership and other topics.
