Shi Yigong, president of Westlake University, revealed his ambition of creating a world-class research university during an interview ahead of the opening of the second session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, March 3, 2019. 

Officially inaugurated on October 20, 2018 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, Westlake University is China’s first private research university, which was established on the basis of Westlake Institute for Advanced Study (WIAS).

Starting from 2015, Shi Yigong, a former professor of molecular biology at Princeton, also the former vice president of Tsinghua University, and other six scholars began to help found the university that focuses on basic academic research as well as cutting-edge disciplines.

Keen to build a top-class university and with great thirst for talents, Hangzhou offered Professor Shi tempting terms and a desirable environment to explore higher-education reform.

In April, 2018, Shi Yigong was appointed the first president of Westlake University.

Drawing upon the fundraising model of world-class universities such as Harvard and Yale, Westlake University was funded by donations from departments at all levels, high-profile entrepreneurs, investors, overseas Chinese and even children in west China's mountainous areas.

Grateful to the support from the society, Prof. Shi vowed during the interview to achieve the goal of making the university a world leader in frontier technology.

“The birth and development of Westlake University is rooted in China’s fast developing higher-education environment. It is a ‘historical inevitability’ of China’s higher education,” according to Prof. Shi who was emboldened by the nation’s overall environment.

Over the past two years Westlake University has received over 6000 applications, from which nearly a hundred world leading scientists were selected. Eighty percent of the candidates were outstanding returnees cultivated by China. To Prof. Shi, it is a sign of progress of Chinese high education, which lays a solid base for establishing a modern private research-oriented university in the country.

 “Although China’s higher education has seen great improvement, it is still lagging behind in basic research areas,” said Prof. Shi, recognizing the challenges confronting China. Cutting-edge and core technology cannot be imported and it can only be created by Chinese people themselves, posing big demands on outstanding and creative Chinese talents, Shi told the reporters.

Nurturing high-level talent in advanced technology is also a mission of Westlake University. Prof. Shi reiterated his confidence in contributing to a strong education that fuels the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

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Since its establishment, Westlake University has received donations from nearly ten thousands supporters from all sectors. During the interview, Prof. Shi extended his gratitude to an overseas Chinese donor Zhou Xuebing, a Zhejiang descent who resides in French Guiana.

Traveling all the way from French Guiana, it took Mr. Zhou over 33 hours to finally end up in Hangzhou’s Westlake University with donations he collected from overseas Chinese friends.

“What he brought back was overseas Chinese’s expectations for the university to back China up,” said Prof. Shi in an emotion-filled tune.

Mr. Zhou never expected that his actions would have created such a big response.The day when Mr. Zhou heard the news about the official approval of the establishment of Westlake University, he initiated a donation among his friends. Up to now, several hundreds of people have responded to his initiative.

Mr. Zhou believes that his motherland needs to develop high technology and world leading higher education.  "I hope more overseas Chinese will pay attention to my hometown’s education," said Mr. Zhou. Currently, he is still introducing Westlake University to more overseas friends. Patriotism has long been a tradition among overseas Chinese.

Born in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, Mr. Zhou is currently engaged in international trading and retail sales in French Guiana. “I have special connections with educational deeds because my father was a teacher,” according to Mr. Zhou. Making contributions to the hometown education is also a wish of all the overseas Chinese, he told Zhejiang Daily reporters.