On July 6, a seminar titled "Industry Roundtable: Innovation and Talent" was held, co-organized by Tsinghua University's 21st Century Development Research Institute and the editorial team of Comparison. Researchers from universities, national think tanks, and industry representatives engaged in in-depth discussions. Liu Shouying, Dean of the School of Economics at Renmin University of China, emphasized that the traditional university education system primarily focuses on knowledge transmission. However, with the advent of the AI era, this model reveals its limitations. For example, AI tools like ChatGPT enable quick access to information but may diminish students' creative thinking skills in research. Therefore, it is essential to reconstruct the knowledge framework and talent development model in higher education to better adapt to advancements in AI.
As China transitions from a middle-income to a high-income nation, the new generation is no longer preoccupied with basic survival, instead having greater opportunities for innovation and breakthroughs. This new generation enjoys a solid educational foundation, thanks to a comprehensive training system from kindergarten through university, creating a favorable environment for nurturing innovative talent. Liu believes that universities should play a pivotal role in cultivating such talent. However, significant challenges remain that hinder universities from fulfilling this role effectively.
Globally, innovation activities are predominantly centered around universities and their surroundings, yet Chinese universities have not established a notable advantage in this regard. Liu calls for self-reflection within universities to clarify their goals: to serve as a foundation for an innovative nation. Achieving this requires enhancements in talent development, academic construction, and overall university development.
Addressing the specific challenges of fostering innovative talent, Liu noted that students currently lack problem awareness. They often focus on exams and GPA, which hinders their ability to think critically and formulate questions—an urgent issue in innovation training. The emphasis on rote knowledge transmission often overlooks the development of students' research capabilities. To counter these challenges, Liu proposed three key reforms:
1. Revamp the existing evaluation system to adjust teacher assessment practices, encouraging students towards innovative pursuits.
2. Create a supportive environment for nurturing innovative talent, including diverse communication platforms and opportunities to enhance the academic atmosphere on campus.
3. In the context of the AI era, reconstruct students’ knowledge systems by strengthening and integrating key disciplines such as information science, artificial intelligence, applied mathematics, and economics to meet future developmental needs.
Chen Shujie, Associate Professor and Head of the Talent Department at Capital University of Economics and Business, discussed the strategic importance of skilled personnel in national development, emphasizing engineers as a primary representative of skilled talent. With the rapid growth of the digital economy, digital talent is emerging as a new crucial demographic.
Lü Zhengbiao, an expert from Tencent's Corporate Culture Department, shared insights on the company's talent management practices and challenges. As a tech company where three-quarters of staff are R&D personnel, Tencent aims to continuously foster original product innovation. The challenge lies in effectively managing a considerable number of knowledge employees while stimulating their creativity. Tencent's approach encourages a culture of simplicity and equality, providing flexibility and redundancy to promote bottom-up innovation. An example of this is their "active water mechanism" for internal job rotations, which promotes open collaboration within the company. These ongoing efforts have facilitated rapid innovations, such as the swift rollout of Tencent Meetings during the pandemic and advancements in audio-video compression technology.
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