Chongqing - On February 24, at the Huaxi campus of Chongqing University of Technology, Liu Xiaokang, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and Vice President of the university, was found deeply engrossed in experiments at the laboratory of the School of Mechanical Engineering.

As a technology expert in higher education, Liu and his team have been working tirelessly to secure independent intellectual property rights for the crucial core technology of precise displacement measurement. They tackled the challenges of high-precision position detection in advanced manufacturing equipment, achieving autonomous control over China’s precise displacement measurement technology and devices.

Beyond technological advancements, Liu has dedicated significant efforts to talent development in recent years. The university has strategically aligned itself with the demands of industries like high-end equipment by actively participating in initiatives such as integrating science and education and collaborating between academia and industry in nurturing talent. 

With support from a faculty led by national-level experts, research projects such as the national major instrumentation project, and platforms like the Engineering Research Center of the Ministry of Education, the university has incubated companies like Chongqing University of Technology’s Chongqing CTL Measurement and Control Technology Co., Ltd., and China General Technology Group’s Guoce Time Grating Co., Ltd. 

As a result of these efforts, the university received two second prizes in the National Higher Education (Graduate) Teaching Achievement Awards.

Education, technology, and talent form the foundational and strategic pillars for the comprehensive construction of a modern socialist country. Whether in his professional role or as a CPPCC member, Liu is steadfast in promoting the collaborative development of education, technology, and talent.

Liu’s proposal last year, focusing on revitalizing educational resources and promoting high-quality development in universities in western China, received swift acknowledgment from the Ministry of Education. The ministry demonstrated support by favoring universities in west China in selecting high-level talents and facilitating the exchange of cadres between universities in the eastern and western regions of China.

“Revitalizing educational resources in western China to contribute to the development of higher education in China is a rewarding goal,” Liu said, expressing enthusiasm for every step toward this objective.

Beyond his suggestions to the CPPCC, Liu had additional accomplishments last year. Under CPPCC National Committee requirements, he established connections with Professor Charles NG Wang-Wai, a CPPCC National Committee member from the education sector, Vice-President of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), and the Dean of HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School. They engaged in beneficial discussions on collaborative scientific research, talent exchange, and student visits. He looks forward to further cooperation this year, contributing to China’s technological innovation and talent development.

“As a CPPCC National Committee member, preserving the spirit of serving the country and the people is essential,” said Liu. 

In his second year of service, reflecting on the past year, he acknowledges the weight of responsibility. Recognizing that proposals are a crucial aspect of CPPCC members’ duties, he emphasizes the importance of making effective proposals that genuinely address issues. To achieve this, he plans to integrate his CPPCC responsibilities with his professional work, enhance his learning, conduct in-depth research, and identify points of convergence between his expertise and the people’s concerns.

With the National Two Sessions approaching, Liu is preparing a proposal to alleviate educational anxiety. He believes that ensuring a childhood free from excessive academic pressure is a common aspiration for most parents. However, the current educational anxiety forces some parents to push their children excessively.

“In parents’ eyes, less academic pressure in elementary and middle school only leads to more challenges of the college entrance examination later. If the performance is not ideal, the chances of entering a world-class university and securing a good job become slim,” explained Liu. To change this situation, he proposes opening up new paths in higher education to provide more choices for students.

Through his research, Liu found that the assumption that “attending comprehensive universities leads to better employment” is not absolute. Universities with outstanding disciplines can also cultivate high-quality talents with good employment prospects.

“Based on existing ‘Double First-Class’ initiatives, which is a major commitment made by the Chinese government to improve China’s higher education power and international competitiveness, and selecting ‘specialized, refined, featured and innovative’ disciplines to create a national demonstration effect,” Liu suggested, advocating for the opening of a new path in higher education development to alleviate educational stress. This approach would also enable universities with “specialized, refined, featured and innovative” disciplines to identify their development direction, acquire more resources, and strengthen their competitive advantages, ultimately cultivating outstanding talents.