On April 20th, the Zhejiang University Institute of Fundamental Interdisciplinary Research (Preparatory) was officially inaugurated. The initial focus will be on two interdisciplinary research fields: "Mathematics+" and "Comprehensive". These fields aim to promote a paradigm shift in research through algorithms and computing power, while empowering fundamental interdisciplinary research with new methods, technologies, and approaches.
Zhejiang University's Institute of Interdisciplinary Research (Preparatory) unveiled its plaque.
On that day, at the annual meeting of the third National Frontiers Interdisciplinary Research Institute Directors Joint Conference and Interdisciplinary Academic Symposium, Han Qide, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and honorary chairman of the China Association for Science and Technology, Du Jiangfeng, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and president of Zhejiang University, Tang Chao, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and secretary-general of the National Frontiers Interdisciplinary Research Institute Directors Joint Conference, and Wang Lizhong, vice president of Zhejiang University, jointly unveiled the plaque for Zhejiang University's Institute of Interdisciplinary Research (Preparatory).
It was introduced that the Institute of Interdisciplinary Research (Preparatory) of Zhejiang University will continuously plan key research areas around systematic basic research, exploratory basic research, and applied basic research. It will initiate the construction of relevant interdisciplinary research fields in stages.
Following a strategic direction of being small-scale, high-threshold, and light-asset, the institute will lay out several basic interdisciplinary fields and key directions. It will utilize its cross-disciplinary education and training mechanism to facilitate talent development channels between itself and educational units such as the Chu Kochen Honors College, guiding top professors, scholars, and students to construct an academic community conducive to teaching and learning. It will adhere to a goal-oriented and freely exploratory approach, focusing on supporting top scientists to lead interdisciplinary research teams and building high-level public technology platforms in the field of basic interdisciplinary research.
"We are committed to cultivating a group of outstanding innovative talents who dare to explore the forefront of science and technology, striving to do things that others dare not think or do. We aim to view problems from a longer-term perspective, break through conventional thinking, open up new research tracks, and generate breakthrough original achievements, fostering emerging interdisciplinary growth points," said Tang Ruikang, Executive Vice President of Zhejiang University's Institute of Interdisciplinary Research (Preparatory).
As one of the universities with the most comprehensive disciplines in the country, Zhejiang University regards disciplinary convergence and frontier interdisciplinary research as one of the key paths to promoting high-quality internal development. Du Jiangfeng stated that promoting interdisciplinary construction is crucial for the construction of a world-class research-oriented university, the improvement of the quality of cultivating top-notch innovative talents, and the enhancement of academic reputation and influence. In recent years, the university has been guided by national strategies and major issues, organizing interdisciplinary research, gathering university disciplines, promoting extensive cooperation, establishing large platforms, and accelerating the construction of a more outstanding innovation ecosystem and talent cultivation system.
It is reported that Zhejiang University is implementing a disciplinary convergence research plan for 2030, prospectively laying out 11 convergent disciplinary fields; establishing high-level science and technology innovation platforms led by national major scientific and technological infrastructure and national key laboratories; building excellent centers for interdisciplinary talent cultivation, conducting innovative research and compound talent cultivation with interdisciplinary characteristics; establishing interdisciplinary research platforms such as the Hydrogen Energy Research Institute, the Institute of Ecological Civilization, and the Institute of Quantum Precision Measurement to create an innovative ecosystem conducive to basic interdisciplinary research, and has achieved a series of significant original achievements in frontier directions such as brain science, brain-machine intelligence, new material creation, precision medicine, and interdisciplinary mechanics.
