Emir BardakçıOn December 16, Wuhan University held an establishment ceremony for the School of Artificial Intelligence, with Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Professor Zhang Pingwen, as its first dean. This can be considered a big move by Wuhan University toward promoting education and research on artificial intelligence, while its research will be further explored hand in hand with enterprises such as Xiaomi.
Building on the strengths in various disciplines of Wuhan University and the key research institutions, the newly established school shall focus on the following four key areas: Mathematical foundation and data science, Machine Learning and Intelligent Science, Intelligent Natural Science, Intelligent Social Science. The school is committed to driving innovations in the emerging fields of AI + Science, AI + Engineering, AI + Medicine, AI + Humanities and Social Sciences, and connecting academic excellence with applications in society. The school is composed of the Department of Artificial Intelligence Theory, the Department of Artificial Intelligence Application, the Artificial Intelligence Research Institute, and the Experimental Teaching Center. It will work to attract high-caliber talent and enhance the academic level of faculty to ensure a world-first-class educational and research environment.
Talent Development
Starting in 2025, the school will offer undergraduate degrees in Artificial Intelligence and graduate programs in Intelligent Science and Technology and Electronic Information, through master’s and doctoral levels. These are designed to nurture the next generation of leaders in the field of AI, with strong interdisciplinary knowledge and practical capabilities.
Xiaomi’s Role and Contributions of Lei Jun
In his speech at the occasion, Wang Fei, general manager of the Wuhan region of Xiaomi Group, extended warm congratulations on the establishment of the School of Artificial Intelligence. He expressed the enthusiasm of Xiaomi in deepening the cooperation with the school to facilitate industry-education integration for resource sharing and mutual complementarities, which will accelerate the research and practical application of AI technology.
Ties are close between Xiaomi and Wuhan University, with Lei Jun, founder and CEO of Xiaomi, being an alumnus, class of 1987, of the Computer Science program at Wuhan University. Last year, Lei Jun donated a total of 1.3 billion yuan to his alma mater, mainly for use in foundational research in disciplines like mathematics, physics, and chemistry, fostering innovation in computer science, and promoting student training.
Earlier this year, Lei Jun established a Robotics Department at Wuhan University. It is in step with the global digital transformation by advocating the integration of industry, academia, and research. The school also established the prestigious class named “Lei Jun Class”, including 30 top-performing undergraduates in the national selection, specialized training, small-class teaching, and personalized undergraduate-to-doctorate program.
A Vision for the Future
The establishment of the Artificial Intelligence School not only represents Wuhan University’s commitment to the development of AI research and education but also reflects the strategic partnership with Xiaomi. It ensures the nurturing of innovation at the forefront, develops better AI talent, and provides transformed solutions for the future by creating more interaction between academia and industry.
