Recently, Xidian University and Virginia Tech have welcomed the first class of the Sino-US Joint Education Program students with great expectations at the opening ceremonyfor the class of 2022, which is hosted by the School of Economics and Management of Xidian University.

Students and faculty from both sides participate in the ceremony in an online or offline way. The participants in Conference Hall 210 in the administration building include: Zhang Jincheng (Vice president of XDU),Xie Junzhan (Dean of School of Economics and Management and member of Management Committee of Sino-US Joint Education Program), Li Yaoping (Chair of School Council and Member of the Committee), all Chinese Committee members of theSchool, as well as staffs from School of Undergraduate, Department of International Cooperation and Exchange. Besides, the members of theschool leadership team, as well as the school subject assistants and the head of the Big Data Management and Application major attend the ceremony online.

Dr. Roberta (Robin) Russell (Dean of Pamplin College of Business of VT), Sonny Merriman (Associate Dean), Dr. Lara Khansa (Chair Professor), Ms. Beth Osborne (Assistant of Dean), Dr. Jennifer Clevenger (Global Program Director), Dr. Richard Hunt (Associate Professor), Ph. Dr. Richard Hunt (Program Director), Dr. Chien-Chi Tseng (Associate Professor of Management for Technology Innovation), and other U.S. members and faculty of the Committee participated in the ceremony via ZOOM.

The ceremony is hosted by Chen Xi, Vice Dean of the School of Economics and Management and member of theManagement Committee of the Joint Education Program.

Zhang Jincheng delivers a speech for the ceremony to firstly express congratulations and welcome to the new students. He expressed that as internationalization of education has been the irresistible trend, the Joint Education Program has introduced top American teaching resources in business studies and provided first-class professional discipline support. He also wishesthat in the digital intelligence era, the two universities can take this opportunity to lead China and the US to strive forward in the high-end talent cultivation and scientific research cooperation. With international talent cultivation as a link, this cooperation will become a successful modelfor openness and cooperation in higher education in both the countries.

Dr. Roberta (Robin) Russell and Dr. Lara Khansa, address their speeches online. They give a detailed introduction to the college, the program, and the plans to provide relevant resources to the Sino-US class. Theyalso express warm welcome to the students as well as expectationsfor future overseas study.

On behalf of XDU faculty, Professor Du Rong from the School of Economics and Management gives a speech. Having been working at Xidian for over 24 years, she feels proud to have witnessed the development and growth of this university. As a faculty representativeand one of the founders of the program, she provides advice for the students on their future study and life, and expresses her sincere wishes.

Wang Ke, representative of new students, says in her speech that the Big Data Management and Application Program embodies the efforts of Chinese and American teachers, and also provides international educational resources for the students.

Based on electronic information and management discipline of Xidian University and management, innovation and entrepreneurship inspiration of Virginia Tech, this Program becomes the first that focuses on and integrates big data, management, innovation and entrepreneurship factors. The two universities have laid a good foundation for each student to pursue knowledge.