Address on the Signature Ceremony of ISCAS-UQ Joint Lab

Date:2008-10-13

Mr. Deputy Secretary General Wang Enge,
Mr. President Paul Greenfield,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my great honor, on behalf of the Institute of Software at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (ISCAS), to bring greetings to all the distinguished guests at this signature ceremony. Here at ISCAS, we will be officially dedicating today a newly established research partnership with the University of Queensland (UQ) in the area of Data and Software Engineering. This is a fully collaborative project involving exchange visits of scientists and students from both sides, as they work together to crop improvement in both China and Australia.

Not like UQ with long history of a whole century, ISCAS has comparatively shorter history. But the name of ISCAS was referred to almost every step of Chinese software history: the first operating system, the first compiler...and even the translation of the term “software” into the Chinese language. ISCAS is the only institute in software area at national level in China. With 3 state key laboratories and 3 national engineering research centers, ISCAS represents China’s top level research capacity in IT area.

To achieve our excellence at international level, we will draw strength from the world’s most significant institutions, and get ourselves into the big picture. Now we are here to witness the launch of ISCAS-UQ Joint Lab for Data and Software Engineering Research. We enter this partnership with a firm foundation and clear direction. I am confident that it will lead to a win-win situation. As for the ISCAS, we are more than glad to provide our scientists and students with experiences and skills accumulated from multi-national working background, with the opportunities to challenge themselves at a whole new level. And for our Australian friends, you are about to meet Chinese top talents, to acquaint with the world’s most rapid growing economy, and to involve yourself into one of the world’s most ancient and continuous civilizations, which has been unending inspiration to innovation.  

Before closing, my special thanks would go to Prof. Paul Bailes, Prof. Paul Strooper and Prof. Xiaofang Zhou, for your great considerations and efforts to promote the joint lab work plan; also go to Prof. Wang Enge and Prof. Paul Greenfield, for your appearances on the special occasion today already showed great support and confidence.

Today is just a beginning. We ISCAS are creating a set of special fellowship for foreign scholars, and we will support research and foster international cooperation in broader scope. At this time, we are rising to the challenge of becoming a world top software institute. We invite University of Queensland, our guest and partner, to join us in this exciting journey.

Thank you! 

Mingshu Li

Director General of ISCAS