On being a dean and using AI for good

While Teachers’ Day falls on different dates in different countries, it is celebrated on 10 September in China. This year we are profiling one of our outstanding teachers: Professor Eng Gee Lim (pictured below), who this summer celebrated his 17th anniversary at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) and received XJTLU’s 2023-2024 All-Round Academic Excellence Award in June.

• Where he’s from: Malaysia
• Current roles: the first Dean of the School of Advanced Technology (SAT), Executive Dean of the newly established Academy of AI, and Professor in the Department of Communications and Networking at SAT
• Interests: artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, AI+ healthcare, smart homes, radio frequency (RF) and microwave applications, mobile communication networks and more
• Accomplishments: supervised more than 20 PhD graduates, published more than 250 peer-reviewed international journal and conference papers, and received over 50 million RMB for research projects where he is the principal investigator or co-principal investigator
• Where you may have seen him: on social media, wearing a pink vest and giving a tour of the buildings on the north campus, or on the Chinese social media platform RED, where he shares technological knowledge in a simple and engaging way

Professor Eng Gee Lim (right) filming the building tour

• Why he stays so busy: “Teaching, research, and service are all part of my job,” Professor Lim says. “We need to set an example so that employees and students can feel the atmosphere of innovation and be willing to follow the School’s footsteps.”

Q&A

Under Professor Lim’s leadership, SAT’s research has become recognised internationally. XJTLU has been listed in the top 1% of multiple disciplines, including engineering and computer science, in the Essential Science Indicators (ESI) rankings worldwide. These top rankings cover all the research areas of SAT. In June 2023, the School’s first undergraduate cohort graduated, with three-quarters continuing their studies at the top 100 universities in the world.

We asked Professor Lim about the leadership style that has made SAT so successful and about the aims of the Academy of AI.

What is a key responsibility for a dean?

“To build an attractive ‘ecosystem‘ that will bring in and cultivate talent and empower an diverse faculty. In the field of AI, both Chinese and international industry players and universities are competing for talent. Universities can provide a good environment and support young teachers to maximise their potential.”

How do you guide research?

“Early-career academic staff are encouraged to give full play to their strengths and explore their areas of interest. At the same time, the School needs to create a collective research direction. As the Dean or Department Head, we need to understand our talent pool and know each academic staff’s strengths when making research plans, using a more strategic approach to consolidate our strength.”

How has SAT enhanced learning and teaching?

“Combining teaching and research and creating a cross-disciplinary innovation ecosystem has laid the foundation for students’ growth.

“We have opened the Final Year Projects (FYP) to the entire School. Students from any programme and department can choose supervisors and topics within the School.

“We have also designed an AI-based allocation platform, where students can choose five FYP preferences based on their interests and compete on a level playing field. This mechanism protects students’ autonomy and motivates them to engage in scientific research.”

What are the emphases of the Academy of AI?

“AI’s rapid development has made clear its role in upgrading education, innovation in scientific research, social integration, and higher education. These are also the four key points Dr Yimin Ding, the University’s Vice President, emphasised when discussing the Academy.

“Firstly, according to the University’s strategy, we hope to use AI to change education. The Academy will introduce cutting-edge AI tools and technologies to help improve work and learning efficiency for all teachers and students, making education more efficient.

“Secondly, we aim to use AI to change our research methods and improve research efficiency and quality.

“Thirdly, we want to use AI to influence society. The Academy will organise popular science campaigns and open training programmes to the public, allowing more people to enjoy AI’s convenience and promote AI technologies.”

“Through AI, we can influence education, scientific research, and society. If we can achieve results in these three areas, we will realise our fourth goal – influencing higher education in China and providing other universities with valuable experience and cases for reference based on our practice,” Professor Lim says.

What are some tips for Year One students?

“1. Attend classes, whether you understand them or not. The classes you attend will be stored in your mind, and your memory will be triggered when you need them. Follow your interests, but also follow the basic rules. Study hard and make progress every day.

“2. Seek help when you need it. XJTLU has the Four-Tutor System to help you. If you encounter problems you cannot solve alone, actively seek support and the University’s resources.

“3. Students in science and engineering have traditionally been seen as a little more rigid and lacking in expressive abilities. Our generation has suffered from this disadvantage, and we hope that today’s students will become more flexible, active, and willing to communicate and experiment.

“4. Never fear AI, but stand on the shoulders of AI. Your thinking, methods, and innovative skills are what you can truly take with you from the University.”