On the afternoon of October 9, Jim McDonald, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering and Principal of the University of Strathclyde in the United Kingdom, visited Tsinghua University. During the visit, he was appointed as an Honorary Professor at Tsinghua University and as a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the Energy Internet Innovation Research Institute of Tsinghua University. Additionally, he was invited to deliver keynote lectures at the Tsinghua Global Vision Lecture and the Jingde Forum, addressing Tsinghua faculty and students.

Wang Xiqin granted Jim McDonald the certificate of appointment as honorary professor

Wang Xiqin, President of Tsinghua University, had a meeting with Jim McDonald on further deepening collaboration between the two universities. A memorandum of understanding was signed during the meeting. Recognizing Jim McDonald’s achievements in academia and education, as well as his contributions to fostering collaboration between the two universities and countries, Tsinghua University conferred upon him the title of Honorary Professor. In the ceremony held after the meeting, Wang Xiqin presented Jim McDonald with the Honorary Professor appointment certificate.

Themed lecture by Jim McDonald

Jim McDonald delivered a lecture titled “The Challenge of Achieving Net-Zero by 2050/2060” as part of the Tsinghua Global Vision Lecture and Jingde Forum. In his address, Mr. McDonald emphasized the requirements and challenges of safety, low-carbon, and high efficiency during the energy transition process. He also outlined the measures taken by the UK in response to net-zero commitments. He stressed the importance of adopting a systematic approach to address energy transition challenges, advocating for continuous international collaboration to effectively tackle the challenges posed by achieving net-zero goals. Following the lecture, lively discussions between faculty, students, and Jim McDonald took place, exploring topics such as the role of talents, systems, design, and risk in the energy transition process, as well as how collaboration can be strengthened among entrepreneurs, engineers, scientists, economists, and policymakers.

View-sharing session

Afterwards, the ceremony for appointing Jim McDonald as the Distinguished Visiting Fellow of the Energy Internet Innovation Research Institute of Tsinghua University was held in EEA. The ceremony was presided over by Associate Professor Yu Zhanqing, Deputy Dean of EEA. Professor Kang Chongqing, Dean of EEA, presented the certificate of distinguished visiting professor of the Energy Internet Research Institute of Tsinghua University to McDonald. More than 80 faculty and students, including President Andrew Goudie, special advisor to the University of Strathclyde, Professor Stephen McArthur, vice president and dean of the School of Engineering, Ms. Lin Fan, special advisor on Chinese affairs to the president, Professor Lu Chao, Deputy Dean of EEA, and Gao Feng, Deputy Director of the Energy Internet Innovation Research Institute, attended the appointment ceremony and lecture.

Kang Chongqing granted certificate of appointment as Distinguished Visiting Fellow to Sir Jim McDonald

The Energy Internet Innovation Research Institute of Tsinghua University aims to establish an internationally renowned energy think tank. It actively explores paths for international development, establishing communication and cooperation channels with globally renowned energy think tank experts. Since 2023, the institute has appointed several distinguished visiting experts, including Professor Goran Strabec from Imperial College London, Professor Daniel Kirschen from the University of Washington, Professor Carlo Alberto Nucci from the University of Bologna, and Professor Stephen McArthur from the University of Strathclyde. Through initiatives such as launching the Tsinghua University’s international comprehensive journal, “iEnergy,” collaborating with international experts on research report writing and publishing, and planning special issues related to China’s energy and power low-carbon transformation in international academic journals, the institute aims to showcase China’s significant efforts in addressing climate change and achieving dual carbon goals to the international community. These efforts contribute to enhancing China’s influence and discourse power in international energy governance.

Group Photo with Faculty Members

Professor Jim McDonald is a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society of Edinburgh, as well as a fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology and the Institute of Physics. He has long been engaged in research on power system protection, control, operation, and energy economics. Tsinghua University and the University of Strathclyde first signed a cooperation memorandum in 1989, maintaining a long-term and friendly partnership. In 2015, the two universities signed a university-level student exchange agreement.