Constructing and innovating research-teaching communities driven by interdisciplinarity

This paper provides a detailed analysis of the major challenges faced by universities both domestically and internationally in cultivating top-notch talent, primarily characterized by rigid disciplinary barriers and the weak integration of research and education. To implement the guiding principles of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the National Education Conference, and to establish a holistic “grand education perspective” that synergizes education, science and technology, and talent development, to advance the “scientifically organized talent cultivation”, the School of Interdisciplinary Science (SIS) at Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) is moving towards establishing a physical Advanced Interdisciplinary Research and Education Center (AIREC). This initiative aligns with BIT’s strategy to deepen the “integration of research and education” and the main approaches involve leveraging first-class interdisciplinary research teams to build first-class teaching capabilities and utilizing top-tier interdisciplinary research platforms to shape first-class educational platforms. It can help foster a virtuous cycle among education, science and technology, and talent development, and cultivate doctoral graduates with comprehensive interdisciplinary capabilities. Hereby, these objectives will be achieved including advancing BIT’s high-quality development of its “Double First-Class” disciplines, providing a solid foundation for cultivating original leading talents urgently needed for national strategic priorities, including scientists, entrepreneurs and chief designers for national defense, as well as incubating and nurturing globally impactful and original scientific research innovations within China.