David Cardwell, vice chancellor of the University of Cambridge, speaks at an educational forum in the Optics Valley of China. [Photo/WeChat account of Optics Valley of China]

David Cardwell, vice chancellor of the University of Cambridge, attended an educational forum held on March 29 at Wuhan Ulink College, which is located in the East Lake High-tech Development Zone (also known as Optics Valley of China, or OVC), in Wuhan.

Cardwell delivered a speech themed on the cultivation of innovative, international talent and admission into the University of Cambridge. He also discussed related issues with the education experts, students and parents that were in attendance.

The audience listens carefully at the forum on March 29. [Photo/WeChat account of Optics Valley of China]

According to Cardwell, innovation is a process of challenging the unknown and finding solutions, and education makes innovation possible. An excellent and balanced education creates more opportunities, and a good college education makes excellent researchers.

Citing statistics from 2020 to 2021, there were 12,000 college undergraduates in Cambridge, and about 24.4 percent were from outside the United Kingdom, while 14.4 percent were from countries outside the framework of the European Union. He then went on to encourage more OVC students to apply to study at Cambridge.

The Optics Valley of China is one of China's three major zones with the densest intelligence, and every year, a large number of local students study overseas for their bachelor, master and doctorate degrees.

Currently, OVC is home to 74 academicians, more than 3,000 high-end talents, and over 7,000 talent teams. About 70 percent of the high-level personnel in the valley have studied abroad.

Pressing forward with the international education, OVC aims to foster high-quality talents with international prospects, and will continue to offer top education services for children of expatriates.