Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU), one of China's top universities headquartered in Xi'an, Shaanxi province,  Northwest China, held the opening ceremony of the Global IT Competency Development Center and International IT Culture Festival on April 5.  

The opening ceremony of the Global IT Competency Development Center [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The opening ceremony of the Global IT Competency Development Center [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

During the ceremony, Zhang Kaifu, NPU assistant president, said that with the increasingly widespread application of IT technology in various fields, the NPU not only needs to cultivate students' professional skills and research and development abilities, but more importantly, it needs to cultivate students' global competence and leadership, allowing computer and artificial intelligence technology to play a greater role in the new era, which will bring students closer to the center of the world stage, and jointly promote the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Zhang Kaifu delivers a speech at the opening ceremony.  [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Global IT Competency Development Center is led by the School of Computer Science at NPU, and aims to continuously enhance the global perspective and international leadership of information students; cultivate international talents committed to mastering solid professional basic knowledge, comprehensively developing comprehensive skills, participating in cross-cultural exchanges with an open and inclusive attitude, and utilizing their professional knowledge to participate in global governance and solve global development problems on a global scale.

The NPU held the first International IT Culture Festival of "Wisdom Enlightens the Silk Road, Code Promotes Chang'an" after the opening ceremony.

During the immersive international cultural exchange, young participants experienced the fusion of cultures, made like-minded friends, and exchanged their different cultures in a relaxed and lively atmosphere.

The first International IT Culture Festival is held in NPU. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The first International IT Culture Festival is held in NPU. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The International IT Culture Festival will continue to be held, and new forms of activities will be introduced to provide more interactive platforms for exchanges between Chinese and foreign students, as well as for school enterprise exchanges.