From December 10 to 12, 2015, the 1st International Advisory Board Conference was held at Beijing Jiaotong University. Global scholars and experts from renowned universities and institutes gathered here to conduct in-depth discussions and offer valuable suggestions for the BJTU International Development Plan (2016-2020). Mr. CAO Guoyong, Chairman of the University Council, President NING Bin, all the university leadership, Deans and principals from related offices attended the conference. The opening ceremony was chaired by President NING Bin.  

During the opening ceremony, CAO Guoyong expressed welcome and gratitude to all the participants on behalf of BJTU. He pointed out that the holding of the 1st International Advisory Board Conference was a big event for the internationalization effort, reform and development of BJTU. The "Thirteenth Five-year Plan" (2016-2020) period is a critical period for BJTU to achieve the first-step development goals of the "Three-step Strategy". He hoped that all the participants would render help for BJTU to think deeply on the objectives and indictor system of the Plan and approaches of fully implementing the Plan.

The participants have conducted in-depth discussions and offered valuable suggestions on the discipline development, talent cultivation, faculty development, research innovation, cultural environment, social service and internationalization for the development of BJTU (2016-2020).

During the conference, Gregory Chan (Senior Vice President for Global Development, St. Thomas University, U.S.), Bailian LI (Vice Prost for International Affairs, North Carolina State University, U.S.) and Sizhao QIN (Vice President of the Chinese University of Hong Kong) gave the reports on international education, internationalization strategy of higher education, cultivating innovative talents with global visions, respectively. Also, Vice President YU Zujun and Vice President CHEN Feng gave the report on the University Development Plan (2016-2020) and International Development Plan (2016-2020), respectively.

The members have also visited the School of Electronic and Information Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Rail Traffic Control and Safety, School of Traffic and Transportation and School of Electrical Engineering, listened to the development plans of all the Schools and Key Lab and offered suggestions for them.

During the summering-up meeting, on behalf BJTU, NING Bin expressed gratitude to all the Board members for their hard and effective work. He pointed out that this International Advisory Board Conference focused on the BJTU International Development Plan (2016-2020). The members' proposals and advisory reports are far-reaching and significant in achieving the future development goals of BJTU. He hoped that all the members would keep close contacts with BJTU and provide new ideas and suggestions for BJTU so as to help resolve problems and confusions in development.  

The conference discussed and approved the "Bylaws and Procedures on Beijing Jiaotong University International Advisory Board" and elected the Chairman, Vice Chairman and Secretary General of the Board. Afterwards, CAO Guoyong (Chairman of the University Council), NING Bin (President) and CHEN Feng (Vice President) conferred the certificates to Gregory Chan (Chairman), Ramon Wyss (Vice Chairman) and Barry Morris (Secretary General), respectively.

Since 2012, BJTU has been recruiting global scholars and experts from renowned universities and institutes as members of the International Advisory Board. 11 experts have been recruited so far.