On 26 April 2026, the second day of the International Academic Symposium on “The Challenges and Reshaping of College Students’ Leadership in the Digital Intelligence Era”, together with the LEAD Academic Network Conference, was held at Wuhan University of Engineering Science. The programme continued to advance discussions on student leadership, digital transformation, and higher education governance.
The day opened with welcoming remarks by Prof. Chu Zuwang, President of Wuhan University of Engineering Science, who emphasized the importance of cultivating innovative, globally competent student leaders in response to emerging technological and societal challenges.
The EU–China Higher Education Research Centre (ECHE) continued to contribute to academic exchange between European and Chinese institutions. Scholars from Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) participated in the plenary sessions, offering perspectives on leadership development and higher education transformation.
Prof. Nico De Witte (Vrije Universiteit Brussel & Ghent University of Applied Sciences) delivered a presentation on inclusive digital leadership and entrepreneurial mindsets in ageing societies. Prof. Bart Derre (Vrije Universiteit Brussel & Ghent University of Applied Sciences) discussed the development of entrepreneurial and human-centred leadership in the context of artificial intelligence.
In addition, Prof. Zhu Hong (Peking University) examined the foundations of student leadership in the AI era, while Prof. Guo Jianpeng (Xiamen University) discussed leadership development models for top innovative talents. Prof. Chen Zheng (National Academy of Education Administration) highlighted the need to systematically reconstruct student leadership development systems in the digital intelligence era.
The symposium concluded with reflections on strengthening international collaboration to address shared challenges in higher education. The second day further reinforced ECHE’s role in supporting EU–China academic exchange and future cooperation.
