Jiangnan University Appoints Dr. Frans Greidanus as Guest Professor

On May 29, Dr. Frans Greidanus, former board director of Tilburg University in the Netherlands and former President and Chief Technology Officer of Philips Research Asia, visited Jiangnan University. During his visit, he was formally appointed as a guest professor at the university. Dr. Greidanus's visit not only deepened academic exchanges with the university but also marked a further advancement in their cooperative relationship.

Dr. Greidanus has an outstanding record and extensive experience in the fields of technology and business. He served as President and Chief Technology Officer of Philips Research Asia, contributing unique insights and innovations in technology. Moreover, due to his long-term advisory role to the Mayor of Wuxi, Dr. Greidanus was honored with the title of "Friendly Envoy of the People of Wuxi" in 2022.

In the morning, Dr. Greidanus, accompanied by Wang Xu, the representative of North Brabant Province in Jiangsu, visited the Schoolof Business, Jiangnan University. They had in-depth discussions with Dean Pu Xujin, Assistant of Dean Meng Fanbo, and others. Dean Pu warmly welcomed Dr. Greidanus and expressed gratitude for his efforts in promoting exchange and cooperation between Jiangnan University and Dutch universities. Dr. Greidanus thanked Jiangnan University for the invitation and emphasized that the ongoing good communication between Jiangnan University and Tilburg University, among others, has laid a solid foundation for future cooperation. Both parties discussed various aspects of collaboration, including joint educational programs, establishing a brand cooperation forum, and scientific research cooperation, reaching positive consensus.

After meeting, Dr. Greidanus and Wang Xu toured the university’s history museum and design gallery, gaining a more intuitive understanding of the university’s development.

In the afternoon of the 29th, the awarding ceremony for Dr. Frans Greidanus as a guest professor at Jiangnan University was held in Room 116, the School of Business. The ceremony was hosted by Assistant of Dean Meng Fanbo and attended by invited guests, including Xin Zhihong, Director of the European and African Affairs Office of the Wuxi Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, and Lu Xuanming, an officer from the same office. Duguo Cheng, a member of the University Party Committee and Vice President of Jiangnan University, presented Dr. Greidanus with the appointment certificate and a gift. In his speech, President Du expressed that Dr. Greidanus’s participating will inject new momentum into the collaboration between Jiangnan University and Dutch universities, promote the development of the university's business disciplines, and deepen exchanges and cooperation with institutions like Tilburg University.

After the ceremony, Dr. Greidanus delivered a compelling lecture titled "Innovation and Open Innovation in Multinational Companies" to the attending faculty and students. Drawing from his own experiences and expertise, he provided an in-depth analysis of the innovation models and strategies of multinational companies in the context of globalization, offering the audience a valuable learning opportunity.

Dr. Greidanus’s visit and appointment are expected to infuse new vitality into the internationalization and research innovation of the School of Business, Jiangnan University’s , advancing their cooperative relationship to new heights.

President Du Guocheng presenting the appointment certificate to Dr. Frans Greidanus

Scene from the discussion meeting

Group photo

Dr. Frans Greidanus visiting the university history museum

Dr. Frans Greidanus giving a lecture