Chinese State Councilor Chen Zhili warned here Wednesday that Chinese universities must eradicate dishonest and pompous behavior.

At the opening of the third Chinese-Foreign University Presidents Forum, Chen said Chinese universities shouldered the responsibility of scientific and technological innovation, as well as the cultivation of innovative and honest graduates who would contribute to the country.

University heads should uphold the principles of a sound campus atmosphere, Chen said. They should help students set goals to serve the people, challenge authority, show humility, be cooperative and in touch with the times.

"University presidents should safeguard the spiritual world of the students, and ensure their schools exemplify social morality," she said.

Universities were strategically important in building a well-off society. China lagged behind developed countries in science and technology so universities were vital for national modernization.

Supportive policies helped to establish joint research with foreign institutions and to ensure market-oriented research results were applied to industrial production.

Chen called on presidents to take practical and effective measures to encourage innovation-oriented research, and to nurture talent.

The week-long forum has attracted 143 university heads from China and 14 foreign universities, including Cambridge in Britain, Stanford and Yale in the United States, and the Australian National University.

The two main topics are the nurturing of talent and theories of education innovation, and the application of research and development results.

During the forum, university heads will visit firms in Shanghai, including state steel giant BaoGang and home appliance firm Haier, where they will discuss how to nurture qualified talent for business.

They will also visit the high-tech park in Shanghai to learn Chinese universities' experiences in high-tech research and development.

(Xinhua News Agency July 13, 2006)