Foreign sci-tech commissioners exchange view on the scene. (PHOTO: Xiamen Bureau of Science and Technology)

Edited by CHEN Chunyou

A talent exchange event themed on sci-tech empowerment of industrial innovation was held in Xiamen, Fujian province on December 1.

Xiamen is the birthplace of  the foreign sci-tech commissioner. The expats from India, Singapore, Egypt and so on, were nominated in the first batch of commissioners. They have expertise in the areas of animation design, marine ecology and smart manufacturing. In this event, two foreign experts shared their experience to local animation enterprises.

Riyad Chalakkara Muhammedali came from India and has been working for 15 years in the animation film industry. Now, he is responsible for character animation in Base (Xiamen) Culture Development Co., Ltd. This August, he was employed as sci-tech commissioner of Xiamen.

During the event, Muhammedali conducted in-depth exchanges on a cultural export project with a team from Xiamen's Tianyi Animation Culture Media Co., Ltd. The two sides hope to find complementary advantages in 3D animation technology and computer graphics technology on film and television.

Philip Lambert, deputy dean of the Institute of Creativity and Innovation, Xiamen University, said that allowing students to gain experience via interning at various enterprises, and encouraging foreign experts to interact with Chinese enterprises, can ensure that teaching and scientific research remains a priority in the industry. Also, creative experts with a global vision will be provided to enhance Xiamen's animation industry, said he, adding that foreign teachers are happy to act as sci-tech commissioners, and make a contribution to industrial innovation and development.

Lambert said he will bring British and European industrial standards in artificial intelligence, motion capture and 3D printing to Xiamen, to provide a point of reference for local industries when promoting exchanges of culture, science and technology between China and Europe.

After years of development, the animation industry in Xiamen continues to grow. This November, Tianyi Animation Culture Media Co., Ltd. was listed as the national demonstration base for integrating culture with science and technology.

The ongoing exchange of expertise not only tackles the practical difficulties faced by enterprises, but also helps them to achieve breakthroughs in technological innovation and global development. At the same time, sci-tech experts are both providing expertise to local industries as well as communicating China's voice  to the world, which will help bring in more experts to Xiamen. This will help to build Xiamen into the BRICS innovation base, said Luo Lei, an official from the Xiamen Bureau of Science and Technology.