At 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 12th, Dr. ZhangYaqin, who is the President of Microsoft Research Asia (MSRA), chief scientist, the alumni of USTC and also guest professor of USTC was invited to have a symposium in the meeting room with nearly a hundred teachers and students coming from School of Information Science & Technology. First, he introduced the development and important changes taking place globally in computer and IT industry. He made a comment on the current situation of related fields in China and encouraged people present to make contribution to the development of China's IT industry.

At 3: 30 p.m, immediately after the symposium President Zhang made a report at the hall of Activities Centre on the West Campus entitled "On the Current Situation, Tendency and Challenge of Software Industry in the World". Several hundred teachers and students attended the meeting. In his report, he introduced the current situation of IT industry in the world and its bright future. He said in the foreseeable future everybody needs an interface with the new information world and this interface is the software industry promoted by internetization, service trend and globalization. In the next 20 years, software industry will become the major impetus to the development of high-tech industry of the world, which brings unprecedented opportunities and challenges for China. He firmly believed that China's software market and software industry can definitely seize the chance and spring up in the near future.

President Zhang also answered many questions raised by the students which were concerned with academic work, career, research direction, etc. and besides, he put forward his own ideas about the development of information science in USTC. He hoped that his Alma Mater could get better and better.

Both the symposium and the report meeting were presided over by executive vice president of School of IST Wang Xufa. Other leaders from the School and related departments were also present at the meeting.