Peking University and Tsinghua University, China's two most prestigious universities, may achieve their ambitions to join the world's top institutions in 10 to 20 years, said Yale University president Richard C. Levin.

To obtain that goal, a major challenge will be to attract the best staff, which in some cases may involve competitions with other leading universities in the world, he said.

"We welcome initiatives by the Chinese government to strengthen universities because it is good for the whole international community of higher learning," Levin was quoted as saying at a press conference before winding up his four-day visit to Beijing Wednesday.

Levin, who in the past week lectured at both universities, said he was very impressed with the quality of students at the two universities.

According to Yale sources, some 230 Chinese students and scholars study, lecture, and conduct research at the US university annually, in addition to many hundreds of others who pay short-term visits.

Yale and Peking University launched a joint center for plant molecular genetics and agro-biotechnology on Monday, adding another project to more than 20 active collaborations between Yale and Chinese institutions and agencies, says the paper.

(People's Daily 05/10/2001)