Li Wei, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), renowned computer scientist and educator, a pivotal founding figure in China's computer and artificial intelligence fields, member of the 10th and 11th National Committees of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and former President of Beihang University, passed away in Beijing on January 25 at the age of 82 after an illness.

Born in Beijing in June 1943, Li Wei studied in the Department of Mathematics and Mechanics at Peking University from 1961 to 1966. He began his teaching career at Beijing Institute of Aeronautics (now Beihang University) in 1968. From 1979 to 1983, he studied at the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom, where he received his PhD in Computer Science. In 1997, he was elected as an Academician of the CAS. From January 2002 to May 2009, he served as President of Beihang University.

Li Wei was one of the earliest scholars internationally to research and develop structural operational semantic models for concurrent programming languages, achieving groundbreaking research results in the operational semantics of practical concurrent languages, formal theory sequences, and revision calculus. He was a pioneer in advocating for research into the theory and methods of massive information computing in China, and the new research direction of swarm intelligence he condensed was incorporated into China's national strategic plan for the new generation of artificial intelligence.

Li Wei founded the State Key Laboratory of Software Development Environment and served as its first director. He also served as a member of the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council, Deputy Head of the Expert Group of the National High-Tech Research and Development Program (863 Program), and Chief Scientist of the National Basic Research Program (973 Program). His numerous honors included the second prize of the National Natural Science Award, the second prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award, the first prize of the National Teaching Achievement Award, the Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress of the Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation, the first prize of the Guanghua Science and Technology Progress Prize, the Tsiolkovsky Medal of Russia, and the Capital Labor Medal.

During his tenure as President of Beihang University, Li Wei, with his profound strategic vision and exceptional leadership, led the university to develop into a first-class, world-renowned research university together with the university's leadership team, laying a solid foundation for Beihang's construction as a world-class university with Chinese characteristics. He attached great importance to fostering the new characteristic of the integration of aeronautics, astronautics and information, promoting the university's transformation from expanding educational scale to comprehensively improving educational quality, and from cultivating conventional scientific and technological talent to cultivating innovative professionals.

He emphasized that undergraduate education is the foundation of a university, and vigorously implemented the measures of "strict admission, high-quality teaching, and excellent graduation," significantly enhancing the quality of talent cultivation. He advocated a "student-centered and faculty-centered" approach, adhered to professors' academic governance and flat management, promoted the establishment of schools based on first-level disciplines, expanded the educational autonomy of schools and departments, and greatly stimulated the vitality of grassroots organizations. He stressed that a first-class university must make historic contributions, closely align with national strategic needs, cultivate leading talent, and produce landmark scientific research achievements. He was successively appointed as the Head of the Demonstration Expert Group for the Large Aircraft Major Project under the National Medium and Long-Term Science and Technology Development Plan, and Chairman of the Demonstration Committee for the Implementation Plan of the Large Aircraft Major Project, making outstanding contributions to the approval and implementation of the national major special project of large aircraft.

As a scientist, Li Wei was visionary, truth-seeking, and innovative, contributing to high-level scientific and technological self-reliance. As an educator, he achieved remarkable results in university governance and talent cultivation, earning deep respect and affection from faculty and students. The passing of Li Wei is a great loss to the international information science community and to China's higher education endeavors. His legacy will live on forever.

The funeral ceremony for Li Wei will be held at the East Hall of the Babaoshan Funeral Home in Beijing at 9:00 AM on January 31, 2026.

Editor: Liu Tingting