On April 20, 2023, the International Institute for Sustainability Science (IISS) of Xiamen University (XMU) was officially inaugurated after one year of trial operation, and the inauguration ceremony was held in the Center for Science and Art, Siming Campus of XMU. This is the first institute in China that focuses on sustainability science and provides strong scientific support for the realization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by addressing the international frontiers of sustainability science and the strategic needs of national sustainable development. On the same day, the first national symposium organized by IISS, the "Symposium on Science, Technology and Innovation for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)", was held.

Zongyi Zhang, President of Xiamen University, Huadong Guo, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Fellow of the World Academy of Sciences, Researcher of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Information Innovation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hong Sun, Chief Engineer of the China Center for the Management of Agenda 21, and Yonglong Lu, Fellow of the World Academy of Sciences and Foreign Member of Academia Europaea, Chair Professor of Xiamen University and Dean of the College of the Environment and Ecology, unveiled the Institute.