Dear Faculty, Staff, Students, Alumni, and Friends,

The cycles of time turn and the seasons progress in harmony. As we stand at this moment of parting with the old and embracing the new, we extend warm greetings and sincere New Year wishes of Sun Yat-sen University to faculty and staff, retired colleagues, alumni around the world, and friends from all sectors who have long cared for and supported the development of SYSU.

Acknowledgements and expectations inspire us to forge ahead. In 2024, we celebrated the grand centennial anniversary of our university. General Secretary Xi Jinping sent us a congratulatory message, expressing his earnest hopes for the university’s future at this new starting point. His words filled us with warmth, further ignited our sense of duty and sense of mission, and strengthened our confidence and determination to accelerate the building of a world-class university with Chinese characteristics. Illuminated by remarkable highlights and an atmosphere of joy and warmth, our centennial celebrations stood out with a resounding theme and lofty vision. They drew wide attention and steadfast support from all sectors of society, leaving fond and enduring memories in the hearts of the SYSU community. This momentous occasion galvanized us with a shared strength to move forward in solidarity and determination.

Over the past year, we have upheld the comprehensive leadership of the Party over the university, leveraging high-quality Party-building to drive SYSU's development. Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we have established and refined mechanisms to cast the soul of our people, enhance intellect, uphold integrity, and inspire action through learning. We have fully implemented the guiding principles from the 20th National Congress of the CPC, as well as the key decisions of the Second and Third Plenary Sessions of the 20th CPC Central Committee, and the National Education Conference, embedding these principles across every facet of university governance and operations with persistence and precision. We conducted Party discipline education with a high standard, elevated primary level Party-building efforts, and strengthened the university’s organizational framework, making Party leadership even stronger and more effective. With the 2024 spring and autumn work conferences, we have focused on achieving greater openness to the world and advancing the modernization of governance systems and capabilities. Our efforts have served to deepen institutional reforms and propel the university forward, contributing to the broader mission of building a stronger nation through education.

Over the past year, we have steadfastly fulfilled the fundamental mission of fostering virtue through education, striving to cultivate  creative talents capable of leading the future. Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we have advanced reforms and innovations in ideological and political theory courses, furthered comprehensive reforms under the “Three-Wide Education” framework, and implemented the Soul-Casting Project for the New Era. We have continued to promote and refine a student-centered teaching model, strengthening an evaluation system focused on learning outcomes. A series of robust reforms have yielded significant results in advancing the integration of science and education, as well as collaboration between academia and industry. Our students and faculty have achieved remarkable success in various scientific and technological innovation activities, with the quality of talent cultivation continuously improving. We have placed great emphasis on establishing a well-rounded education system that nurtures students in moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic, and labor development. Physical education, arts education, and labor education have all been strengthened and improved. We have actively promoted and embodied the spirit of educators, enhancing teacher ethics and professionalism, and building a high-caliber faculty team. We continued to foster hubs of innovation and talent, invigorating creativity through diverse measures to attract outstanding individuals, thus creating an environment conducive to the gathering and flourishing of innovative talent.

Over the past year, we have actively aligned our efforts with national strategic priorities and the needs of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development, steadily enhancing our capacity for scientific and technological innovation. Through advancing interdisciplinary integration and fostering organized research initiatives, we have achieved exceptional results, with several accomplishments earning the State Science and Technology Awards and the Outstanding Achievement Award of Philosophy and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education. Remarkable progress has been made in building high-quality platforms for scientific and technological innovation. “Tianhe Xingyi”, the next-generation system at the National Supercomputing Center in Guangzhou started full operation. The Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai) successfully developed the “Zhuhai Qin” digital intelligent aquaculture platform. The oceanographic research and training vessel “Zhong Shan Da Xue” completed multiple voyages, while the icebreaker “Zhong Shan Da Xue Ji Di” successfully concluded its maiden Arctic expedition. The Institute of Green Chemistry and Molecular Engineering was approved as a Basic Science Center. Construction for the South China High-level Biosafety Laboratory started. The Frontier Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Immunology established integrated platforms combining “basic research + clinical applications” and “medicine + X disciplines.” We implemented the “1+N” university-local cooperation model, unveiling Guangdong’s first modern marine ranching innovation demonstration base. In collaboration with Shanwei, we established the Sun Yat-sen University Shanwei Institute of Marine Sciences and have actively promoted the transformation of scientific and technological achievements. Additionally, we launched the Hong Kong Advanced Research Institute of Sun Yat Sen University, pioneering new mechanisms for cross-border education by mainland universities.

Over the past year, with bold ambition and steadfast resolve, we journeyed far and wide, inscribing our devotion to the nation across its vast land. Our targeted assistance initiatives in Xinjiang, Xizang, and Yunnan have been carried out with earnest and meticulous efforts, with the Xinjiang medical aid team earning the esteemed title of “National Model Collective for Ethnic Unity and Progress”. With our implementation of the Guangdong Provincial “1310” strategy, and our contribution to the High-Quality Development Initiative for Hundred Counties, Thousand Towns, and Ten Thousand Villages. We wrote new chapters in driving social and economic development through education, science, talent cultivation, and medical services. The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Development Research Institute further expanded its role as a premier national think tank, solidifying its influence and capacity. We strengthened collaboration within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao University Alliance, fostering greater openness in higher education and building stronger ties with leading universities worldwide. Our affiliated hospitals made notable contributions to the Healthy China initiative, achieving outstanding progress across medical education, research, administration, and service delivery, with their healthcare quality reaching new heights.

Over the past year, we have never stopped providing friendly and whole-hearted service to faculty, staff, and students, enriching their sense of happiness, fulfillment, and security. A total of twelve key projects, including the Zhuhai Campus Concert Hall, Hanlin No. 1 Building, and the installation of elevators in student dormitories on the Guangzhou and Zhuhai campuses, were completed and delivered. Teaching and research facilities, dormitories, sports venues, dining halls, faculty apartments, and campus infrastructure saw continual upgrades. The University History Museum, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, and University Museum were completed and opened, alongside the publication of the university’s historical archives. A host of lasting cultural achievements has emerged, leaving a rich and enduring legacy to be shared.

Shared aspirations lead to triumph. Joint efforts bring prosperity. In 2024, we remained on the same wavelength with our motherland and marched forward with the New Era. Holding fast to our original aspiration and embracing the courage to forge ahead, we have been progressing with greater strength, confidence, and poise. The growth and achievements of SYSU have been built upon the dedication and hard work of every member of the SYSU community. And to all the friends and supporters who have stood by us, we extend our heartfelt gratitude.

The path is noble, yet perseverance is needed to reach the summit; the goal is clear, but scaling the peak demands tireless effort. For the past century, the achievements of Sun Yat-sen University have been forged upon an enduring legacy of scholarship, ideas, culture, passion, and prestige of generation after generation. At this new starting point, we shall unite more closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core. Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and inspired by General Secretary Xi Jinping’s congratulatory message to the centennial anniversary of SYSU, we shall carry forward the revolutionary spirit we were born with, nurture talent for the Party and the nation, and address key national strategies and the development needs of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. By advancing educational reform, fostering scientific innovation, and cultivating exceptional talent, we shall accelerate the development of a world-class university with Chinese characteristics and contribute to building a stronger nation through education and advancing Chinese modernization.

We sincerely wish you a joyous New Year. May happiness and warmth be with you all year round, and all your aspirations be fulfilled. May our great nation thrive in boundless prosperity, and our people enjoy fortune and peace.

ZHU Kongjun and GAO Song