Source: Publicity Department
Written by: Publicity Department
Photo by: Liu Jia, Cai Shanshan, Lu Yiwei
Edited by: Wang Dongmei

The 2017 Spring Work Conference of Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU) was held on Zhuhai Campus on February 24-26. Centering on the two themes of academic discipline construction and Party building, the three-day conference was aimed to gather consensus to prepare for the upcoming disciplinary inspection, and strive to realize the goal of “entering the national first-tier of universities and become a world-class university”.

The university leadership, heads of functional departments, schools and affiliated hospitals, CAS and CAE academicians, recipients of National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, and teacher representatives attended the conference.
President Luo Jun delivered a keynote report entitled “Thoughts on building world-class disciplines with Chinese characteristics”. He explained the construction of world-class disciplines from the four aspects of disciplinary orientation, disciplinary team, scientific research and talent cultivation. He analyzed the present disciplinary development at the University, and put forward the goal and path of disciplinary construction in the new era. President Luo Jun emphasized that the development of the University will always be in line with the development of our country and the development of higher education in China. It is our goal and determination in the new era to “enter the national first-tier of universities and become a world-class university”. He hoped that all SYSUers will join hands to reform and innovate, and make greater contribution to the realization of our goal as well as the strategy of building up national strength with higher education development.
On the morning of February 25, at the meeting on promoting comprehensive and strict Party governance, Secretary Chen Chunsheng delivered a keynote report on stressing political awareness and strengthening Party building. Deputy Secretary Guo Yaping gave a report focusing on supervision, Party discipline and accountability. At the meeting, Secretary Chen Chunsheng required all departments and units of the University to fully cooperate in the disciplinary inspection.

Representatives from the Department of History (Guangzhou), School of Government, School of Earth Science and Geological Engineering, School of Atmospheric Sciences, School of Data and Computer Science, School of Electronics and Information Technology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, and Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center shared their experience and practice in academic discipline construction.

The attendees of the conference participated in the group discussions on the topics such as the disciplinary layout on “five campuses in three cities”, "three orientations”(oriented toward academic frontiers, oriented toward national major strategic needs, and oriented toward national and regional economic and social development), “three big constructions” (the construction of big research teams, big platforms and big projects), talent introduction, faculty development, assessment criteria, evaluation systems, goal of talent cultivation (nurture students with both ability and moral integrity, able to cultivate charisma and eager to serve their country), as well as the role of Party branch in talent cultivation, the political and ideological leading role of community-level Party organizations, and the recruitment of Party members among teachers. The group representatives presented a summary of their discussions to the conference.

This year the University initiates a new measure, i.e., at the beginning of each year, the University President, together with the functional departments, will set annual objectives of work, make annual work plans, and then the University and heads of relevant functional departments will sign off on task sheets. At this conference, President Luo Jun and Assistant President Yang Qinghua respectively signed off on task sheets with nine functional departments including the Office of Student Affairs, Office of Development and Planning, Office of Education Administration, Office of Scientific Research, and Office of Human Resources.

At the concluding meeting, President Luo Jun responded to the issues raised in the group discussions, and put forward four requirements for the university work: persist in our goal of entering the national first-tier of universities and building a world-class university; establish the rules and observe the “four norms” (have standards, follow procedures, keep records and meet deadlines) in the administrative work; enhance academic discipline construction and implement the fundamental task of nurturing virtue and talents; uphold the leadership of the CPC and promote primary-level Party building. He hoped that with concerted efforts, we will realize the dream of all SYSUers.