Source: SYSU News Center
Written by: SYSU News Center
Edited by: Wang Dongmei

On the morning of November 21, 2015, the Report Meeting on the Development of Sun Yat-sen University was held in K.K. Leung Hall on South Campus of Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU). Prof. Luo Jun, President of SYSU, presented a report on strengthening planning and construction during the 13th Five Year Plan, implementing comprehensive reforms, and accelerating the steps to enter the first tier among universities nationwide. The meeting was presided over by Prof. Chen Chunsheng, Secretary of SYSU Party Committee.

President Luo Jun said that the university is an academic community. As members of the SYSU community, the faculty, staff and students should work together to fulfill the present tasks and create the future. The purpose of the meeting is to report on some thoughts about the recent changes and future development of the University, and gather consensus to face the opportunities and challenges brought by the development of the University.

President Luo Jun reviewed the present situation of the University and the key problems that restrict the University’s development. He pointed out that the University has maintained a momentum of rapid development in the past ten plus years. During the 12th Five Year Plan, the University’s total funding has been increased rapidly, the faculty development has been improved, the capability to undertake national major scientific researches has been raised, important scientific research achievements have been made, the international rankings of the University have shown a rising momentum, and the gap with world-class universities is narrowing. All these indicate that in this important stage of development, we must ponder over how to solve the deep-level problems that restrict the University’s development if we want to realize our goal of entering the first tier among universities nationwide.

President Luo Jun pointed out that recently the State Council has announced the overall plan for promoting the construction of world-class universities and disciplines. This is both an opportunity and a challenge for SYSU. In 2012, the University put forward the strategic goal to “foster an academic environment where all disciplines develop distinctively yet systematically, thus blossoming into an institution with influence and impact on a global scale”. At the Spring Work Conference in 2015, the University put forward the recent goal of “entering the first tier among universities nationwide”, which is a concrete and feasible step toward building SYSU into a world-class university.

President Luo Jun explained the main considerations of the University for the development planning in the 13th Five Year Plan. In talent cultivation, we should nurture talents “who have both ability and moral integrity, able to cultivate charisma and eager serve their country”. In personnel system reform, we will adhere to the principle of “categorizing evaluation, highlighting performance and maintaining vitality”. In academic research, we will keep the good tradition, improve the academic level in all fields, and advocate "Three Orientations” (oriented toward academic frontiers, oriented toward national major strategic needs, and oriented toward national and regional economic and social development) and “Three Big Constructions” (constructing big platforms, big research teams and big projects). In multi-campus construction, Guangzhou Campuses (South Campus, North Campus and East Campus), Zhuhai Campus and Shenzhen Campus, with their own academic strengths and distinctive characteristics, will jointly support SYSU in the construction of a world-class university. In disciplines adjustment, the University hopes that all the first-level disciplines can "enter the mainstream, lead the trend and go global”. In campus environment construction, the University will improve the working and living environments for faculty and students, and enhance the “soft environment” such as the teaching and learning attitudes.

President Luo Jun emphasized that the University is carrying out comprehensive reforms to ensure the implementation of key tasks in the 13th Five Year Plan. We shall make overall and systematic planning, and implement the reforms in a coordinated way; explore a modern university system with Chinese characteristics to safeguard the university spirit, safeguard the rules, and safeguard the interests of the majority; establish a scientific and categorized evaluation system; build the model of "the best teachers educate the best students”; improve the internal governance structure, and establish a system of position setting and personnel allocation with performance evaluation as its core; explore a new multi-campus management system; and enhance Party building to ensure the smooth implementation of comprehensive reforms.

Secretary Chen Chunsheng pointed out that the goals and measures put forward in the report have gone through a series of decision-making procedures. The faculty, staff and students will study the report and understand that SYSU is now at a new historic starting point or a new entrance for development. We should meet the changes with positive attitudes and make constructive suggestions for the reform and development of the University.

Secretary Chen Chunsheng also reiterated the regulations on cadre supervision and management as well as research funding management.

Over 1,000 people attended the meeting, including university leaders, assistant presidents, cadres at and above the level of deputy section chiefs; heads of national key laboratories, research centers and research bases; academicians, national outstanding young scientists; representatives of retired faculty and staff members; and etc.