Source: President’s Office
Translated by: Wang Chun, Tan Shan, Chen Zhiyong, Zhang Saijia, Yu Jingbing, Wang Xue

Spring returns to the earth, and everything takes on a completely new look. Upon the arrival of the year 2013, on behalf of the University Party Committee and Administration, we would like to extend sincere greetings to hard-working teachers and medical workers who fight on the front line of teaching, scientific research and medical service, and to all cadres and staff members who serve in managerial and service positions. Meanwhile, we are delighted to express our best wishes to retired veteran comrades, to alumni at home and abroad, to social elites who have been supporting the University over the years and to the much beloved students. We wish you all a happy New Year and the very best of luck in everything.

2012 was a year of special significance in the development process of both the Party and the country. The 18th CPC National Congress was successfully held, establishing the historical position of the Scientific Outlook on Development, setting forth the basic requirements for winning new victory for socialism with Chinese characteristics, and the goals of completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects and deepening reform and opening-up in an all-around way, and charting the course for making continued progress in the cause of the country.

2012 was also an important year for promoting the construction and development of Sun Yat-sen University. The 12th Party Congress of the University was successfully convened, carefully reviewing the main work in the past five years, objectively analyzing the opportunities and challenges facing the University in the new era, and explicitly putting forward the University’s general strategic goal of development in the next five years or even a longer period of time — to build SYSU into a world-class university with extensive international influence where the humanities, science, medicine and engineering can integrate and develop while retaining their distinctive characteristics.

In the past year, under the guidance of “The Outline of the National Medium- and Long-Term Program for Educational Reform and Development” and "The Outline of the Plan for the Reform and Development of the Pearl River Delta”, the University began fully implementing “The Twelfth Five-Year Development Plan of Sun Yat-sen University” and the development plan for the next decade. Thanks to the joint efforts of faculty, staff and students, the whole University has worked hard in a practical manner, kept on exploring and innovating, obtained remarkable achievements in various causes, and made a big step forward in its comprehensive strength. The University has put forward and advocated the concept of “dedication to teaching, students and learning”, steadily improved the quality of undergraduate and graduate education, further deepened educational reform and achieved outstanding results in talent cultivation. The University has continued to perfect and optimize the layout and structure of disciplines, and this has produced noticeable effects on disciplinary construction, improved its ability to undertake major research projects and enhanced its core competitiveness. The University has also steadily furthered personnel reform, perfected talent introduction and cultivation mechanism and increased support for youth talents, thus improving teachers’ qualifications. Meanwhile, funding for science and technology has risen rapidly; science and technology talents have made new achievements; major and key projects and research platforms as well as social services have produced outstanding results; the Guangzhou Supercomputing Center has been sited on East Campus, thus increasing the University’s comprehensive research competence. The University extensively carried out international cooperation and strengthened cooperation with Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, introduced first-class educational resources from overseas; and comprehensively promoted joint education programs. The SYSU-CMU Joint Institute of Engineering and the SYSU-CMU Shunde International Joint Research Institute were officially founded, extending the University’s international influence. The University also sought to solve hot issues concerned by teachers and students, and improve the studying, working and living conditions of students, current and retired faculty and staff to strengthen solidarity.

A new year brings new hopes and a new journey carries new dreams. 2013 is a critical year for implementing the "Twelfth Five-Year Plan” and bridging the past and the future. We will thoroughly study and implement the spirit of the 18th CPC National Congress and earnestly carry out the University’s "Twelfth Five-Year Development Plan” and its annual administrative priorities. We will aim to cultivate high-quality, interdisciplinary, and top-notch innovative talents with international perspectives, humanistic care and charisma, improve the overall quality of education, create a harmonious atmosphere on campus, and make unremitting efforts to build a world-class university.

May the year 2013 bring all of you success, health, happiness and everything you are looking forward to!

May Sun Yat-sen University have a better tomorrow!

Secretary Zheng Detao     President Xu Ningsheng