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Dear teachers, students, alumni and friends,
As the kapok is blossoming at SCNU, we witnessed the end of this year.
In 2019, the People's Republic of China celebrated its 70th anniversary. Faced with profound changes rarely seen in this century, “China's governance” is acting vigorously in the world, hundreds of millions of Chinese people are striving for the last step in realizing a moderately prosperous society in all respects as one of the first centenary goals, creating a new era of miracles in the Chinese land.
In 2019, China has advanced the Chinese Education Modernization 2035 plan, stepping onto an even greater stage for building a powerhouse in terms of education. Higher education pressed the “accelerator key”, launched the “Quality Revolution” and programmed a “Chinese Project” for talent cultivation.
As a teacher education university, we were founded with the mission of revitalizing our nation through training high quality teachers. For 86 years, hundreds of thousands of people cultivated through SCNU became rooted in the south of Guangdong, endeavoring to cultivate talents and construct China. “Foster the spirit of working hard; Pursue studies with utmost rigor; Seek truth from facts with innovation; And be a model of virtue for others“, the motto of SCNU has been deeply engraved in our hearts. Being bound to the duty of national rejuvenation and remaining true to the original aspiration of teacher training, these are our honors and dreams.
Year 2019, we toiled as we pressed ahead.
All of us at SCNU upheld Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for the New Era, faithfully implemented the important instructions in the spirit of President Xi about the development of universities, made efforts to realize the specific goals of the 15th congress of party representatives of SCNU and consolidated the theme for education of “staying true to our founding mission”. We took real actions to achieve the goal of constructing a creative high-level university with Teacher Education as our prominence, fostering character and civic virtue, serving the national strategy, adhering to reform and promoting comprehensive development.
Fostering character and civic virtue
We insisted on the original inspiration of education and our distinguishing characteristics in Party building and ideological and political work. As one of ten universities, the branch of the Communist Party of SCNU was awarded the “"National Demonstration University for Party Construction”. The School of Marxism elected the national key colleges. Undergraduates and doctoral students put their theory in practice, stayed closely with people and sowed the theory of Communism in the new era for rural areas.
We carried out the “Double tutor” system and established the Education Festival, also named as “Innovation and Entrepreneurship Week”, for the first time, to further demonstrate the central position of undergraduate education and talent cultivation.
In 2019, it was also the first time for us to win the innovation award in the “Toshiba Cup" teaching skill innovation competition for teacher education university students majoring in science and the champion cup in “The Challenge Cup”，ranking first among all teacher training universities.
Improving comprehensive development of education
We continued optimizing our performance of the disciplines, each discipline has been rising steadily on various academic ranking lists. We convened meetings focussed on discipline development, in which we emphasized the completion of the the six goals for the disciplines and making preparation for three coming examinations: at middle school, the senior high school final examination, and the college entrance examination.
The number of high-level youth talents has increased and the members elected in “Young overseas high-level talents introduction plans; Young top talent support program, Chang Jiang Scholars Program and Outstanding youth science foundation project” has reached a historic peak.
According to the statistics, the talents we have introduced these three years, have changed the overall composition of the school faculty in aspects such as age, education background and talent project.
We have also made great progress with scientific research project funding, the number of projects approved by The National Social Science Fund of China and The National Natural Science Foundation of China, and the awards received from social science platforms at or above the provincial level and the Guangdong Provincial Philosophy and Social Science Outstanding Achievement Award all hit unprecedented peaks. We reached a four-party agreement with the Foshan Municipal Government, Nanhai District Government and Guangdong Province Office of Education. The Academy of Science and Technology at Qing Yuan officially began operating.
Improving management systems
We vigorously reformed key areas, including performance-based compensation management, an evaluation mechanism, effective resource allocation and internal control systems. We are overcoming the setback and making progress in every area of work. We always hold the belief that although the way is long, departure will lead you to the end; although the work is hard, implementation can have it done.
We reshaped the structure of academic committee and successfully established the 8th academic committee. In the future professors will continue to play a leading role in academic governance.
We also established a consultative committee for development strategy, employing national academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, famous experts in education and management as a high qualified think tank at SCNU to help us make scientific decisions better.
Serving the country proactively
With the geographic advantage and tradition of running schools in the Hong Kong and Macao regions, we actively worked for the great practice of “One country, two systems” and the national strategy for the Greater Bay Area. We vigorously prepared the construction of a College of Teacher Education in the Greater Bay Area, and tried to build a new platform for deep cooperation among teachers in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao.
With the determination to perform a leading role in new teacher-training education, we took the lead in building “SCNU-Normal primary and middle school” synergetic development league, attracting 153 high quality primary and middle schools to join us; We implemented the plans of directional teacher training with public expense, targeting the primary and middle schools in the eastern, western and northern parts of Guangdong. Based on that plan we enrolled more than 200 postgraduate and undergraduate students.
We cooperated in the area of elementary education in Guangdong Province. Our affiliated schools became more celebrated. Another cooperative education program was successfully implemented.
Serving teachers and students unremittingly
We took the solid steps to carry out practical projects for teachers and students in SCNU. We improved the condition for dining, study, exercise, and accommodation. The 5G+ holographic lecture maked its debut on the campus; The Xiangyuan cafeteria officially opened on the University Town campus; Infrastructure on the Nanhai campus was comprehensively improved; Public washrooms on the three campuses was renovated in new style; The campus card system became more functional; Online administration highly raised efficiency; and communication at SCNU was upgraded. We endeavor to provide better insurance and service for teachers and students at SCNU.
The gains we captured are too numerous to list, but each of them was hard-earned. It is thanks to the concern and support from higher-ups, alumni and society that we made all these achievements. Credit especially goes to the joint efforts and hard work of all teachers and students. On behalf of SCNU, we would like to extend the high respect and heartfelt thanks to all of you!
Those who share a common desire will gain victory, and those who stand together amid difficulty will witness prosperity
SCNU belongs to everyone. The year 2020 will see both opportunities and challenges that require us to work together shoulder to shoulder. In the brand new year, under the guide of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and in the spirit of the National Education Conference, we should tackle difficulties head on with one heart, accelerate the building of “world-class disciplines” and a high-level university, scientifically plan for the Fourteenth Five-Year Plan, strive to improve education levels and quality, and contribute to the realization of strong advanced education power and the great rejuvenation of the nation.
As we ring in the New Year with great joy, we would like to extend our New Year’s wishes to each teacher, student, administrative staff member and all other employees, as well as retired personnel, members of the consultative committee for development strategy and those who are concerned with and support the development of South China Normal University.
We wish you all a happy new year!
Zhu Kongjun, Wang Enke
December 31, 2019
Source from the President's Office and News Center
Written: Chen Huiqing, Li Siqin
Proofread: Edwin Baak
Reviewed: Li Jianru
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