A New Year's Message: Action, 2019

When the bells of the bell tower reverberate in the clear night sky, when the New Year’s sun rises on the horizon, we say goodbye to the magnificent 2018 and usher in the hopeful 2019. In this beautiful moment of ringing out the old and ringing in the new, we’d like to extend our New Year’s wishes to all the teachers and students, retired veteran comrades, medical workers of affiliated hospitals, alumni both at home and abroad, and all the friends from all walks of life who care about and support construction and development of Soochow University!

 

2018 was the first year of implementation of the spirit of the 19th National Congress and the 40th anniversary of reform and opening-up. This year, we comprehensively reviewed the historic achievements of the past 40 years and made a more confident stance into the great journey of the “Chinese Dream” of national rejuvenation. 2018 was also the key year when Soochow University moved toward the “Double First-Class” university. In this year, all the people of Soochow University were guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era, and concentrated on hard work conscientiously instead of fantasy and vanity, and started the wonderful chapter of “Soochow University Dream” with action.Looking back on 2018 when we walked together, it was full of hope and strength.

 

2018 was the year of great efforts of all the people of Soochow University

 

Walking on the campus of Soochow University, we encountered people of Soochow University. This year, we saw students track the frontiers in the seminars, work hard in the study room, and hold their breath in deep concentration in the lab. We also witnessed collision of thought of students in the maker space, transmission of love in the volunteer service, and presentation of passion in the marathon...We saw teachers propagate the doctrine and impart professional on the three-feet platform vigorously and analyse the data in the laboratory busily. We heard voices of instructions of the heart-to-heart talk between teachers and students, steadfast footsteps of being deep into the field investigation, and the voice of Soochow University on the international stage. This year, we saw that every person of Soochow University go all out in his own position. These most realistic and moving pictures have gathered into the deepest strength of Soochow University. With this kind of majestic power, 2018 of Soochow University has been a solid and powerful year. In this year, we comprehensively strengthened Party discipline strictly,  comprehensively emancipated our minds, comprehensively deepened reform, started “eight tough battles”, launched a first-class undergraduate action plan, promoted comprehensive reform of postgraduate education, and ran the university according to law, “Delegate power and optimize service”, job supply, staff system,and other reforms were carried out in an orderly manner. We surmounted all the obstacles to write the progressive chapter of various undertakings development of Soochow University.

 

2018 was the year of pioneering innovation of all the people of Soochow University.

 

Only by daring to take the road that others have not taken can we harvest different scenery.

 

In 2018, in the face of scientific and technological frontier and national strategic needs, we jointly built the future campus with the Wujiang District People’s Government to create an international talent training and a high-level scientific and technological innovation demonstration zone. This year, we actively responded to the trend of digital age change, dared to go into the “depopulated zone”, braved to be the “forerunner”, and cooperated with Huawei Corporation to build a mirrored, digital, intelligent “Soochow University in the cloud” to explore emerging businesses of higher education in the future. This year, we responded to the “Belt and Road” Initiative, actively built the Red Cross International College, initiated the establishment of the China-ASEAN Medical Education Universities Alliance, South and Southeast Asian Universities Network, helped build a community with a shared future for mankind. Soochow University went to the world with a more open, confident and inclusive attitude, and the world heard more voices from Soochow University.

 

2018 was the harvest year of elation of people of Soochow University.

 

This year, our students were full of harvest. They went to the academic hall, listened to the voice of masters, went to the volunteer front line, and covered every corner of the world. The students met better selves in Soochow University. In this year, more than 90% of the students emerged in the innovative and entrepreneurial activities, more than 3,000 students participated in cross-border learning exchanges, more than 200 students won gold and silver medals in the Asian Games, “China college students’ Entrepreneurship Competition” and other large-scale competitions. Ma Weiliang published the academic paper in “Nature” with the first author status. In this year, students were little heroes in their respective fields, and we gave applauses to excellent results of students.

 

This year, our teachers were full of harvest. This year, 9,837 students successfully completed their studies and went to various parts of the world. It was the greatest achievement of our teachers to see the flowers of the students’ dreams bloom perfectly. In this year, the teachers remained true to their original aspirations, adhered to the principle of “taking the undergraduate education as the foundation”, and practiced the “four regressions”. They stuck to the philosophy of “the outstanding people becoming more successful, the weak people having dependence and the students falling behind doing not lag behind”, and led students to all-round development of morality, intelligence, physique, aesthetics, and labor with company and encouragement. 15 teachers stood out in the “My Favorite Teacher” selection. In this year, teachers devoted themselves to teaching and cultivating people. Five teaching reforms were selected for the National Teaching Achievement Award, and 10 courses were approved the national online open course. This year, teachers were fascinated by academics and explored the unknown things. They gained new discoveries on the scientific research road with perseverance and persistence. They took charge of 395 national-level scientific research projects and published 2,659 SCIE papers. There were 16 professors who ranked among the “highly-cited scientists in the world”, and we gave praises to hard work of teachers.

 

This year, Soochow University was full of harvest. It was our greatest gain to “get talented individuals from the world and nourish them, and assemble the best minds across the land and draw fully on their expertise.” This year, we welcomed 11884 new students, and the excellent emerging forces injected vitality into the university. In this year, we welcomed 175 new colleagues, 21 professors were selected for national talent projects. Today’s Soochow University lured and gathered various talents, and everyone could display their talents fully. This year, 3 primary-level Party organizations were selected into the national Party building work benchmarking department and model branch, and primary-level Party building was solid and effective. This year, the new breakthroughs have been achieved with the State Key Laboratory, the National Natural Science Foundation Innovative Research Group and Major Research Plan Integrated Projects. 9 disciplines entered top 1% in ESI Rankings, and 2 disciplines ranked top 1‰, and Soochow University progressed steadily in the international authoritative evaluation such as The University Rankings by Times Higher Education and The University Rankings by U.S.News & World Report. However, what was most gratifying to us was that gratitude of parents during the graduation season, approval of the citizens on the campus open day, and expectations of the pupils in the letters, which strengthened our confidence and determination to develop education that people were satisfied with.

 

The things that seem usual are unique, and successful things derive from hard work. The achievement of results comes from determination of all the people of Soochow University to work side by side and work hard, and actions of teachers and students to perform their duties and do their best. Here, we express our heartfelt congratulations to growth and progress of every teacher and student. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to teachers, students, retired veteran comrades and the alumni at home and abroad who worked hard for the development of the university!

 

Looking back on 2018, those hard-working and proud struggles have become a warm and precious historical memory. Looking forward to 2019, faced with the situation of competitive higher education, confronted with the severe challenges featured by the fact that not to advance is to recede and to advance slowly is also to recede. Only those who remain true to their original aspirations advance. Only those who keep calm and confident succeed. Only those who reform and innovate are powerful. We are firmly convinced that action is the best answer. 2019, we will act together to stir up a new era, stride a new journey, and strive to give more tributes to the 120th anniversary of Soochow University in2020, and use today’s action to make a way for the brilliant tomorrow.

 

We sincerely wish everyone good health, good luck and happiness in the new year!

 

 

 

Jiang Yong, Secretary of the CPC Committee of Soochow University

Xiong Sidong, President of Soochow University