On Nov. 11th, the Initial Feedback Session for Institutional Evaluation on Undergraduate Education of Soochow University was held in the Conference Centre of the Gold Mantis School of Architecture at Dushuhu campus. Attendees included an expert panel led by Huang Daren (former president of SYSU) and Wang Zhilin (vice president of Nanjing University),officials from Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education, Soochow University leadership and representatives on the Supervisory Committee for the 9th Institutional Evaluation. Wang hosted the session.
First, the deputy head of the assessment expert group, Wang Zhilin, gave Soochow University feedback on the overall situation of the review. From November 7 to 10, the expert group carried out on-site inspections ofthe undergraduate teaching of Soochow University, including sitting in more than 70 lessons, visiting 40 related departments, investigating 38 secondary teaching and research units, holding four symposiums of students and teachers, interviewing 577 graduates by phone, specifically inspecting Suzhou nanotechnology co-innovation centre. Besides, they also visited 3 off-campus internship bases and employment units, read 1363 graduation theses or designs of 36 professions and 3193 test papers in 39 courses, checked self-assessment reports, support materials, lesson records of school leaders and other information, and conducted a survey about the satisfaction of teachers and school students. The expert group held three meetings to exchange views and experience, and formed a collective opinion on undergraduate teaching in Soochow University.
The expert panel agreed that the education orientation and cultivation objectives of Soochow University meet the demand of the nation and society. The development of teaching faculty and resources provide an effective guarantee for talent training and satisfy the needs of students. Soochow University establishes feasible undergraduate teaching quality system, by which some achievements have been gained, students and employers are satisfied about its high-quality teaching and outstanding graduates. From all parts mentioned above, Soochow University realizes the aim of talent cultivation.
The group leader Huang Daren explained in his address that Soochow University places much importance on classroom teaching and pedagogical reform in order to guide students to form problem consciousness and to have research spirit, as well as devotes to introducing high-level talents.School leaders and teachers at Soochow University boastsound outlook— on the one hand, they feel proud of the rapid development of the university; on the other hand, they are clear-headed and seek solutions to problems that may hinder the development of the university.
In general, the expert panel gave much credit to undergraduate teaching work of Soochow University as well as advice on various areas like investing in young teachers, adjusting professional structure, bringing in advanced talents and securing teaching quality system.
On behalf of the whole university, President XiongSidong expressed his gratitude for the hard work of all the experts and their suggestions for our undergraduate teaching because all those comments are comprehensive, scientific and precise. Additional, President Xiong made a speech in which he emphasized that Soochow University will make great and thorough changes in future in the following three aspects. First, it will overall research, appreciate and grasp what the team of experts have offered us advice and done their best to satisfy the public. Second, it will further work out its development orientation plan and make it more clear. Moreover, the plan will then be promoted to be a greater consensus in the whole campus. In addition, the plan should be squeezed down to be the guidance of the future school project. Third, our university will think seriously and implement a comprehensive policy, which aims to the integrated reform, for the purpose of solving the complicated problems during the critical period of the transformation and the development of the university.
In the end, deputy director of Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education Wang Chengbin delivered a speech. He pointed out that Soochow University has a long history and produced lots of talents, contributing a lot tothe country's development. This university grabs developing opportunity, adjusts to national need for developing and focuses on building world first-rate university by strengthening internal structure and enhancing teaching level. He pointed out that Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education will always support the reform and development of Soochow University. Wang expressed his best wishes on Soochow University's Double First-rate Project.
