On November 30, a consulation for members of the Academic Committee of NJU was held at Xianlin Campus. Tan Tieniu, Academician of the CAS and Secretary of CPC NJU Committee, and Lyu Jian, Academician of the CAS and President of NJU, attended the consultation and interacted with members of the Academic Committee. Zhang Junfeng, Member of the Standing Committee of CPC NJU Committee and Vice President, presided over the symposium.
In his concluding speech, Tan observed that the comments made by members of the Academic Committee are farsighted and accurate. He believed that everyone has a deep affection for NJU and shares their view on many aspects. At present, NJU is at an important juncture in its development. It is necessary to have a clear understanding of the historical position of NJU, changes in the international situation, the needs of national development and development of NJU itself.
Tan pointed out that the Academic Committee is a very important governing body within the university structure. He hoped it can play its role in promoting the construction of NJU’s disciplines and establishing a good academic atmosphere to accelerate the construction of the “Unique NJU”. He remarked that this University-Wide Discussion is an important way to achieve consensus on the further development of NJU. All members of the Committee are encouraged to play a leading role in the Discussion, interacting with the faulty, students, and staff on collective wisdom and strength. The Committee can play a vital role in the governance of NJU and work towards the goal of providing more opportunities for young scholars to promote continuous development at NJU.
Lyu Jian pointed out that over the past 120 years, NJU has always breathed with the times and shared the destiny of the nation, striving for the strength of the country and the progress of science and education. In the new era, NJU must continue to carry forward this glorious tradition, put more effort into team building, talent cultivation, platform building, and other aspects to make new progress in a new round of development.
The members of the Committee attending the symposium each made their comments, focusing on the development path of NJU’s construction of the “Unique NJU”, concentrating on solving key and strategic issues of overall importance in its development. Members conducted in-depth exchanges and proposed multiple constructive opinions and suggestions.
Zhang Yibin, Chair of the Committee and Professor at the Department of Philosophy, stated that the “Unique NJU” highlights the uniqueness and irreplaceableness of NJU’s century-old academic tradition. To build the “Unique NJU”, we must first inherit its tradition and follow its path. Secondly, we should put students and their training at the center, implement talent cultivation, and actively explore new advantages of talent cultivation in the field of basic science.
Zhu Shining, Vice Chair of the Committee, Academician of the CAS, and Professor of the School of Physics and the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, stated that to build the “Unique NJU”, we must honor the history of NJU, inherit its excellent academic tradition, and strengthen its unique power. NJU must actively respond to the needs of national development, raise its level in scientific research, and optimize the construction of key platforms. It is important to adopt a diversified training model to cultivate talents that are more in line with the times and make the voice of NJU heard more clearly.
Guo Zijian, Vice Chair of the Committee, Director of the Academic Conduct Group, Academician of the CAS, and Professor of the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, put forward suggestions on teaching, scientific research, and talent cultivation. He pointed out that NJU needs to promote international academic exchanges and open up channels for young scholars to show their achievements on the international stage. Efforts should be made to create a research atmosphere that inspires and encourages scholars to learn from each other and grow together. It is crucial to promote cooperation among young scholars, form a collaborative research force, and pay attention to the construction of the academic atmosphere in student cultivation.
Ding Fan, Member of the Academic Conduct Group and Professor of the School of Liberal Arts, gave a speech entitled “In the Face of New Challenge in the New Era, How Should One Conduct Oneself and One’s Research at NJU.” He stated that for scholars in the humanities, it is now a good time to lay a solid foundation in their disciplines. One should be calm and patient when conducting research in the liberal arts. He also provided specific suggestions on how to promote the stable and sustainable development of the liberal arts.
Xing Dingyu, Academician of the CAS and Professor of the School of Physics, stated that to build the “Unique NJU”, first it is necessary to pay attention to the unique development path of NJU and fully leverage its advantages. At the same time, in terms of basic science, as a comprehensive university, NJU is bound to shoulder its responsibilities, promote the development of basic research, and pay further attention to the development of young scholars.
Sun Jiang, Professor of the Schools of Government & of History, stated that in the new competitive environment, building the “Unique NJU” requires crisis consciousness and long-term vision. To offer the “best undergraduate education in China”, the University must develop at university level ways of guiding undergraduates into studies and offer them education in technology and the humanities. In this process, we should attach importance to the sustainable development of students and avoid homogenizing education.
Wu Peiheng, Academician of the CAS and Professor of the School of Electronic Science and Engineering, stated that the construction of the “Unique NJU” needs to have Chinese characteristics. It should not only learn from the world, but also observe relevant Chinese experiences. He also gave suggestions on the cultivation of campus culture, evaluation of the disciplines and talents, interdisciplinary development, student training, and leadership building.
Shi Yong, Member of the Academic Conduct Group and Professor of the School of Astronomy and Space Science, gave suggestions on the introduction of talents. He stated that NJU should improve its attraction for talents, strengthen organizational support and focus on optimizing development possibilities for young talents, and continuously promote the construction of a team full of young talents.
The heads of relevant departments such as the Office of Discipline Construction and Development Planning participated in the symposium.
Translator: Lin Boyu
Editors: Chen Xing, Xu Qida
