On the morning of April 1, the opening ceremony of the first session for the fourth meeting of college and union representatives, chaired by Linhu Caotao, deputy secretary of Guizhou University’s Party Committee, was held in the conference hall of Xianzheng Building on West Campus. More than 200 people attended the ceremony. The attendees were: Yang Jie, vice chairman and member of the leading party members group for the Guizhou Federation of Trade Unions; Wei Wu, director of the Labor and Economic Affairs Office of the Guizhou Federation of Trade Unions; Huang Kaibin, vice chairman of the Guizhou Education Union; GZU leaders from the presidium including Li Jianjun, Song Baoan, Luo Changjiang, Linghu Caitao, Li Junqi, Deng Chaoyong, and Wu Pan; representatives from the official college and union delegation, special guests, and nonvoting delegates; as well as other union leaders from Guizhou Minzu University, Guizhou Institute of Technology, and Moutai College.

Everyone stands and sings China’s national anthem at the beginning of the meeting.  

In his keynote speech, Yang Jie acknowledged the Guizhou University union for its arduous and effective efforts in engaging faculty and staff in managing schools affairs in a democratic fashion. Following the recent guidelines from both the university’s Party Committee and Guizhou Education Union, the GZU union has prioritized tasks based on the central missions of the university and has provided the best support services to its faculty and staff. These efforts have helped motivate teachers to utilize their skills to the fullest potential. He then spoke highly of the university’s Party Committee and administrative sectors for their continuous support for the GZU union. In terms of the GZU union’s prioritized tasks, he suggested the following: (a) take a concrete political position; (b) closely review the guidelines; (c) focus on fulfilling Guizhou University’s central missions; (d) consider the best interests of faculty and staff; (e) stay committed to advancing reform and innovation; and (f) respect model workers and carry forward their spirit, honor the value of work, and champion the pursuit of fine workmanship.

Congratulatory letters were read aloud, including those from the National Committees of Education, Science, Culture, Health, Sports, and Sports Union. Letters were also sent from Tsinghua University, Zhejiang University, Guizhou Normal University, Guizhou Minzu University, Guizhou University of Finance and Economics, Guizhou Institute of Technology, Guiyang University, Liupanshui Normal University, Anshun University, Tongren University, Qiannan Normal University for Nationalities, and Xingyi Normal University for Nationalities.

Song Bao’an, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and President of Guizhou University, presented a report based on a review of the 13^th Five-Year Plan, the general guidelines of the 14^th Five-Year Plan, as well as the blueprint for the next phase of work. His speech centered on several objectives which emphasized remaining committed to fundamental guidelines, utilizing every presented opportunity, staying firmly united, increasing the speed of development, continuing to further empower the university, and building a world-class higher-education institution.

President Song’s report revealed that Guizhou University has made vast achievements in the past five years, as seen below:

1. With a focus on promoting the virtues of education, it has cultivated a greater number of intellectual minds;

2. It has gained intellectual strength and capabilities in conducting research due to increased investments;

3. “Double First-Class” initiative for disciplines development, a long-term plan to create elite Chinese universities and departments, has seen productive outcomes;

4. Cultivated and gained a number of highly talented faculty members thanks to favorable policies;

5. Acting as key player in poverty alleviation, it has provided additional services to communities;   

6. It has stepped up its efforts to promote foreign exchange and collaborative educational programs;

7. Faculty and students have felt a sense of accomplishment thanks to the university’s increased efforts given to improving the livelihoods of communities at every level;

8. It has kept Covid-19 under control as it continues to observe all relevant restrictions.

Despite the above achievements, President Song hopes that Guizhou University will further garner new talent, develop disciplines, and bolster innovative research in the future.

President Song continued to remark that Guizhou University will give priority to the implementation of strategic plans in a bid to build a competitively strong university, which are in accordance with the guidelines of both the “14^th Five-Year Plan” and Guizhou Provincial Government policies. Aiming for this goal, GZU will speed up its efforts to do the following:

1. Develop a comprehensive strategic plan in line with the guidelines from the provincial government and ministerial authorities, and also based upon the "Double First-Class" initiative;

2. Contribute to building a new development paradigm in Guizhou featuring social and economic improvement;

3. Accelerate its efforts to enhance the university’s comprehensive strength, reflecting global perspectives, Chinese methods, and Guizhou characteristics;

4. Give priority to talent training programs and continue to improve the quality of the training;

5. Understand the key approaches to training new talent and provide quicker access to talent recruitment and management;  

6. Make discipline development a fundamental part of the strategy for the university’s advancement, and make every effort to reach the targets for the fifth round of discipline evaluation;

7. Fully utilize any research programs on discipline development in an effort to continue its enhancement of innovation capabilities;

8. Maintain focus on the fundamental mission of serving Guizhou and stay fully engaged in building a new development paradigm within Guizhou;

9. Embrace any reforms and stay motivated, and continuously stimulate the university’s development in order to reach its full potential;

10. Facilitate projects designed to improve people’s livelihood so as to entail a concerted effort for further development;  

11. Expand its global outreach via international cooperation and exchange programs;

12. Make safety and stability the core values for the university’s development and create a positive learning environment for students.

In her report, Fang Ren, the temporary executive vice chair of the GZU union, gave a report on the union’s work during the past five years as well as its prospects for the next five years. The report highlights the pursuit of rejuvenating China and the fact that the world is experiencing a profound shift unseen in a century. Fang urged the union to exercise its roles in four major aspects and feel obligated to accomplish its new missions in the new era. She also briefed the attendees regarding the revised implementation instructions for the GZU faculty representative conference.

Leng Chuanli, director of the Democratic Proposal Management Committee for the third meeting of college and union representatives, gives a report on how the previous proposals had been implemented.

Deng Chaoyong, member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President of Guizhou University, delivers a report on the university’s readiness in transforming its independent colleges, in accordance with the policies of the Ministry of Education, guidelines from conferences organized by the Guizhou Provincial Department of Education, and promotion from the university itself.

Ran Guanggui, director of the Development Planning Department, briefs attendees on the career development targets for Guizhou University’s 14^th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) as well as the university’s implementation strategies for educational assessment reform that is appropriately tailored for the new era.

Text: Fang Jiajia (Xishan Integrated Media Center); Ding Rong (Intern reporter)

Photo: Li Baifeng (Xishan Integrated Media Center)

Editor: Li Hui, Sun Zeyu

Chief Editor: Zhang Chan

Senior Editor: Wen Yang  

Translator: Li Xiaorong

Proofreading: Mark Bynum, Zhou Jie