On June 7, meanwhile the 116th anniversary of Southeast University, the science and technology working meeting of the university was convened at its Jiulonghu Campus. Considering “Leading with Science and Technology Innovation to Support the Construction of A World-Class University” as the theme, the meeting focused on study and discussion of new concepts, new understandings, new positioning, new tasks, new systems, mechanisms and reform policies on science and technology in Southeast University under the background of constructing a “Double First-Class” university in the new era. It was an important meeting of the school to earnestly study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s speech as delivered in the Meeting of the Academicians of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering in 2018; besides, it was also another meeting of its kind regarding science and technology as convened since April 2011 at the school level.
Lei Chaozi, Director of the Department of Science and Technology under the Ministry of Education, Luo Qun, Member of the Standing Committee of Nanjing Municipal Party Committee and Full-time Deputy Secretary of the Party Working Committee of Jiangbei New District, Mu Genglin, Deputy Secretary of Nanjing Xuanwu District Committee and District Mayor of the District Government, Wang Aijun, Deputy Director of the Administrative Committee of Nanjing Jiangning Development Zone, Zuo Wei, Secretary of the Party Committee of Southeast University, President Zhang Guangjun, Ren Lijian, Vice Secretary of the Party Committee and Secretary of the Commission for Discipline Inspection, Chief Accountant Ding Hui, Vice Presidents Wu Gang, Jin Baosheng and Zhou Youyong, relevant principals from the Department of Science and Technology under the Ministry of Education, the Science and Technology Department of Jiangsu Province, Jiangsu Provincial Federation of Philosophy and Social Sciences, Nanjing Jiangbei New District, Nanjing Xuanwu District, Nanjing Jiangning Economic Development Zone, etc., principals from all colleges, departments and offices of Southeast University, the scientific research bases, project principals, teacher and student representatives, over 300 people in total, attended the meeting.
At the meeting, Director Lei Chaozi delivered a report titled as Science and Technology Innovation and “Double First-Class” Construction. He elaborated from three perspectives including the relationship between scientific and technological innovation and the double first-class construction, the new mission for scientific and technological development of colleges and universities in the new era, and the new measures for scientific and technological development of colleges and universities in the new era. He also pointed out that the colleges and universities in the new era were in urgent need of four transformations, specifically, the transformation of the way of thinking, the development motivations, the means of inspiration and the mode of management. With the objective of nurturing large platforms, big teams, large projects and great achievements, the colleges and universities shall strive to run with instead of running after and finally overtake the competitors in more fields.
President Zhang Guangjun delivered a report titled as Shoulder the Mission and Lead the Future – Carry out Scientific Researches with Academic Penetration. In the report, he expounded new concepts, new ideas and new approaches for scientific researches in the school from such three perspectives as the mission of the times, the current bottleneck and the reflections on development. He firstly analyzed the functions of scientific and technological innovation at universities, the scientific and technological development tendency both at home and abroad; he also elaborated on the new mission shouldered by the school in terms of scientific and technological innovation around the spirit of the important speech delivered by General Secretary Xi Jinping in the Meeting of the Academicians of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering. Afterwards, President Zhang summarized the status quo of key scientific researches in our school and the bottleneck as confronted in respect of objective, layout, talent and system. On this basis, President Zhang expressed his several thoughts on scientific and technological work. He emphasized that in the face of the new mission in the new era and aiming at the objective of constructing a “double first-class” university, efforts shall be made to achieve the connotative development of scientific and technological innovation according to the school-running philosophy of “becoming a world renowned university for science and dedicating itself to the country with talents”, the school-running thought of “aiming at cutting-edge technology, serving national strategies, based on teachers and students, talent-orientation”, the development strategy of “integration of multi-disciplines, integration of science, engineering, liberal arts and medicine, integration of industry and research,international alliance”, and the aspiration of “1-10-100” dream of Southeast University by means of remodeling the objective, deepening the reform, stimulating the vitality and leading the development, etc. He pointed out that we must orient towardthe cutting-edge science and technology in the world, remodel the objectives toward the main economic battlefield, strive to achieve breakthroughs in scientific theories, serve major strategic demands, support changes in industrial structure and conduct academic researches with penetrating power in order to continue to compose wonderful stories of Southeast University; at the meantime, we shall intensify reform in an overall manner by strengthening original innovation, reinforcing strategic layout, consolidating coordinated organizations and intensifying institutional guarantees; besides, we still have toeliminate institutional barriers and obstacles to fully enhance the overall effectiveness of the innovation system, strengthen the internal forces of scientific researches and inspire technological innovation vitality. Furthermore,we shall strive to lead the original innovation and the new innovation model in the scientific and technological industry, lead the first-class talent training and the new mode of innovation and entrepreneurship education, lead the country's economic and social development, cultural inheritance & innovation and progress in human civilization, lead a new Jiangsu Province highlighting powerful economy, rich people, beautiful environment and high degree of social civilization” and the new practice of “focusing on innovation and enriching the people to construct a moderately prosperous society in a high-quality and overall manner” in Jiangsu Province.
Vice President Wu Gang delivered a scientific and technological work report on the topic of “Building the First-class University Assisted by Top-ranking Scientific Researches”. In the report, he pointed out that the school has been always persisting in the innovation-driven strategy, aiming at international academic frontier and major national demands, continuing to promote mechanical reform of scientific research system, intensifying the strategic layout of scientific researches, optimizing the organization and management of scientific researches and continuously promoting the collaborative innovation of industry and research by adhering to the objective of “accelerating the pace of building a world-class university” since the “12th Five-Year Plan”; therefore, remarkable results in science and technology have been achieved. In addition, the report introduced in detail the achievements made in terms of science and technology since 2011, analyzed the new situation and requirements on science and technology in the school, pointed out the school’s shortcomings and challenges in respect of science and technology, and proposed new objectives and measures to promote the school’s scientific and technological development in the new era.
At the meeting, Southeast University concluded the Agreement on Co-Constructing the Biomedicine Big Data Major Scientific and Technological Infrastructure & Scientific and Technological Industry Innovation Center with the Administrative Committee of Nanjing Jiangbei New District, concluded the Agreement on Co-Constructing Southeast University-Renowned Nanjing Design City with the People’s Government of Xuanwu District, concluded the Overall Cooperation Agreement on Artificial Intelligence with Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Lenovo Group and the Administrative Committee of Jiangning Economic and Technological Development Zone. In addition, the groups of Southeast University with outstanding contributions to science and technology from 2011-2017, the advanced groups and individuals in terms of science and technology from 2011-2017 were commended at the meeting.
After group discussion and report, Secretary Zuo Wei delivered the conclusion speech. He emphasized that all the staff engaged in science and technology throughout the school should earnestly study, comprehend and implement the spirit of the important speech as delivered by General Secretary Xi Jinping at the Meeting of the Academicians of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering. The “five efforts” as put forward by General Secretary shall be exactly the starting point of our scientific and technological work; the requirements from such five perspectives shall be exactly the direction of our efforts. In this sense, we shall enhance our sense of mission and urgency to do well in science and technology. He also pointed out that the first-class scientific research shall be the important responsibility of the first-class universities and the significant embodiment of the first-rate disciplines. The scientific researches carried out by the first-class universities should stress the basic disciplines and the basic researches, attach great importance to high-tech researches, pay attention to leading and promoting the industrial development, focus on the cultivation of innovative culture and innovation system, and value the promotion of economic development. Upon analysis of the shortage of the sense of surpassing, the awareness of accountability and the cross–functional integration in the current scientific researches, he proposed to well handle the relationship between scientific researches and awards, scientific researches and essays, scientific researches and systems, scientific researches and teaching, scientific research and industry. In the end, Secretary Zuo said that today’s meeting has not only summarized the scientific researches of our school in the preceding period, affirmed the achievements and pointed out the deficiencies, but also mobilized scientific researches in the context of a new era, new ideas, new objectives and a new journey. He claimed all units, under the guidance of President Xi Jinping’s socialist ideology with Chinese characteristics, shall unify ideas and actions into the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress and the Party Central Committee’s deployment of science and technology. In order to build a world-class university as the objective, we must earnestly enhance our political and historical accountabilityas well as the sense of responsibility, practically implement our work so as to create glorious achievements attributable to Southeast University in the new era.
