On the eve of National Teachers’ Day, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) held its annual Teachers’ Day Award Ceremony that rewarded a wide range of teaching, research and administrative positions around campus. SUSTech University Council Chairperson Guo Yurong, SUSTech President Chen Shiyi, Runyang Group Chairman Yang Jun and Runyang Group Chief Financial Officer Liu Feiming were among the luminaries in attendance. SUSTech Vice President Lu Chun presided over the ceremony.

SUSTech University Council Chairperson Guo Yurong opened the ceremony by congratulating all the award-winning teachers, researchers and administrators, whose efforts support the development of SUSTech. The achievements of the university are inseparable from the pedagogic community and she hoped that the awarded educators & administrators would inspire others to push forward in the future, as part of the wider SUSTech goal of building a world-class research university rooted in China.

The Excellent Teaching Awards were the first to be presented, with College of Engineering Dean Xu Zhenghe awarding the Excellent Teacher and Excellent Lab Teacher of the Year. He was followed by Acting Vice President Zhang Dongxiao, who awarded the Outstanding Teacher and Outstanding Lab Teacher of the Year.

Chen Yimao spoke on behalf of the Excellent Teacher Award winners. Receiving this award is a great honor and a reflection of his work. He said that the role of an educator is one that requires concentration and passion. Even though he is a strict scholar, he is a precise practitioner of the pedagogical procedures in his pursuit of perfection, so he always tries to improve his own methodology. Chen Yimao added that he would build more bridges between fellow educators and students, to improve the efficiency of higher education at SUSTech.

Several research awards were then awarded, including the Presidential Early Career Award for Excellence in Research, presented by College of Science Dean Yang Xueming. Acting Vice President Zhao Yusheng handed out the Presidential Award for Excellence in Research, while President Chen Shiyi gave the Presidential Award for Distinguished Achievement in Research to Tan Bin.

On receiving his award, Tan Bin said that SUSTech provided an abundance of resources for scientific research, allowing young professors to devote themselves to their research. He thanked SUSTech for their unconditional support, and wanted to encourage his colleagues to grasp the opportunities that will come from the State Council Statement about Shenzhen.

The residential college tutors were then recognized with their receipt of the Excellent Residential College Mentor Awards. University Council Vice Chairperson Li Fengliang, Acting Vice President Zhao Yusheng, Chief Financial Officer Ye Qin, Planning and Development Office Director Wang Susheng, Secretary-General Chen Siqi and Office of Affiliated Hospitals Director Wang Pengfei issued the awards

Zhang Xinhai shared his experience as a college tutor on behalf of his fellow tutors. He said that treating each student with sincerity and respect helps the students open up. Zhang Xinhai said that college tutors have an obligation and responsibility to every classmate, especially those who encounter difficulties and face setbacks, so they must guide the students through every challenging step with care.

Acting Vice President Zhong Dongxiao gave Guo Chuanfei and Xu Hu the Junior Faculty of the Year Awards, while President Chen Shiyi bestowed Rong Yiming with the Faculty of the Year Award.

Professor Rong Yiming said that the development of China, Guangdong Province and the city of Shenzhen have helped him get him to where he is today, along with the support of SUSTech. All the professors of SUSTech maintain a high standard in educating the students and will continue to work together to cultivate independent, innovative thinking into the future leaders that will be borne out of SUSTech for generations to come.

Moving from education and research, the administrators of SUSTech were acknowledged for the hard work they do behind the scenes. University Council members Communications and Public Relations Director Zhang Ling and Human Resources Director Chen Zhifeng both handed out the awards for the Excellent Administrative Service Award winners. Li Fengliang and Chen Siqi then presented the Outstanding Administrative Service Awards, before Guo Yurong awarded the Distinguished Administrative Service Awards.

Cheng Junxiang addressed the ceremony on behalf of the Administrative Service Award winners. He spoke about his long history at and love for SUSTech. Given that he has been at SUSTech since its earliest days, Chen Junxiang reflected on how SUSTech had developed during his time here. He remains honored to be able to contribute to a fast-growing and youthful university with down-to-earth colleagues, and he would continue to work hard for the SUSTech community.

President Chen Shiyi and Chairperson Guo Yurong presented the 5-year service awards to over 120 staff members, all of whom have written significant pages in the history of SUSTech. Higher Education Research Center Director and former University Council Chairperson Li Ming thanked his colleagues for the receipt of his service award, pointing out that he has been working at SUSTech for five years and eight months. He has very happy at SUSTech, and seeing its rapid development fills him with pride. Li Ming would continue to work at SUSTech to contribute to its future progress towards becoming a world-class university rooted in China.

Affiliated Kindergarten Director Shao Xiao added that the affiliated kindergarten of SUSTech had grown along with SUSTech, and she is proud to have worked side by side with the SUSTech community. She added that the affiliated kindergarten, as a unit of SUSTech, would intensify their efforts to seize the opportunities of the day.

Following the awarding of prizes, the official naming of Runyang Gymnasium took place. SUSTech University Council Chairperson Guo Yurong, SUSTech President Chen Shiyi, Runyang Group Chairman Yang Jun and Runyang Group Chief Financial Officer Liu Feiming came to the stage to oversee the ceremony, along with other senior officials from SUSTech and Runyang Group.

Runyang Group Chairman Yang Jun congratulated the award winning educators, researchers and administrators of SUSTech. He said that Runyang Group has been working hard to contribute to the development of social welfare programs, including education, and hopes its donation will further promote developments in this area. Yang Jun remained committed to deeper industry-university research cooperation to promote Shenzhen’s innovation and development.

SUSTech President Chen Shiyi closed the ceremonies by thanking everybody for attending the formalities of the afternoon. He also congratulated all the award winners, pointing out that the first-class educators are the key to the development of a first-class university. The continued educational improvements throughout SUSTech had seen the students succeed further, thereby improving the standing of the University throughout the world. Chen Shiyi said that SUSTech would maintain the positive environment for education and research in order to build SUSTech into a world-class research university rooted in China.