The President Chen Shiyi Face-to-Face Talk with Students of SUSTC 

“This is my 2nd time of my life as the only one wearing western-style clothes, and the last time was that I was interviewed by a large company in America; today, I am the only one wearing western-style clothes, and as if I am interviewed”. In the funny prologue, the 1st session of “the President’s Afternoon Tea” was held as scheduled. In the afternoon of June 24, the President Chen Shiyi and more than 30 students from 3 grades talked freely at the lakeside of the college, shared experience, talked about the university, college and society building with schoolmates. The participants of the “President’s Afternoon Team” included the deputy director of the Preparation Office Han Wei, the Dean of Teaching Department Wang Dejun and the acting director of the Students Department Xue Zheng and teachers of the colleges. 

In the afternoon for more than 2 hours, the President Chen Shiyi talked about his work in the next several months, including constitution building, discipline building, postgraduate building etc. Some students came here with issues and proposals, some students were fully playing on spot, some students were harmonious and some students were pertinent, and issues covered talent import to discipline building, from culture building to society building, from college building to campus building, and the President Chen Shiyi answered patiently. 

The President Chen Shiyi Gave Speech and Talked About the Future of SUSTC Freely
 

[Talking about recruitment and employment: “in” and “out” at SUSTC] 
 
Students’ key world: independent enrollment 
 
The President’s speech: stable development, holding winter campus 
 
The recent period is a key period for enrollment, and the in-school students also concern much about enrollment of the University. The President Chen Shiyi said that, in the past 5 years, SUSTC was under a growing period, and number of enrolled students would be increased year by year. According to the enrollment plan, 1000 undergraduates would be enrolled each year, 1000 postgraduates would be enrolled each year, total number of teachers reach 800, plus other research experts and assistants etc., and total number of persons of the University in the future would be approximately 12000. Internationalization was a feature of SUSTC, and we hoped that the ratio of overseas student and foreign non-Chinese teacher reached 20%. 

The President Chen Shiyi said that, “in the future, we will consider convoking winter campus, and all candidates nationwide come to Shenzhen to enjoy sunshine and beach.”
 
As for postgraduate enrollment concerned by the students, the President Chen Shiyi said that, the Postgraduate School of SUSTC had been founded, and the Vice President Tang Tao was appointed as the Dean of the Postgraduate School. The University would solve the problem of postgraduate enrollment by cooperating with Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Temple University of America and University of Macau. Although it was not publicized by media, we were march forwards! 
 
Students’ key words: social and corporate identity 

The President’s speech: reinforce interaction with famous enterprises 
 
In terms of employment, some schoolmates suggested that Entrepreneur Club would be founded. The President Chen Shiyi said happily, this was an issue he was considering. He said, “just not long ago, when I attended the conference of political consultation as a member of the Political Consultation Commission of Shenzhen City, I communicated with many famous entrepreneurs and proposed to found “SUSTC Entrepreneur Club” and reinforce cooperation and communication between SUSTC and enterprises, which were accepted by the entrepreneurs. I believed that, we would do it in the future. Of course, we should make efforts to be identified by enterprises.”
 
Students’ key words” innovation and entrepreneurshipThe President’s speech: the students’ diverse development is feature of SUSTC; our education makes students walk out of cell, but not place them in the cell. 

The University’s support for students’ innovation and entrepreneurship is another issued concerned by students. The President Chen Shiyi responded, SUSTC supported and encourages students to innovate and start business. In the international maker open 2015 just ended, students of SUSTC were awarded the third prize, and the students have spirit and feature of innovation and entrepreneurship. SUSTC encourages students to develop diversely, continue study, or start business or working. In terms of specific measures, the University has released relevant rules to support teachers and students to innovate and start business, and is preparing for “SUSTC Maker Space” and fully utilize resources inside and outside the University. In the future, a building will be built in science park of SUSTC to support innovation and entrepreneurship in space. The President Chen said that, “I have an idea, that is to increase the time that the students participate in practice, beneficial for students’ creation and learning from society. Our education makes students walk out of the cell, not place them in the cell.”

                           The Prepared Schoolmates Asked the President Chen Shiyi 

[Talking about society and culture: bringing out the best in innovation and tradition] 
 
Students’ key words: learning of minor language 
 
The President’s speech: reach the international level by international cooperation 
 
Students of German Society proposed and hoped that the University supported learning of minor languages. The President Chen Shiyi said that, SUSTC had signed with Temple University to establish an international language center, which did not only improve students’ oral English, but also opened to society, and students’ foreign language could reach international level. 
 
The Director Han Wei said, recently, Shenzhen City was applying for Category-II of UNESCO supported by SUSTC, and it supported internationalized development of the University; at present; some transnational working opportunities were provided by in-depth communication with UNESCO, students were expected to participate actively, and language capabilities and working capabilities were improved in practice. 

Students’ key words: Students’ society 
 
The President’s speech: Society is a feature of University, and is talent’s space for diverse success. 
 
As for campus life, the students proposed many requirements on society building to the President. The President Chen Shiyi thought that, SUSTC hoped to bring out talents with characteristics, features and leadership, and students’ society is a feature of university, and is the space to improve students’ leadership and diverse success. The University continues to support students’ society, accelerate building students’ activity center, and promote students’ communication and activity. The President Chen Shiyi said, “at present, the activity room of the college plays partial functions of the students’ activity center, sometimes, I can hear that students of the folk music team is rehearsing in the activity room of the college and I feel good. In the past, I acted as the guide of the folk music team. I play the Erhu. At my mother’s birthday party for 80 years old, my former students organized a concert for my mother.” The students’ activity center will be one of the most important spaces in the University, and the area for societies will be taken into account. 

The President Chen Shiyi said that: “the University holds the university sports meeting in every November, and schoolmates can enjoy “tasteful” life. Meanwhile, the sports meeting unites colleges and societies to train schoolmates’ capabilities and exhibit their characters. The most important one is to improve schoolmates’ leadership”.
 
The student’s key words: big banyan tree, land idol 
 
The President’s speech: the culture is diverse. 
 
As for the land idol under the big banyan in the campus, some students proposed doubts. The Director Han Wei, who participated in pre-stage preparation of SUSTC, said that: “to build SUSTC, villagers of the 3 villages have been relocated from their homeland living for many generations, and they devoted much for us. The land idol is the god protecting the area. We should respect their traditions, and preserve ‘nostalgia’ for them. While science and technology is developed, we shall inherit culture and folk customs, in particular to our campus, tolerance is needed. We will add some introduction beside it and make more students know about local folk customs and history of SUSTC campus”.
 

The President Chen Shiyi thought that, culture was diverse, SUSTC was internationalized and of China, and one 100-year banyan carried more”. 

The President Chen Shiyi Answered Students’ Questions Splendidly

The President Chen Shiyi Answered Students’ Questions Splendidly

[Talking about college: we are “community” of teachers and students] 
 
Students’ key words: new colleges 
 
The President’s speech: proper scale, obvious features 
 
As for the issue of the newly established new colleges concerned by the students, the Director, in charge of work of the college, said that, the college system was a feature for talent training for SUSTC, was a key part of “3 systems and 3 orientations” (college system, tutor system, credit system, small-class, personal and international orientations), and played a unique role for student growth and development. Through the past several years’ practice, to promote communication, personal development and college culture building of students, the University decided to establish 2 new colleges in this September, with no more than 600 students for each college. The University has conditions to make exquisite and high-end colleges; in the future, staff, expenses and environment of the 4 colleges will be improved a lot, and the university’s investment on colleges will be several times than ever. At present, the college is under the beginning period f construction, and schoolmates’ cooperation is needed. In Phase-2 planning, the University will make a college in a separate physical space, form independent culture, and support long-term and sustainable development of colleges. 

The President Chen Shiyi thought that, the college construction conditions of SUSTC were sound, and the small-scale could be used to develop features and train all-round talents. 
 
Some students proposed students’ participation in studying and living of the University. The President Chen Shiyi thought that, some affairs should be determined by the University, such as course arrangement, and affairs related to students’ interests should involve students’ delegates, and these were stipulated in our constitution. “I know that you all will relocate the dormitory. Some students did not like it. When my daughter studied at university, she relocated the dormitory 4 times. Actually, it is trouble. Nevertheless, no plan is perfect. And hope you all can tolerate it”.”

The President Chen Shiyi and the Deputy Director Han Wei Carefully Read Suggestions Submitted by Schoolmates

 [Talking about education breakthroughs: build the future with talents] 

Students’ key words: talent importing 
 
The President’s speech: we need lighthouse leaders 
 
Some schoolmates proposed that, recently, the visiting and officially enrolled professors and academic lecture were top, and hoped that more “masters” could join SUSTC. The President Chen Shiyi said, masters were the foundation of University, and masters were lighthouses. After taking charge of SUSTC, within several months after he took office, he had introduced first-class professors, made some achievements, number of recruitment program of global experts and youth experts were increased, and more than 10 experts of recruit program of global experts agreed to join SUSTC. Some domestic and overseas famous experts and scholars agreed to join SUSTC very soon. It is believed that, under the guide of the lighthouse, the future of SUSTC will be bright and stable. 

Students’ key words: discipline planning and university development 
 
The President’s speech: keep a foothold in China, and build a world-class university with the world-class standard; practice and detail achievements in the future. 
 
The participating schoolmates concerned much about discipline planning of the University. The President Chen Shiyi figured out that, sustainable development of the University needed perfect rules and regulations. Just not long ago, SUSTC revised and submitted to the council to pass the Constitution of South University of Science and Technology of China and Discipline Construction Planning of South University of Science and Technology of China (2015-2020). Based on the previous planning, SUSTC continues to perfect 5-year discipline planning and mid-term and long-term planning of the University. In terms of discipline construction, SUSTC is dominant in science and engineering, with some humanity and social disciplines and economic and management disciplines with features, runs schooling in undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral levels. We try to make 10 disciplines ranking top 10 in China, 5 disciplines ranking top 5 in China in the following 10 years. In the future, SUSTC will be developed in 3 steps, foundation will be laid firmly in the following 5 years; in the following 10 years, SUSTC will become one of the best universities in China, and become the world-class universities in 2049. 

The President Chen Shiyi said that, “SUSTC will yield the spirit of reform and innovation, work hard and down to earth, and build the world-class university with the world-class standard”. 
 
Students’ key words: humanity discipline 
 
The President’s speech: architecture of the south of the five ridges, high-end with connotation 
 
Although the university is dominant in science and engineering, knowledge of humanity is also concerned by schoolmates. The President Chen Shiyi figured out that, SUSTC was dominant in science and engineering, with some humanity and social disciplines and economic and management disciplines with features. The School of Humanity of SUSTC will be constructed, to be constructed like a court with features of the south of the five ridges in Guangdong Province, elegant environment and humanity atmosphere. The University attaches great importance to inheritance and development of Chinese culture, set courses on Chinese culture, such as traditional Chinese opera, speech and expression capabilities etc. 
 The Director Han Wei adds more, “regarding the Humanity School, the University is accelerating construction of hardware and software, and has interviewed 4 dean candidate. They have broad knowledge and are experts on comparison and research of Western and Eastern cultures. It is believed that, the proper person can be determined very soon”. 

Joint Photo of Schoolmates, the President Chen Shiyi and the Deputy Director Han Wei
 
[Talking about infrastructure: to be the most beautiful campus] 
 
Student’s key words: campus construction 
 
The President’s speech: all persons studying and working at SUSTC are hosts. 
 
As for campus building by some students, the President Chen Shiy thanked Shenzhen Government’s building a beautiful campus for SUSTC. With more and more students at SUSTC, experience, feelings and suggestions are welcomed in Phase-2 planning. The students’ activity center and auditorium requested by the students will be completed in 1 or 2 years, and buildings and corridors between buildings of Phase-2 are under investigation and research. Firstly, the University will plan and design as a whole, and perfect the overall campus planning in construction. At present, the campus is under construction, and the campus will be built better. The president Chen Shiyi said that, there were many beautiful campuses in China, and SUSTC would be on top. With nine mountains and one rivers in the campus, I was confident.

Some students propose to how to provide a platform for students’ free performance. The President Chen SHiyi said that, when we worked at Peking University, we had produced many industry-university-research bases nationwide. This philosophy was also applied at SUSTC, and we would build many industry-university-research bases, and convert scientific research results of SUSTC to products. 
 
At the end of the discussion, the President Chen Shiyi said that, SUSTC has ambitious targets and significant missions, and the most important one was to bring out the first-class talents. The students’ future is the future of SUSTC, and students after graduating as alumina are treasurable resources of SUSTC. SUSTC attaches great importance to opinions and suggestions of students, and encourages students to participate in the university development and provide opinions. The “President’s Afternoon Tea” will be held from time to time, and students’ actively participation is welcomed.  

After the afternoon tea, the President Chen Shiyi walked and communicated with schoolmates in campus