SUSTech’s 2018 Fall meeting on strategic planning & development saw a clear direction for how SUSTech will draw upon its strengths and distinct advantages to offer high-quality education for both undergraduates & postgraduates in the coming semester. SUSTech Council Chairperson Guo Yurong, President Chen Shiyi, and vice presidents joined heads of departments, residential colleges, and administrative offices in working together to create the direction that was unveiled through presentations from August 24 to 25.

The meeting is designed to align the university’s strengths and opportunities in advancing its vision and mission, highlighting the core position of undergraduate education. It focuses on the top-notch innovative talent training system, the undergraduate education model, postgraduate enrollment and training, improving teaching quality, and other major issues in improving both the quality of SUSTech’s education and new areas of educational innovation.

Seven presentations were presented by the vice presidents and related office heads. They covered topics on innovative talent cultivation system, residential college development, graduate education and student recruitment, new ideas for undergraduate recruitment, undergraduate education, ideas for education mode, improving math and English education and summer semester planning.

“The presentations were all well-prepared. All faculty members, departments, and offices should make detailed plans in order to take actions in the new semester,” President Chen said.

To solve the problems in the current talent training and education and teaching, the participants proposed a series of work-plans. These plans included the new general education program for undergraduate students and improving undergraduate enrollment while strengthening residential college education. Other major plans involved improving teaching methods such as English teaching and the summer semester curriculum as well as focusing on strengthening mathematics education.

This strategic meeting was held just after the national meeting on undergraduate education: “New Era National Undergraduate Education Work Conference,” held by the Ministry of Education and the provincial education department.

Chairperson Guo made a closing speech. “We have a group of teachers who have the passion for building a first-class university, daring to find problems, facing problems, and actively solving problems; the most valuable resource of the University,” said Guo, “Today we gathered here to discuss and figured out a clear direction for our next phase.”

She put forward three targets in the strategic plan. First, we must further adhere to the fundamental tasks of higher education. Second, we must establish a team of high-quality teachers. Third, departments and colleges should play a more active role in the student training process.

The new semester is about to begin, and the University starts work in an all-around way. It will be a new opportunity for every SUSTech member to make more efforts and contribute to the target of a world-class university.