Tsinghua University held the inaugural meeting of the National Graduate College for Engineers on April 27.
Huai Jinpeng, secretary of the CPC Leading Group of the Ministry of Education and minister of Education, and Zhang Yuzhuo, Party secretary of the CPC Committee of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC) and chairman of SASAC, delivered speeches at the meeting. Yu Jianfeng, secretary of the Leading Party Group of China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) and chairman of CNNC; Yuan Jie, secretary of the Leading Party Group of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation Limited (CASIC) and chairman of CASIC; and Zou Lei, secretary of the Party Leadership Group of China Datang Corporation Limited (CDT) and chairman of CDT delivered speeches as representatives of the governing units of the National Graduate College for Engineers. Qiu Yong, secretary of the CPC Tsinghua University Committee, also delivered remarks. Tsinghua President Wang Xiqin delivered a welcoming speech. In attendance were: Yang Bin, vice-president of Tsinghua; Guo Yong, deputy secretary of the CPC Tsinghua University Committee; and, Nie Jianguo, director of the Academic Committee of Tsinghua University. Jiang Peixue, vice-president of Tsinghua and dean of the National Graduate College for Engineers, chaired the assembly.
Huai Jinpeng, Zhang Yuzhuo, Yu Jianfeng, Yuan Jie, Zou Lei, Qiu Yong, Wang Xiqin, and Jiang Peixue unveiled the newly established National Graduate College for Engineers at the meeting.
The creation of the National Graduate College for Engineers is Tsinghua's bid to implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and General Secretary Xi Jinping's series of important speeches and instructions on higher education and talent work. It also serves the country's major strategic needs to better combine science and technology as the primary productive force, talent as the primary resource, and innovation as the primary driver of growth. The establishment of the college aims to promote the deep integration of enterprises with vocational schools and universities, cultivate high-level engineering talents with solid and broad basic theories, systematic and in-depth expertise, ability to solve complex engineering technical problems and carry out engineering and technological innovation, as well as engineering ethics and broad international vision.
Qiu said that General Secretary Xi Jinping has regarded outstanding engineers as an important part of the country's four types of strategic talents at the central conference on talent-related work. The establishment of the college is a major measure for the university to study and implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, and to promote development through hard work and responsibility during the period of thematic education campaign on studying and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Qiu said he hopes that the college will carry forward the fine traditions of Tsinghua's engineering education, innovate the education model, explore and form a world-class engineer training system with Chinese characteristics, cultivate a large number of top-notch innovative talents, and make new and greater contributions in accelerating to build a leading country in education, science and technology, and talent.
Yu said that CNNC will work together with Tsinghua to create the benchmark projects and role model projects in implementing the workforce development strategy, and provide strong talent support for the development and construction of the country's nuclear industry.
Yuan said that CASIC will cooperate sincerely with Tsinghua to carry out high-quality special pilot work for the reform of master's and doctoral students training in engineering, cultivate talent for the Party and the country, and jointly explore a new way to cultivate outstanding world-class engineers with Chinese characteristics.
Zou said that CDT will comprehensively deepen the strategic cooperation with Tsinghua, jointly build technology platforms and cultivate scientific and technological talents, and continue to make greater contributions as a China's State-owned enterprise for the country to move faster to build world hubs for talent and innovation.
During the meeting, Zhou Jie, dean of the Graduate School of Tsinghua University and executive dean of the National Graduate College for Engineers, reported on the work of the college.
Nie, as a representative of the Tsinghua faculty, said in his speech that teachers should combine their engineering technology research to cultivate excellent engineering talents and contribute to the expansion of a large number of outstanding engineers that the country urgently needs.
Liu Gongyan, a 2022 master’s student of the college, talked about his decision to join the special training for master's and doctoral talents in engineering. Liu also said that he would work hard with his classmates to grow into a new generation that is capable of shouldering the responsibility of national rejuvenation.
Representatives of 33 governing units, representatives of the graduate schools and the National Graduate College for Engineers of 11 universities including Peking University, heads of Tsinghua's functional departments, schools, and state key laboratories also attended the meeting.
Editors: John Paul, Li Han
