Source: Publicity Department

Time flies and we will soon welcome 2019. At this moment of bidding farewell to the old and ushering in the new, we would like to extend our most sincere New Year’s greetings on behalf of the University to our students, current and retired faculty and staff, domestic and overseas alumni, and friends who have joined our endeavors and continue to support Sun Yat-sen University.

2018 has been the first year of fully implementing the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress, a crucial year for securing a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and a connecting link for implementing the 13th Five-Year Plan. Facing a complex environment both at home and abroad, the Chinese people of all ethnic groups have continuously won new victories in the socialist cause with Chinese characteristics and made remarkable achievements in development under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core.

2018 has also been a warm and inspiring year for Sun Yat-sen University. On the Teachers’ Day, the CPC Central Committee held the National Education Conference, which marked a milestone in the development history of national education cause and provided fundamental principles for the education work in the new era. At the crucial moment of the 40th anniversary of reform and opening-up and the comprehensive construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, General Secretary Xi Jinping inspected Guangdong and delivered important speeches, and pointed out the direction for Guangdong’s development. As a university of the national Double First-Class Initiative, Sun Yat-sen University is resonating with the Party and the country and pursing a stronger development.

In 2018, we have made continuous efforts to enhance the Party’s overall leadership over the university cause, uphold the guiding role of Marxism, adhere to the socialist orientation of education, foster virtue through education, build the university rooted in China, deepen comprehensive reform, promote the development of various causes of the University, strive to promote educational advancement, and attain outstanding achievements.

In 2018, we have continued to uphold the goal of “nurturing talents who have both ability and moral integrity and are both able to cultivate charisma and eager to serve the country”, construct an outstanding talent cultivation system with five integrations as its main characteristics, deepen the intensive development of talent cultivation, and improve the quality of both student enrollment and talent cultivation.

In 2018, we have adhered to the “three orientations”, promoted the “three big constructions”, and our ability to undertake national research projects has been increased continuously. The number of projects supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China has ranked second among universities nationwide for two consecutive years. The total number of projects funded by the National Social Science Foundation of China and projects funded by the Ministry of Education Humanities and Social Sciences Program has ranked first nationwide for two consecutive years.

In 2018, we have effectively promoted the construction of major scientific research platforms including Tianqin Research Center for Gravitational Physics, South China Sea Institution, Comprehensive Marine Research Fieldwork Vessel, National Supercomputer Center in Guangzhou, and Precision Medicine Science Center, and have made remarkable progress.

In 2018, we have comprehensively implemented the “talent doubling” plan, enhanced the introduction of outstanding talents and teams, and achieved remarkable results in building the talent pool. We have deepened comprehensive reform, launched the pilot work of “strengthening school and department construction to realize the University’s strategic goals”, boosted the enthusiasm of schools and departments, and improved internal governance of the University.

In 2018, the University held the Autumn Work Conference. We comprehensively summarized the basic experience of rapid development since the 13th Five Year Plan, and put forward that Sun Yat-sen University has formulated new position, new layout and new concept for its development, successfully achieved an intensive leap-forward in development, reached a new historical starting point, and entered a new era of development!

In 2019, our great motherland will mark her 70th birthday. We must grasp the excellent opportunity and make the best of every minute. We must firmly implement the fundamental task of “four services”: serving the people, serving the governance of the CPC, serving the consolidation and development of socialist system with Chinese characteristics, and serving the reform and opening-up and socialist modernization construction. We must build a world-class university rooted in China, and cultivate socialist builders and successors with all-round moral, intellectual, physical, and aesthetical grounding with a hardworking spirit. We must assist Guangdong in realizing its grand goal of “walking in the front nationwide in four aspects”, and contribute talent support and innovation force to the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. With outstanding achievements, we will mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China!

He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks. Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, let us unite and forge ahead toward realizing our goal in the new era of “being rooted in China, accelerating our steps into the first tier of universities nationwide, and striving to enter the forefront of world-class universities”! Let us join hands and create a new glory of Sun Yat-sen University!

May the New Year bring health, happiness, and success to our faculty and staff, students, alumni, and friends!

May Sun Yat-sen University have an even brighter tomorrow! May our great motherland prosper even more!

CHEN Chunsheng    LUO Jun
December 31, 2018