From August 25th to 26th, 2005, the Symposium on the University’s Development and the First Dean/Section Chief Forum was held in the lecture hall of the Qianhu campus library. Those who attended were leaders from the Wanli Group and ZWU, middle-level cadres (from assistants and above), teachers with academic titles of associate professor or above and those in charge of the democratic parties.
The symposium focused on the University’s operational concepts of “Considering the Student’s Point of Departure; Depending on a good teaching staff; Facing up to Market Demands, and interacting with the International Academic Community”. Each of the leaders from the Wanli Group and ZWU gave a talk at the event. Ms Xu Yafen, Chairwoman of ZWU, made an impassioned speech on “efficient, pragmatic, capable” styles of leadership; demanding the management cadres to be steadfast in their work, meticulous with details and united as one for the good of ZWU and education in Zhejiang. Mr. Ying Xiong, President of the Wanli Group, elaborated upon his views on issues such as management outlook, pragmatic working style and management qualities and cooperative capabilities. He pointed out that the management team is the supporting block of the University’s survival and the engine of its development, and that the style of the management counts for much of the University’s long-term development.
Titles of speeches made by other University-level leaders included: “Depend upon a Good Teaching Staff: Strengthening the Construction of the Talent Base” by Mr. Chen Juexiang, “Constructing a Discipline System that’s Closely Linked to the Local Economy” by Mr. Ying Min, “The University’s Positioning of Talent Cultivation and Criteria for Teaching Activities” by Ms Qian Guoying, “Consider the Students as the Point of Departure: Constructing a New Development Mode of Student Ideological Education” by Mr. Jiang Jianjun and “Building up the Concept of Popular Education and Achieving Fine Results for the MOE Degree Education Assessment and Quality Control” by Wang Gang, the Provost. As well as those speakers aforementioned, Deans from the schools and faculties of Foreign Languages, Business, Law, Biological and Environmental Sciences and the Junior College also spoke at the Symposium.
After the general meeting, the participants were divided into 4 groups for further discussion. The topics discussed included major issues of the symposium: - the leaders’ speeches, preparations for the MOE Degree Education Assessment, work in the next academic year, the University’s path of development within the University-Faculty and School two-tier management scheme. Each participant spoke freely about what he/she was feeling and thinking, and each group sent a representative to make a précis report of the meeting.
This symposium achieved its anticipated objectives: it further pinpointed the tasks and direction of the University’s operational pursuits in the coming years. It consolidated and strengthened the University’s responsibilities, objectives and commitments; it also sought to identify the advantages, opportunities and challenges the University might face in the future, and strove to proffer strategies to meet such challenges. It was highly regarded as a symposium where general principles were discussed and strategies were determined, where freedom of speech was encouraged and a consensus finally reached, and where individual volition and wisdom was exercised, collated and applied toward a common cause.
Another important event that will be held this year is the Dean (Section Chief) Forum, which in many ways acts as a platform for further information exchange; a forum for intellectual discussions, and scientific decision-making; and a place in which new and emerging talent can be identified and supported.
ZWU Party Committee General Secretary, Administrative Vice President Chen Juexiang made a summary of the Symposium on the University’s Development and the First Dean (Section Chief) Forum. He affirmed his optimism that all participants could readily achieve the University’s aspirations in the key areas of work, competition and development. He also laid out the University’s activities in the new academic year, asking all the participants to be of one heart and one mind, pool the wisdom and efforts of everyone, take the preparations for the MOE Degree Education Assessment as an impetus for future work, carry forward the Wanli Spirit strenuously, aim higher, make every effort to prepare for the last stage of the MOE Assessment, achieve good results for the Assessment and work toward the post-Assessment consolidation and improvement. Mr. Chen also spoke of the need to tap idle resources, enlarge increment, enhance quality, work hard to improve internal coordination so that real skills can be prominently recognized; lay stress on top priorities, effect a breakthrough with difficult issues and highlight the bright sides; dare to take the lead and avail ourselves of the advantageous situation � to rise to a higher level and brighter future in terms of the University’s core competitiveness and educational eminence.