On the afternoon of January 10th, Sichuan University Convention to Promote the “Double First-Class” Construction and Summarize Scientific Research in 2018 convened in Duxing Building, Wangjiang Campus. This convention reviewed SCU progress in the “double first-class” construction and its scientific research and complimented outstanding scientific research workers. Forecasting the work ideas in 2019, the convention called upon all to stay focused, remain upbeat and work hard.
Around 500 people participated in this convention. The participants included Chairman Jianguo Wang of the university council, President Yanrong Li, all the university administrators along with their assistants, academicians, outstanding professors, chief scientists, professors, 2018 winners of scientific research awards, heads of colleges and departments, teacher representatives.
Director Zhong-ming Li of the World University Construction Office ( WUCO ) made a report on the progress SCU had made in the “double first-class” construction in 2018.
During 2018, centering around the “two greatness” goal, SCU made clear its course of action to build a world first-class university, decided on the annual task of “ten first-class construction projects”, launched the construction of “12 first-class disciplines (groups)” and “19 frontier academic subjects”. In terms of the construction of “ten first-class projects”, SCU has made a new breakthrough in the cultivation of extraordinary innovative talents and won the Special Award of National Teaching Achievement Prize. The university ranks high in the National College Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, and the Ministry of Education has highly acclaimed SCU undergraduate education. New achievement has been made in the construction of a teachers team with distinctive results in the “Double One-Hundred Talents Plan”, and post-doctoral fellows’ potentials have been fully tapped into. In addition, SCU has made new achievements in innovation and social services with major breakthroughs in landmark scientific research projects. The basic scientific research has moved to a higher level, better serving the development of local areas and the country. A new progress has been made in the dissemination of cultural tradition and innovation. Taking Sister Jiang’s deeds as the core, SCU has carried forward the revolutionary culture and inherited the red gene. Moreover, SCU has joined hands with the provincial publicity department to build “Sichuan University Chinese Culture Research Institute”. The compilation of Chinese Compendium of Taoist Works ( Zhonghua Xu Dao Cang ), a major cultural project of the national “thirteenth five-year plan”, is assigned to our university. International cooperation develops toward the high-end level. For instance, “Dachuan Viewpoint” “University Immersion Program” ( UIP ), “International Students at Sichuan University” have made achievements, boosting SCU international influence. In the area of first-class discipline construction, the “twelve first-class” disciplines have achieved significantly in talent training, high-level teachers team construction, scientific research, awards for major scientific research projects, and the transferring of research findings.
Liangyin Chu, director of SCU Scientific Research Institute, made a report on the scientific research in sciences, engineering subjects and medicine sciences in 2018.
In order to stimulate scientific researchers to climb the scientific peaks and make inventions and innovations, SCU has promoted the reform of scientific system and mechanism by attending to the two hands of scientific innovation and system innovation. SCU has set up a link of innovation: “talents-direction-platform-project-results”. The university has carried out a series of training plans and special programs, laying a solid foundation for the further improvement of scientific innovation ability. With the leadership of the university administrators, Sichuan University achieved fruitful results in scientific research due to the joint efforts of all the scientific workers in the university. The number of scientific research projects and the amount of funding both have reached new high, with the sum of received scientific research funds amounting to nearly 2.2 billion yuan for 503 approved research projects of the National Natural Science Foundation of China. This number ranks the tenth among Chinese universities. The amount of funding directly related to projects is 404 million yuan, ranking the ninth nationwide. Scientific achievements are outstanding, winning six National Science and Technology Awards. Four of the prize winning projects are led by Sichuan University (SCU ranks the sixth in the number of prizes for general projects in China.) Additionally, the number of SCI papers ranks the fifth nationwide, the number of authorized patents on the rise. The construction of scientific research bases has reached a new level. A “Center for Frontier Sciences of Disease Molecular Networks” will be built (The Ministry of Education approved the construction of seven such centers in 2018.) The university has added a new center of cooperation and innovation between the ministry and the province, a key laboratory of the Ministry of Education, six provincial scientific research bases. Ten national and provincial bases have passed the evaluation and inspection. Progress has been made in the construction of high-end talent team. Two new innovative research groups (including a rotary one) of the National Natural Science Foundation of China have been added. Two outstanding young people and nine excellent young people have been hired. (Ranking the ninth among Chinese universities). New achievements have been made in high-tech work, the transformation of achievements and cooperation between school and local enterprises. 2018 saw wonderful achievements in scientific research but still had challenges and issues. In 2019, the university will keep in mind the original determination and mission, and work hard to make greater contributions to the university’s construction of “two greatness”.
Qilin Fu, director of Office of Social Sciences, Sichuan University, reported on the university’s scientific research in social sciences in 2018.
SCU held a philosophy and social sciences conference in 2018. Policy measures such as Several Opinions on the Prosperity and Development of Philosophy and Social Sciences in Sichuan University were promulgated to vigorously support the prosperity and development of liberal arts to a new level. Due to the incessant efforts by all the faculty and researchers, scientific research in liberal arts made progress and achieved breakthroughs in 2018. The construction of liberal arts talents team had distinctive accomplishment, bringing in eight talents who have been selected/elected for national development projects or programs. A historic breakthrough was made in the number of approved scientific research projects. The number of research projects approved for the National Social Science Fund of China ranked first place nationwide. The approved projects included Chinese Compendium of Taoist Works and “Public Safety Risk Prevention and Control and Emergency Technical Equipment". SCU obtained five major projects that the National Social Science Fund had set up for bid, one major project of the Ministry of Education and four key projects of the National Social Science Fund of China, bringing in a record-high research fund in the amount of 173 million yuan. New progress has also been made in the construction of high-end scientific research platform. SCU established the China South Asia Research Institute, which was a high-end national think tank. In addition, SCU joined hands with the provincial publicity department in setting up the Sichuan University Chinese Culture Research Institute. The development system for philosophy and social sciences was constantly updated. Moreover, SCU issued Several Opinions on the Prosperity and Development of Philosophy and Social Sciences in Sichuan University, Reward Measures for Philosophy and Social Sciences Research in Sichuan University and Interim Measures for the Selection of Outstanding Professors (Liberal Arts) in Sichuan University.
Vice President Shijing Yan read out “Sichuan University Science and Technology Award List for 2018” and “Sichuan University Philosophy and Social Science Research Award List for 2018”.
In 2018, SCU issued 3,450 awards for outstanding scientific achievements, 43 outstanding talent awards, 81 awards for projects and platforms and 22 Advanced Science and Technology Awards. Meantime, the university issued 446 awards for outstanding individuals in philosophy and social sciences in 2018. Among them, 9 won the award for outstanding scientific research projects in philosophy and social sciences, 325 won the award for important achievements in philosophy and social sciences, 62 won the award for outstanding talents in Humanities and social sciences, and 50 won the award for contributions to social services in philosophy and social sciences. The university also awarded three consultation reports on philosophy and social sciences decision-making.
Chairman Jianguo Wang and President Yanrong Li conferred, on behalf of the university, awards on prize winners.
Being a representative of chief scientists, Academician Yuquan Wei reported on the overall construction objectives, tasks, progress of core competitiveness indicators, representative achievements and next work plan of the key discipline "Biotherapy-led Frontier Basic Medicine and Innovative Pharmacology".
Academician Qi Wang, Professor Shichuang Zhan made a speech respectively on behalf of prize winners. First, they thanked the university for the care and support for scientific research, and the team members for their great efforts. They also indicated that they would work harder, aim higher and reward the university for its support with better and greater achievements, serving the development of the country.
Vice President Weilin Xu introduced the work ideas regarding the “double first-class” construction in 2019.
In 2019, centering around the goal of “building a world first-class university with Chinese characteristics and a Sichuan University style”, SCU will vigorously promote the construction of “ten first-class projects” and “first-class discipline system”, develop a number of peak disciplines, and accelerate the optimization and adjustment of discipline structure and strengthen the construction of discipline connotation. Moreover, the university will lay a foundation for the fifth round of discipline evaluation, pool forces, and reinforce strengths in order to make up for shortcomings. What’s more, the university will comprehensively accelerate the construction of a world-class university, making great contributions to the realization of the Chinese dream to rejuvenate the Chinese nation.
