The university held a symposium on general education and top talent training at Wangjiang campus on July 6. Wang Jianguo, chairman of the university council, President Li Yanrong, Shi Bi, director of the academic committee of the university and other chief experts of various disciplines, the chief persons in charge of the three pilot courses of general education, deans/ Party secretaries of individual colleges, among others, attended the meeting. The meeting was presided over by Guo Yong, deputy secretary of the Party committee of Sichuan University.
At the meeting, Vice President Liang Bin introduced the promotion plan of general education and top-notch talent training, focusing on the core curriculum of general education and top-notch talent training system in the new era.
Prof. Huo Wei, Prof. Luo Making, Prof. Cao Shunning, Prof. Jiang Weitao, who were the chief experts of the core pilot courses of general education, gave speeches on the cultivation of excellent talent in basic disciplines from their respective perspectives. Shi Bi and Wang Yusheng, both academicians of CAE, respectively spoke on strengthening general education and nurturing top innovative talent.
In his speech, Wang Jianguo pointed out that first and foremost, we should take the cultivation of first-class talent as the fundamental task of the university. Second, in order to nurture top talent, we must be student-oriented, develop courses and teach according to students’ situations. Third, the training of top talent requires us to give full play to the important role of teachers and strengthen the development of high-level faculty. Fourth, we must innovate the mechanism and system, consolidate resources, and unite and cooperate with all departments and units of the university to facilitate the training of top talent so as to comprehensively better the quality of talent training.
President Li Yanrong expounded "how to do a good job in general education and how to do a good job in training top talent". He said that the university started the "1 + 13" undergraduate education reform and innovation plan at the end of last year, emphasizing the need to focus more on and strengthen "deep general knowledge, broad vision, and interdisciplinary approach".
He underscored that the university has the advantages and characteristics of multiple faculties in the liberal arts, science, engineering and medicine, which provides the foundation and conditions for a general education program. We should fully integrate the university’s high-quality teaching resources, appoint masters and famous teachers the chief experts of curriculum modules, and build a general education system of Sichuan University with "one goal, two main lines, three pilot courses, five modules and 100 golden courses" as the main body. That is to say, taking the history of world science and technology and the history of human civilization as the two main arteries of the general education system, and let students fully understand and be familiar with the development of world civilization and world science and technology. We will take "human evolution and social civilization", "scientific progress and technological revolution" and "Chinese culture (literature, history, philosophy and Art)" as the three leading courses, build the "five modules" of nature and science and technology, humanities and art, information and intersection, life and health, international affairs and global vision. The plan is to develop 100 "golden courses" of general education within 3-5 years, and publish 100 general textbooks with "one textbook for each course". As far as specific teaching is concerned, we can adopt large class teaching and small class tutoring. He said that the university would definitely give special support and guarantee in terms of human resources, money and materials.
On the fostering of top innovative talent, he said that we should pay close attention to two aspects: first, the study of subject courses should be delegated to various departments with "free cultivation", and make full use of the foundation, soil and atmosphere of various colleges and disciplines. Second, daily life should be concentrated in academies, and (we) should develop excellent cultural ambience by virtue of academies and dormitories.
