[Southeast University News Network, Sep. 10] (Correspondent: Song Yechun, Photographer: Hang Tian) On September 10, Southeast University held a celebration conference in the Lecture Hall of Jizhong Building, Jiulonghu Campus on the occasion of the 36th Teachers’ Day. School leaders including Zuo Wei, Zhang Guangjun, Wang Baoping, Zheng Jiamao, Ren Lijian, Ding Hui, Huang Dawei, Jin Baosheng and Liu Pan, former leaders, representatives of well-known professors and outstanding teachers above the provincial level (included), winners of national, provincial and ministerial awards, teacher representatives, NPC and CPPCC member representatives, representatives from democratic parties, members of the execution committee of Teachers' Congress, representatives from diversified institutes and departments, and student representatives, etc. attended the celebration conference. The conference was presided over by Executive Vice President Wang Baoping.

President Zhang Guangjun delivered a speech titled “Persist in the Initial Aspiration of Morality Establishment and Talent Cultivation, Undertake the Mission to Cultivate Outstanding Talents at the conference. He first extended his cordial greetings and best wishes to all the faculty and staff, as well as to the retired teachers, leaders and comrades on the behalf of SEU. He said that the year 2020 is an extremely extraordinary year not only for SEU, but also for China and even the human history. Over the past year, all teachers have committed themselves to fighting against the negative impacts caused by COVID - 19 and confronting the serious challenges of work and study resumption. Armed by enthusiasm and positivism, they have been devoted to school’s deepened comprehensive reform and “Double First-class” construction, which have advanced the school’s reform and development in an all-round way. The president also briefly reviewed new achievements that have been made in personnel cultivation, faculty construction, scientific research, discipline construction, international cooperation, construction of a “Beautiful Southeast University” and so on.

Zhang Guangjun emphasized that a powerful country must entail strong education, while the strong education requires competent teachers. Therefore, all teachers have to bear in mind what GeneralSecretaryXiJinping has said, staying true to virtue cultivation, committing themselves to educate talents, and going all out for the following three aspects. Firstly, all teachers should keep faith in the ideals and beliefs to be a determined teacher of faith. All teachers are expected to actively publicize the common ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and guide students to grow up healthily, so as to truly learn how to become an excellent teacher. Secondly, all teachers should cultivate moral feelings to be a teacher with both ability and integrity. All teachers are expected to be student-oriented and behave, learn and educate by virtue. In addition, they should work hard to promote themselves constantly to make themselves competent enough. Thirdly, all teachers are encouraged to be innovative. They are expected not only to remain true to both moral and knowledge education, but also shoulder the responsibility of tackling key scientific and technological problems and making innovations. By doing so, they can strive to become the innovation pioneers for scientific and technological progress and national strategies. At last, Zhang Guangjun expected all teachers to continue to overcome difficulties and shoulder heavy responsibilities to ensure the smooth completion of the assignments for the year 2020, join hands to stick to the original intention and practice the education mission, so as to make contributions worthy of our times and history to “1-10-100 SEU Dream” and the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Prof. Xu Zhaodong, the teacher representative from School of Civil Engineering, shared his story of a teacher's mission and responsibilities, dreams and struggles. He stressed that teachers should constantly improve their own characters and moralities to be a good instructor for students in study. Moreover, teachers should also constantly improve their academic and researching abilities to prepare numerous high-level innovative talents for the society. Zhang Zequn, the student representative from School of Humanities, expressed his gratitude and respect to the teachers and best wishes on occasion of this festival on behalf of all SEU students.

At the conference, Vice President Jin Baosheng announced the list of advanced figures and the winner list of national, provincial and ministerial awards. School leaders presented awards to the representatives of the winners.

In the end, Prof. Xu Zhaodong led the new teachers to swear the oath and the conference ended with the school song.

(Edited by: Wu Hanyu; reviewed by: Song Xiaoyan)