As winter turns to spring, the world around us begins to take on an air of freshness. As 2017 is fast approaching, we would like to extend our most sincere New Year’s greetings on behalf of the University to our current students and faculty members, retired faculty and staff, domestic and overseas alumni, and friends who have joined our endeavors and continue to support Sun Yat-sen University.

2016 was the opening year of the Thirteenth Five-Year Plan, and marked the beginning of the decisive phase in the national effort to build China into a comprehensive moderately prosperous society. It was also a crucial year in the historical process of building Sun Yat-sen University into a world-class university. We persisted in fully implementing the Party’s education policy, adhering to the socialist orientation of higher education, and implementing the fundamental task of nurturing virtue and talents. We implemented the president responsibility system under the leadership of Party committee, implemented the decisions made by SYSU Party Committee, carried out the president’s responsibilities, enhanced ideological and political work, strengthened community-level Party building, held the ground of the ideological and political work for youth in universities, and safeguarded the University’s reform, development and stability. We deepened comprehensive reform, forged ahead and lifted the University’s key priorities up to a new level.

In 2016, Shenzhen Campus transitioned from concept into implementation, from planning into building, and the splendid promise of the blueprints began to become reality; focusing on the fields of “deep sea and deep space”, Zhuhai Campus further honed its disciplinary structure and optimized its disciplinary layout; Guangzhou Campus achieved notable results in campus-wide comprehensive improvement. The new organizational model of “five campuses in three cities” has already begun bearing fruit.

In 2016, centering on its goal of “nurturing talents who have both ability and moral integrity and are both able to cultivate charisma and eager serve their country”, the University optimized top-level curriculum design, improved classroom teaching levels, perfected teaching quality monitoring systems, and continually raised the talent cultivation quality.

In 2016, the University insisted on the “three orientations” and further improved its disciplinary construction, scientific research and social service. The number of SYSU disciplines among the ESI top 1% reached 18, ranked second among universities in China. The number of projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China was ranked third, and the number of projects funded by the National Social Science Foundation of China was ranked second among universities nationwide. For the first time, research grants awarded to the University surpassed 2 billion yuan RMB. The University steadily promoted the construction of big research platforms such as a national high-level think tank, a 6000-ton marine research fieldwork vessel, the TianQin Plan for space-based gravitational wave detection, and many others. The University and Guangzhou city cooperated to build the SYSU International Innovation Valley, providing a new growth engine to support the innovation-driven development of Guangdong province.

In 2016, the University continued to perfect the appointment, management, and payment mechanisms for faculty, staff, and researchers. The University strengthened its efforts in introducing and nurturing talents, showing notable results in talent aggregation, with over 2,000 newly joined scholars and researchers, including two members of either the Chinese Academy of Sciences or the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

In 2016, the University held ceremonies to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Dr. Sun Yat-sen with the aim of carrying forward Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s spirit by encouraging all faculty and students to aim high and forge ahead.

Our achievements in 2016 have created a firm foundation for realizing the University’s goals during the Thirteenth Five-Year Plan. In 2017, we will closely unite around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core. We will continually implement the spirit of the Sixth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee and the spirit of the meeting on ideological and political work in China’s universities and colleges. We will consolidate our achievements in the “Two Studies, One Action” campaign, and prepare to hold the 13th Party Congress of the University to further promote the comprehensive and strict governance of the Party. We will look forward to the upcoming 19th CPC National Congress with our outstanding achievements.

Sun Yat-sen University is a university that is shouldering great responsibilities for our country and our nation. It is our goal and our mission to enter the first-tier among universities nationwide and become a world-class university. As China is entering the center of the world stage, Sun Yat-sen University is already standing at the threshold of a new historical era. We are closer than ever before to our ultimate goal. As the old song goes: “Our road is very broad, our future is very bright. We dedicate ourselves to the magnificent cause, filled with happiness and extremely honored.” In the new year, let us stay true to the mission, make concerted efforts, stride forward toward our bright future, and enjoy the happiness and honor together.

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

May Sun Yat-sen University have an even brighter tomorrow!

Chen Chunsheng    Luo Jun

December 31,  2016