Executive President's 2012 Teachers' Day message

Dear staff and friends,

As the 28th Teachers' Day is approaching, I would like to, on behalf of SMT, avail myself of this opportunity to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all of you for your remarkable contributions to the development of XJTLU.

XJTLU has run into its sixth year, when the student population, including international students, postgraduates and doctoral students, has reached a record 7,500, who are supported by a 600-strong staff force. It is with our staff members’ intelligence contributions and unswerving commitment that XJTLU has seen a continuous lift in its reputation. As a reward, the outstanding competitiveness our three cohorts of graduates displayed have won our staff members, as well as our university, wide recognition and acclaim for their successful explorations on higher education reform. XJTLU’s rapid and healthy development could not have been realised without the hard work of every one of you.

In retrospect, we would like to invite students, their parents and relevant social sectors to express sincere appreciation to our staff members for their remarkable contribution to the development of XJTLU. You are not only making the dream of XJTLU come true, but more importantly, taking the chance to fulfil a broader dream in social dimensions, by being able to exert a strong influence on the development of education in China and the world.

Knowledge-intensive economy and globalisation, especially networking stemming from revolutions in information and communication technologies, have together brought significant transformations to individuals, organisations and their social behaviours, which in turn triggered an in-depth reform of the approach to acquire, share and learn knowledge. Under this context, universities are more exposed to serious challenges than any other organisation. To some extent, it is an era featuring a call for redefining the role of universities and higher education, which has, on the other hand, rendered XJTLU a rare chance to compete with world-famous universities on the same par.

Aligned with its vision and mission, XJTLU is committed to an optimised integration of educational and cultural essences of the West and the East and a consistent exploration for a new higher education model, in an effort to contribute to higher education reform in China and beyond. Over years of development, XJTLU has formed its distinctive operational model and ideology, which makes a point of students’ healthy growth, interest-driven learning and learning-centred university life and views knowledge and diplomas as by-products. At XJTLU, students who have long been exposed to the flaws of traditional examination-oriented education are encouraged to get used to learning knowledge in a way that would set free their passion, initiative and creativity to explore interests, find hidden potentials and plan their future.

To this end, XJTLU focuses on three transformations of students: from kids into young adults and then into global citizens, from passive into active and research-led learning, from aimless learning into interest-driven learning and being able to plan for the future. A four-year university life is critical to one’s growth, especially to students in China, where most of them grow up indulged by their parents and study only for high examination marks and entering a good university. These students are even mature physically, but their psychological and social age is far from being mature when they initially enter university. XJTLU takes it an important undertaking to help students build self-recognition and correct attitude of life and develop lifelong learning abilities, in the hope that they can grow mature and make their prominent presence in the world.

Successful explorations in higher education have won XJTLU widespread acknowledgement and acclaim. However, the fulfilment and expansion of XJTLU’s educational aspiration call for staff and students to inject and blend our educational ideology into regular learning and teaching, research and interaction activities. Put in another way, it needs devotion of energy and endeavour from each one of you to keep exploring on educational innovation, rethink or even give up the teaching way or behaviour we are familiar with and used to. On this festival occasion, let’s recall our vision and anticipate the path ahead, explore, enrich and improve our current practice shoulder to shoulder with our wisdom and creational belief that we, XJTLU, are on the way to realising our vision and mission gradually.

Looking into the future, although XJTLU is young, with its wonderful beginning, solid foundation, marvellous conception and architecture, as well as splendid and prospective vision, I’m all the more confident that with our joint endeavours, we will work out miracles in the miracle-born university.

Wish you all a happy Teachers' Day.

Professor Youmin Xi
Executive President of XJTLU
7 September 2012