On March 17, General Secretary Xi Jinping was elected as the president of the People’s Republic of China and the Supreme Military Command of the People's Republic of China by a unanimous vote. Zhou Xun, secretary of CPC Chongqing University Committee, stated that the re-election of President Xi had fully manifested the highly united will of the CPC, the people and the country, and was the direct reflection of the common aspiration and heartfelt wish of the whole CPC, the whole army and the whole people of all nationalities.

“The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, has been attaching great importance to the education business. It was pointed out in the government work report of 2018 that we should ‘put development of education before others’ and ‘initiate the Double-First-Rate construction’. The development level of higher education is an important indicator of the development level and potential of a country and a region, and plays an indispensible role in promoting balanced and full development of different regions and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.” Zhou Xun says that he has heavy responsibilities on his shoulders and adds that we should fully utilize the resources of   China to expedite “Double-First-Rate” construction, and serve the social and economic development of the country and the region. In addition, we should concentrate efforts on cultivating talents who cater the need of the age and are able to bring about national rejuvenation, and should give full play to the intellectual support of a higher education institute.  

Zhou further added that the emergence and development of higher education could not be separated from the unique economic and socio-historical culture background of China. The development direction of higher education in China should be closely related to the realistic objective and future direction of development of China. The “Double-First-Rate” Construction Program recently initiated should take rook in the distinct historic culture and national conditions of the country, and the goals should be achieved by practically aligning the local development direction with the development direction of the country.

With thorough implementation of the “five-in-one” overall layout and the “four-pronged” strategic layout of CPC, as well as the new development ideas, the economic growth rate, development mode, economic structure and motive force of development of China are facing new changes and new requirements. Zhou Xun points out that with comprehensive depending of reform in related areas such as education, science and technology, a reform and development pattern has gradually formed in the higher education sector, which is now facing new challenges and opportunities.

Zhou further stated that to expedite “Double-First-Rate” construction, colleges and universities should respond to the social and economic development need of the province and the municipality while acting up to the national development. We should make further achievements and take new actions while meeting the new requirements placed by the new age on higher education and; in addition, more efforts should be concentrated on serving the social and economic development needs of the country and the region. High-quality development should always be put in the first place and quality of talent cultivation can never be overemphasized. Only this way can the University develop in a sound, well-ordered and sustainable way. We should stick to the new development ideas and make overall planning, and try to find a solution to the layout of rejuvenating our country through science and education, strengthening our country by developing culture, coordinating development of regions, and prospering the rural areas, so as to control the commanding point. Besides, we should allow the market orientation to lead dissemination of achievement, improve the dissemination service system of scientific and technological achievements and stimulate the vitality of science and technology to serve innovation. We should concentrate efforts on building a new-type think tank of colleges and universities with Chinese characteristics, and improving the high-level strategic research and high-standard application countermeasure research capacity. We should as well give full play to the advantages of the colleges and universities as a junction of technology and talents, and take on heavy responsibilities during implementation of national and regional development strategy, thus constantly driving the overall promotion of China’s higher education level and making contributions to the sustainable and sound economic and social development of the country and the region.

Link: http://epaper.gmw.cn/gmrb/html/2018-03/18/nw.D110000gmrb_20180318_2-09.htm