Dear Teachers, students, alumni and friends,
As we usher in the New Year and celebrate together, we would like to extend our heartfelt greetings and best wishes to all teachers, students, staff, retired comrades, former leaders, former colleagues and all members of the college! We also express our sincere gratitude to leaders at all levels, departments at all levels, partner colleges and universities at home and abroad, departments and colleges of the University as well as all sectors of society who have long cared for, supported and helped the development of the College.
In 2023, we are fully committed to the age of abundance with the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a new era. The college has undertaken in-depth studies and implementation of the Spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC, established a new model of collaborative education, facilitated student growth and talent development, and contributed to the school's "double first-class" development.
This year, we adhered to the guidance of Communist Party of China and implemented moral cultivation effectively. We studied and implemented themed education on Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a new era, and translated the results of themed education into high-quality development results in international education. Four training courses for CPC candidates have been conducted, with 179 student participants. Forty-five students have become CPC members. Currently, there are 125 CPC members in the college, representing a significant increase of 56.25%. Our students have been honored with the titles of "Excellent Communist Party Member" and "Community Party Member Star", while the joint Party branch formed by teachers and students has been recognized as the school's "Advanced Party Branch".
This year, we have enhanced the integration of foreign countries and made new advancements in cooperation in school running. We have renewed mutual credit recognition agreements for 2 new majors and 4 existing majors with foreign colleges and universities, as well as established a new international class for Animal Science. In response to the evolving situation of the pandemic and the gradual resumption of international travel, we promptly recruited 8 foreign language teachers and 13 professional teachers from University College Dublin to deliver long-term lectures. The management team from University College Dublin, consisting of 17 members, has been actively engaged in organizing academic seminars and promoting the establishment of an academic community comprising Chinese and foreign educators. Additionally, we have jointly convened 16 meetings for managing Dublin International College, academic committees, teacher-student liaison committees, examination committees; furthermore, we visited University College Dublin to hold joint management committee meetings. Her Excellency Ann Devin, Ambassador of Ireland to China, visited our university and attended the opening ceremony for new students alongside our former President Liu Yahong.
This year, we are committed to the whole person education and the comprehensive development of students. Six students have had their academic papers published in international journals, including SCI. They have also achieved outstanding results in various national and provincial competitions, such as the 14th Blue Bridge Cup National Software and Information Technology Professionals Competition, the "Challenge Cup" Guangdong College Students Extracurricular Academic Science and Technology Works Competition, and the "Internet +" China International College Students Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition. Ms. LAN Yaqi, Class director of Class 2 of Food Quality and Safety in Grade 2020, was honored with the title of "Top Ten Class Teacher", while Class 2 of Finance in grade 2021 received recognition as the "Top Ten Class". Additionally, our students were awarded titles such as "Top Ten Chinese Agricultural Star", "Top Ten Style model", and top Ten singers on campus, achieving full coverage of the school's "Top Ten" awards.
This year, we have further enriched the essence of educational construction, and our personnel training mechanism is continuously improving. We have established a talent training system and quality assurance system in line with global standards and international education laws to cater to Sino-foreign cooperation in running schools, emphasizing the distinct characteristics of international schools. Through coordinated promotion of international education programs, we have significantly enhanced the quality of students for four consecutive years, resulting in an increase of over 3,000 places in the minimum admission ranking in Guangdong Province compared to the previous year. Additionally, we have strengthened process management and services while promoting educational reform and innovation. Our "Basic Academic English" course has been recognized as a first-class offline course at the provincial level. Furthermore, we are dedicated to cultivating international talents: 83.33% of our class of 2023 graduates pursued further studies, with 95.3% attending top 100 universities worldwide and 62.5% enrolling in top 50 universities for postgraduate studies such as Imperial College London, King's College London, University of Edinburgh, Australian National University, Monash University, and University of Hong Kong. The first 6 outstanding graduates of Dublin International College have achieved postgraduate qualifications and were successfully recommended to prestigious institutions such as Zhejiang University, South China University of Technology, Hunan University, and South China Agricultural University. 97.44% of students have successfully determined their graduation destinations, marking a 14.11% increase compared to the previous year.
This year, we are committed to being student-centered and meeting the developmental needs of our students. We prioritize the cultivation of professional qualities and abilities, respect the development of students' personalities, and strive to establish a learning model based on "independent learning and cooperative exploration". We aim to enrich extracurricular activities, enhance students' innovative practical abilities, and organize events such as English clubs, advanced student-assisted classes, academic salons, "three trips to the countryside" social practice, and rural research. Additionally, we seek to create an international atmosphere by providing "one-stop" international student community with Party and league activity rooms, academic counseling rooms, sports facilities. Furthermore, we have established scholarships in collaboration with University College Dublin for 34 students to participate in summer study programs at UCD and for 6 students to engage in one-year exchange programs at UCD. Lastly, we also organized activities such as academic planning sharing sessions and overseas study services while providing pre-trip training for overseas students.
This year, we have focused on the national strategy and made stable progress in foreign students’ education. We have enhanced international communication efficiency, established the "Study in China" brand, earned recognition as an advanced collective among Guangdong universities for studying in China, and received coverage from media outlets such as China Daily, Zhonghong, Yangcheng Evening News, South +, Shock News. Additionally, we have been approved as the first batch of agricultural foreign-related training cooperation and exchange points by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Furthermore, we have signed a memorandum of understanding with Yunfu Foreign Affairs Bureau to establish a base for foreign students to experience Chinese-style modernization (Yunfu). Leveraging our university's disciplinary strengths to attract high-level international students has resulted in 96.7% enrollment of degree students; including master's and doctoral students accounting for 78.6%. We also organized the "Workshop on Production and Demonstration of Environmentally Friendly Fertilizers in Developing Countries" under the Ministry of Commerce's initiative. Moreover, we assisted in implementing the "Training Course for Thai Rural Youth Leaders to China," led by Pikulkeaw Krairiksh - Chairman of Thailand's Upper House Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee - on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Lastly, we hosted "Charming Guangdong," an event organized by Guangdong Public Diplomacy Association.
In 2024, the wind whistles and the crops rustle, moving steadily forward. We are excited to collaborate with you in order to uphold the entrepreneurial spirit, seize new opportunities, pursue further development, and make significant contributions to enhancing the school's international influence and highlighting its characteristics of international education!
As the rabbit bids farewell to the old year, may the dragon bring prosperity and joy. Thank you once again for your trust and love! I sincerely wish you a happy New Year filled with peace, joy, and family prosperity.
College of International Education, South China Agricultural University, Dublin International College of Life Science and Technology, Guangzhou
Feb 9, 2024
