Sichuan University

Keeping pace with the times and marching forward with the nation¡¯s hope regardless of twists and turns, Sichuan University ushered its 120th founding anniversary on September 29th. On the morning, SCU alumni from both home and abroad, the staff and students as well as leaders at all levels and friends from all walks of life gather here to celebrate its 120th anniversary, review its glorious history and look into its promising future for a world-class university. Located in Chengdu, the culture-steeped capital of Sichuan province, SCU is a national key university under the direct administration of the Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE), and counts among the top 10 in the China University Rankings, compiled by the China University Assessment team. It has been designated for both the 211 Project and the 985 Project. The current SCU was born of two mergers, first in 1994, with the former Chengdu University of Science and Technology, and then in 2000 with the former West China University of Medical Sciences. In its long history as an education institution, Sichuan University has formed rich culture heritage and solid foundation of education. The school motto goes as follows, ¡°Sea£¬all water, receives all rivers; Utmost wit listens to all sides. ¡± The spirit of Sichuan University is embodied in the following words--precision, diligence, truth-seeking and innovation. SCU has 33 colleges, offering a comprehensive range of disciplines, covering humanities, science, engineering, management, medicine, law, agriculture, education and arts. It is authorized by the state to grant doctoral degrees in 44 disciplines. According to Thomson Reuters¡¯ Essential Science Indicators (ESI), 13 of its disciplines are ranked among the global top1%. It has 13 state-level research bases and 15 members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)and the Chinese Academy of Engineering(CAE). Its many laboratories, research centers and bases have conducted projects of regional, national and international significance, putting it at 115th among global academic institutions in the Nature Index, based on the 2016 data. The university has a rich heritage and is dedicated to nurturing globally competitive innovators. It aims to reveal students¡¯ path to discovery, according to their personal aptitude for learning.International exchanges in education and research contributed to SCU¡¯s increased global reputation and standing. The university has established cooperative relationships with almost 240 world-class universities and research institutions, such as Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard, from 34 countries and regions. In the new historical period, SCU has set its goal of building a first-class university and a "three-step" development strategy; today, it¡¯s moving forward to the grand goal of building itself into a world-class university. Prof. Xie Heping, academician and president of SCU noted that, the governments of Sichuan Province and Chengdu Municipality have signed a strategic agreement with SUC on jointly building a world-class university. To better explore for a path of building a world-class university in western China, SCU has taken initiative to establish the International Development Strategy Advisory Council composed of globally renowned scientists, educators, social activists and entrepreneurs. On September 28th, the Council held its first conference, and the Global Alumni Entrepreneurs Association was founded. On Sept. 29th, a fund of RMB2 billion for innovation and entrepreneurship contributed by global Alumni, the 100 million yuan project of the frontier medical Building of SCU funded by CheerLand Investment Group, the ¡°1 + 0.1¡± billion yuan ¡°innovation and entrepreneurship" special fund contributed by Chengdu High-tech Zone, the "cooperative innovation incubation fund" and "innovation venture capital fund", the 2-billion yuan "SCU-Blue Ray Fund for Innovation and Entrepreneurship" invested by Blue Ray Group, a 100 million yuan SCU-Kyland Education Fund for Innovation and Entrepreneurship contributed by Kyland Technology Co., Ltd, were also launched. All these funds are aimed to encourage and support SCU students and world's outstanding youth to start business in Chengdu and Sichuan, marking a new journey of SCU to build a world-class university. At the Conference, leaders from SCU, Chengdu Municipality and Sichuan Province touched a crystal ball and kick-off the ceremony to build a world-class university. According to Prof. Xie, SCU is striving to become a think tank platform that should be able of cultivating talented graduates who have global competence and are capable of tackling future challenges; be able of generating new ideas, new knowledge and new theories that drive the progress of the world and mankind; be able of continuously creating core technologies for strategic industries that may catalyze national and social growth. It will also actively participate in the province¡¯s innovation-driven development strategy, join hands with the governments to shape an internationally competitive talents cultivation system, foster a number of international top academic fields, and create big sci-tech centres and overwhelming technology platforms to meet the world's frontier and national strategic needs; it will plan to construct a pilot area for the reform of ¡°three rights¡± of sci-tech achievements, the most attractive destination for global talents and international students, a high-end international platform for export-oriented development and a Sichuan model for building of world-class universities with the Chinese characteristics. While proudly reflecting on the past 120 years, SCU is laying out new ambitions as it strives to become a top 100 global institution in the Nature Index. Looking ahead, Sichuan University shoulders the social responsibility to attract brilliant minds, nurture talents to serve the country, break new academic ground and promote scientific and technological development, whilst guiding the society. It will write more brilliant chapters in its history¡ªinheriting legacy whilst looking to a bright future of innovation and new possibilities.