On the afternoon of September 10 2017, SUSTech held the 2017 Teachers' Day Award Ceremony during which it handed out the "Excellent Teaching Awards", "Excellent Research Awards", "Excellent Tutor Awards" and "Administrative Service Awards" to the best performing staff of the year. University Council Chairperson Guo Yurong, President Chen Shiyi, senior management members, academicians, heads of departments, faculty representatives and student representatives attended the meeting, as well as Kaisa Group Holdings Ltd’s Vice President Tang Shichuan as a special guest. The meeting was chaired by Chief Operating Officer Lu Chun.

Guo Yurong 's speech

       Guo Yurong started the ceremony by delivering a speech to the audience. On behalf of the university leaders, she warmly congratulated the award-winning professors and thanked all faculty members for their contributions to the development of the university. She said that professors form an indispensable part of the university’s wealth, and are the driving force in its development. Therefore it is important that the university respects its teachers and provides for their needs, to further strengthen and improve the support service and the incentive and management mechanism, and make every effort to create a better working environment, better living conditions and a greater development space.

       The General Assembly then went on to present the teaching awards. Sun Dazhi and five other professors were awarded the "Southern University of Science and Technology 2017 Outstanding Teaching Award" and Ma Xiaoying and three others won the "Southern University of Science and Technology 2017 Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award." Vice President and Provost Wu Chuanyue announced the winners and handed out the certificates.

Guo Yurong with the award-winning teachers

       Zheng Yi and Yang Jun won the "Southern University of Science and Technology 2017 Outstanding Teaching Award" and "Southern University of Science and Technology 2017 Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award". Guo Yurong personally handed them their certificates.

Zheng Yi’s speech

       Zheng Yi gave a speech on behalf of the award-winning professors in which he thanked the university for its recognition and reward, which he said would play an important role in the quality of teaching and the pursuit of excellence. He also shared details of his own teaching experience.

       The university leaders then awarded the scientific research award. Lu Haizhou and 10 other people were handed the "Southern University of Science and Technology 2017 Youth Research Award" by the Director of Research Office Zhao Yusheng. Wang Kai and 6 other people won the "Southern University of Science and Technology 2017 Outstanding Scientific Research Award", which was handed to them by Vice President and Dean of the Graduate School Tang Tao.

Chen Shiyi with the award-winning teachers

       Liu Junguo, He Jiaqing, Lu Guangzhou won the "Southern University of Science and Technology 2017 Scientific Research Excellence Award" which were handed to them by President Chen.

Liu Junguo’s speech

       As a representative for the scientific research award-winning team, Liu Junguo said that he was incredibly proud to receive it and to be a part of SUSTech, and that he could only have dreamed for such an award. He said "Our dreams will start from right here in the campus, under our banyan tree, starting from the innovative spirit of Shenzhen, to China, to the world."

       The General Assembly continued with the Award for Executive Service. Ma Ying and 10 other people won the "Southern University of Science and Technology 2017 Administrative Service Award", with the university council member and director for Communications and Public Relations Zhang Ling, and the university council member and directory for Human Resources Chen Zhifeng handing out the awards. Guan Hao and 6 others received the "Southern University of Science and Technology 2017 Outstanding Administrative Service Award", with Secretary General Wang Yongjie handing them their certificates.

       Li Dongna, Chen Youyu and Cheng Jili won the "Southern University of Science and Technology 2017 Administrative Service Excellence Award" handed to them by Vice-Chairperson Li Fengliang.

Chen Youyu’s speech

       Chen Youyu spoke as a representative for the Administrative Services Award winners. She has dedicated many years working here gaining lots of experience, "There are values I stand by in my work: to be trustworthy; to get along with people, to always believe that if you can put yourself in a person's shoes, you will understand their feelings. I believe there are no difficulties that cannot be overcome, no one is unable to communicate, and the final decision is always our intention."

Chen Fangyi and 20 others obtained the "South University of Science and Technology 2017 Outstanding Tutor Award", which was handed to them by the Chief Financial Officer Ye Qin and Director of Residential College Han Wei.

Liu Qingsong’s speech

       Liu Qingsong spoke on behalf of the "Outstanding Tutor Award" winner. He said "being nominated as a good tutor is one of my most valued honors". He went on to say that good teacher-student relationships is one of the most important foundations of innovation and success in higher education.

       Jiang Zhengyan, a 2015 undergraduate student from Zhiren Residential College, thanked all the students for their kind words to the professors, and in turn thanked the professors for their hard work. He went on to say that all the SUSTech students will keep in mind their professors teachings, and do their best to live up to their high expectations and make them proud.

       Tang Shichuan followed offering his congratulations to the award-winning teachers. He said that the Kaisa Group Holdings Ltd looked forward to working with SUSTech to build a deeper and more beneficial relationship, and hoped that SUSTech will flourish soon into a world-class research university.

Chen Shiyi’s speech

       Chen Shiyi concluded the event with a final speech. He thanked all the professors and once more congratulated the winners of the various awards for their success. He mentioned that the award-winning professors were still young, very professional and represented the spirit of the younger generation which has become the beacon of academic excellence. In recent years the university has developed at an incredible speed and obtained a long list of achievements. That is all inseparable from the hard work and dedication of the professors, departments and faculty. He said that greatness doesn’t only lie in the determination of the university, nor of Shenzhen, but also and most importantly in the determination of each faculty member who has joined the development of SUSTech and decided to become a part of its story. The mission which professors are entrusted in is a sacred and proud one, and Chen wished the best to all faculty in the new academic year, with fresh efforts to create a new and better future for SUSTech.

      The event came to an end with a wonderful perfomance by the Arts Center organized by teachers and students.

Text: Lao Xiangwen

Photo: Wang Kaiqiang

Translated by: Jeremy Welbun

Proofread by: Xia Yingying