Forum on 40th anniversary of resumed post-grad educ held

A high-end forum on the 40th anniversary of the resumption of postgraduate education and reform and innovation was held at Xi'an Jiaotong University on December 8 in Xi’an, Shaanxi province in Northwest China. The forum reviewed the development process and promoted reform and innovation.

Wang Shuguo, president of Xi’an Jiaotong University, said at the forum that  a new wave of science and technology has brought tremendous impact and challenges to today's society, making high-quality talents the key force to promote social change. And postgraduate education is very important.

"How to actively integrate into society, how to grasp the law of social development, how to actively cultivate forward-looking talents and innovative talents in accordance with the needs of future development of society, these are all the issues that need to be considered in graduate education," he pointed out.

Wang hoped that through the convening of this forum, experts and scholars from all over the country will gather ideas and seize opportunities to help take China's graduate education to a new level.

Wang Jianli, director of the Education Department of Shaanxi Province, briefly introduced the related situation of postgraduate education in Shaanxi Province and said that graduate education is the top level of national education and a new force of the national innovation system, and as such is the direct embodiment of the quality of higher education and international competitiveness.

“Since the resumption of postgraduate education in Shaanxi Province, great achievements have been made, in which Xi'an Jiaotong University plays an important role,” the director said.

Hong Dayong, director of the Department of Academic Degree Management and Graduate Education, Ministry of Education, said that postgraduate education is an important component and has a leading role in the construction of strong education in China.

He further pointed out that graduate education still has a long way to go in talent evaluation, systems and mechanisms, and suggested that universities should strengthen their self-confidence, grasp and implement their main purpose, service society’s demands and improve quality.