On April 12, the inauguration of newly-appointed teaching talents was held at the Old Libruary of Wuhan University atop the Cherry Castle. Witnessed by teachers and students, 40 new talents entered the academic hall, crossing the symbolic red carpet that leads them to join the WHU family.

WHU’s administrators and some of WHU’s outstanding scholars attended the ceremony, including Han Jin, secretary of the Party committee of Wuhan University, Dou Xiankang, president of Wuhan University, Chinese Academy of Sciences academicians Zhang Lina and Xu Hongxing; and senior professors of humanities and social sciences Ma Feicheng and Yu Kexun.  Other attendees included representatives from functional departments, directly affiliated units, and colleges.

The ceremony signaled WHU welcome and blessings to the newcomers. Under the blue sky with white clouds, two slogans hung to the left and right of the entrance walk way of the Old Libruary, and reading“The height of teaching talents decides the university’s height” and “Wuhan University welcomes new teachers” respectively, greeted the talents on their entry into the building.

The ceremony consisted of three parts: the procession across the red carpet, the welcome address, and the teacher's prevocational ethics education. A student representative served as the host of the procession in front of the Old Libruary, while the other parts were overseen by Shen Zhuanghai, deputy secretary of the Party committee of WHU, inside the Old Libruary.

The procession for the newly appointed teaching talents

During the procession, 40 newly appointed talents put on the emblem of WHU, solemnly walked along the red carpet, shook hands with Han Jin and Dou Xiankang who were awaiting them at the door, and proceeded to step into the Old Libruary. The emblems now adorning the talents shone much like their wearers shine in WHU.

The welcome address

Dou Xiankang, president of WHU, delivered a speech entitled Forging ahead hand in hand - Welcome to Wuhan University, and expressed his heartfelt joy and blessings to the newly appointed talents. He shared with the audience the glory and dreams of WHUers, and pointed out that, throughout its century-long history, WHU has always synchronized with China’s national destiny and ceaselessly strived to achieve world-class excellence.

At present, WHU is in its most promising development period. Upholding the talent-based and student-oriented principle in pursuit of academic excellence, WHU is ready to confront with courage any difficulties lying ahead. Steady progress has been made in terms of both basic infrastructure and talent retention. However, there is still a long way to go for the fulfillment of WHU’s great schooling mission, which requires further efforts to promote academic progress, and strive for excellence, with better care for students and a higher sense of responsibility.  President Dou also put forward three requirements for the new teaching staff: first, abide by the duty of a teacher, set a moral model for students and facilitate their growth; second, adhere to the highest academic standards and help create a fair and positive academic environment; third, always persist in pursuing excellence.

“The year of 2019 marks the beginning to thoroughly implement the spirit of China’s National Education Conference and the overall deployment of the Ninth Party Congress of Party Representatives of Wuhan University.” President Dou said, “Taking Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as a guide, we should be realistic and pragmatic, blaze new trails in a pioneering spirit, and undertake the due obligations to realize new educational achievements and thereby welcome the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the new China.

Professor Yao Liangzhong, the representative of the newly appointed talents, also delivered a speech. He said that his demands for start-up funds, postgraduate enrollment, offices and housing were quickly satisfied although he has just been in WHU for a very short time. “WHU and the school I’m working for are so sincere that I feel the warmth of home and I am confident that I can carry out my work here smoothly.” He remarked, “The supports and affirmation I’ve received here have made me more aware of my duties and mission. In the near future, I will continue to develop my personal expertise and make full use of WHU’s interdisciplinary and talent advantages, and work together with colleagues to make WHU more beautiful, more outstanding, as well as more innovative.”

WHU’s development policies on introducing teaching talents are deeply rooted in the hearts of all the attendees and have gained vigorous support from its alumni. At the ceremony site, Xiaomi Group, a smartphone-producing company established by WHU’s alumnus Lei Jun, donated 100 Xiaomi mobile phones of the latest version to the talents.

Teacher’s prevocational ethics education: setting a moral model and facilitating students’ growth

During the ethics education session for the new teachers, representatives of the university administrators, academicians and senior professors distributed the "Teacher's Handbook" to the newly appointed teachers.

“May our teaching spirit soar loftily on high, like a red flaming torch. May Confucius lead us to the high moral ground … We solemnly call on East Lake and Mount Luojia, blue waters and green forests, to bear witness to us, that we promise to keep what we carved on this stone.” Under the leadership of Professor Ma Feicheng, all the teachers and students presented stood up and read the Teacher’s Oath: A Stone Inscription.

Subsequently, the teachers and students jointly sang the WHU’s anthem. Even if the welcome ceremony for the newly appointed teaching talents had to come to an end, for WHUers the journey towards excellence will never end.

Rewrittten by Wang Anqi, edited by Zhang Shiqi, Shen Yuxi, Shi Weiya and Hu Sijia