1. 31 WHU majors approved as national undergraduate major construction sites and 75 courses selected as national first-class undergraduate courses
In January, the Ministry of Education issued the National and Provincial First-class Undergraduate Major Construction Sites list in 2019. Thirty-one national-level first-class undergraduate major construction sites and ten provincial-level first-class undergraduate major construction sites declared by WHU were approved, with the approval rate reaching 100% and the total number of sites approved ranking sixth among the universities in China. In February, in the National University Teachers’ Teaching Competition Data Ranking, WHU topped the list with 126 awards and a score of 100 for the third year in a row. In the same month, in the “2015-2019 National University Disciplinary Competition Ranking” released by the China Association of Higher Education (CAHE), WHU ranked third with a total of 599 awards and a score of 98.4. In November, 75 courses of WHU were identified as the first batch of state-level first-class undergraduate courses by the Ministry of Education, ranking fourth nationwide in terms of number.
2.WHU wins first prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award, and sci-tech workers of WHU bag several awards.
In January, at the National Science and Technology Award Conference, three sci-tech achievements chaired by Wuhan University were each granted an award, one of which won the first prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award. WHU also participated in three scientific accomplishments, one of which won the special prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award. Research teams and sci-tech workers from WHU won 35 Hubei Science and Technology Awards for 2019, with the total number of awards ranking among the largest in Hubei. Among the workers, Academician Liu Jingnan was awarded the Outstanding Contribution Award (the only person in Hubei Province). In addition, Academician Li Deren was awarded the Brock Gold Medal by the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS). He is also the first Chinese scholar who has received this award. During the second ceremony for the Scientific Innovation and Advancement Award, the team from Wuhan Leishenshan Hospital led by Wang Xinghuan, Peng Zhiyong were each granted a medal respectively, and Hu Qinyong a certificate; Jin Taoyong was awarded the prestigious 16th China Youth Science and Technology Innovation Award; Miao Shuang was awarded the 2020 “Qiu Shi Outstanding Young Scholar Prize”; Wang Xinghuan was granted the title “the Top 10 Outstanding Sci-tech Workers”.
3. Medical staff at Renmin Hospital of WHU and Zhongnan Hospital of WHU fight on front line of coronavirus pandemic, and a host of model groups and individuals receive awards
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the medical workers of Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University and Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, bravely marched to the frontlines of the fight against COVID-19, demonstrating the noble spirit of WHU. In addition to its headquarter and eastern branch, Renmin Hospital of WHU took over Wuhan No. 9 Hospital, managed Wuchang temporary hospital, the mobile cabin hospital in the Wuhan Sports Center, and the Optics Valley makeshift hospital. It also provided support for Jinyintan Hospital. Apart from its headquarter, Zhongnan Hospital of WHU took over Leishenshan Hospital, managed Wuhan No. 7 Hospital, and chaired Wuhan Keting temporary hospital. At the award ceremony for role models in China's fight against the COVID-19 epidemic, the Party branches of Renmin Hospital and Zhongnan Hospital’s Laboratory Department were rated as model groups; Hu Ke, Yu Lilei, Xu Haibo, and Xia Jian were recognized as model individuals, and Yu Lilei and Xia Jian were honored as outstanding CPC members. The Party branch of Zhongnan Hospital’s Laboratory Department won the title of "Advanced Party Branch". At the commendation ceremony for COVID-19 fighters in Hubei Province, five groups of WHU were rated as model groups, sixteen WHUers were recognized as model individuals, and two groups were honored as “Hubei Province Advanced Grassroots Party Organization”, and two WHUers were awarded the honorary title of “Hubei Province Outstanding CPC Member”. Besides, Wang Xinghuan and Li Yan won the 12th “Chinese Physician Prize”; eight health workers were conferred the honorary titles "China’s Good Doctor” and “China’s Good Nurse” for contributing to the fight against COVID-19.
4. WHU launches a series of major scientific research platforms, enhancing its innovation capabilities in scientific researches.
To implement our major national strategies, Wuhan University made new progress in building major platforms such as the Wuhan Photon Source (WHPS) and the Heavy Ion Medicine Center, promoting the construction of the Frontier Science Center of Immunology and Metabolism and the aerospace information intelligent service integration platform. WHU also took the lead in establishing international research platforms such as the Hubei Luojia Laboratory, the Wuhan Institute of Quantum Technology, the Wuhan University–Punjab University Honglian Hybrid Rice Joint Research Center, the Sino-Russian Polar Joint Research Center and the Hydropower Research Center for Himalaya Region. Scientific and technological workers from WHU constantly made achievements: in March, Nature published online the latest joint research findings on the limits on gas impermeability of graphene by Prof. Yuan Shengjun and other research teams at home and abroad. In April, Nature published the latest research findings of the anti-epidemic technology research team led by Prof. Lan Ke. In September, Nature published online the research results of the research group of Prof. Deng Hexiang and Prof. Zan Ling in the field of artificial photosynthesis. In November, Nature published the research findings on a new regulatory mechanism of cholesterol biosynthesis by Prof. Song Baoliang’s team from the WHU School of Life Sciences. In addition, medical experts of WHU also stood out: The New England Journal of Medicine published the papers by the joint team of Prof. Lan Ke and Prof. Liu Yingle; The Journal of the American Medical Association (Jama) published online papers by Prof. Peng Zhiyong's team and Associate Professor Zhang Zhijiang’s team; The Lancet published online the paper by Prof. Zhang Yuanzhen and Prof. Hou Wei and a paper with Prof. Wang Xinghuan being the co-corresponding author.
5. WHU 2020 graduation ceremony is held both online and offline.
On June 20, a special graduation ceremony was held at Wuhan University. 660 graduates attended offline and more than 15,000 graduates gathered together through 5G live broadcast, participating in their own youth festival, bringing a perfect ending to their college life. This year, despite many difficulties, the 2020 graduation ceremony of WHU was successfully held. It was hoped that the spirit of WHU embodied in this ceremony would be carried forward by graduates. Meanwhile, the ceremony demonstrated a victory against the pandemic and helped Wuhan return to normal. Apart from the graduation ceremony, WHU honored the faculty and staff for their service at Retirement and Recognition Ceremonies and wrapped up the leadership transition of the Academic Council. All these greatly showed WHU’s philosophy of respecting scholars, caring for students, advocating academics and pursuing excellence.
6. WHU School of Cyber Science and Engineering to settle in the National Cybersecurity Center
On August 28, Wuhan University and Wuhan Airport Economic Development Zone (East West Lake Area) signed an agreement which plans to run the School of Cyber Science and Engineering of Wuhan University (CSE) in the National Cybersecurity Center for Education and Innovation (NCC), thus blazing a trail to build a domestically leading CSE with considerable international influence. Setting sights on the integrated development of education, technology and industry, CSE will promote talent training, technological innovation and industrial development at the same time. NCC implements a unique model featuring the “School of Cybersecurity plus Innovative Industry Valley” and explores new ideas, ways and mechanisms for education and scientific research through industry-university-research cooperation.
7. Publication of Ancient Chinese Phonology Compilation reveals great achievements in Humanities & Social Sciences
On October 30, a reference book named Ancient Chinese Phonology Compilation, which is funded by the National Publication Foundation, was published by Commercial Press. Its publication can be ascribed to 22 years of combined efforts made by many scholars of the Institute of Ancient Books Collation and Studies, under the leadership of editor-in-chief Zong Fubang, a senior professor of the Academy of Humanities and Social Sciences, WHU. As a result, this masterpiece and the previously-published Ancient Annotation Compilation bring out the best in each other. In 2020, WHU gained strong momentum in the field of Humanities & Social Sciences, reaping remarkable achievements. WHU succeeded in bidding for 15 projects funded by the National Social Science Foundation, ranking second among all Chinese colleges and universities. WHU won 59 awards for the Eighth Science Research Excellent Achievement Prize in Higher Education (Humanities and Social Sciences), ranking fourth nationwide. What deserves to be mentioned is that WHU ranks first in terms of the amount of projects funded by the National Achievements Library of Philosophy and Social Sciences, the National Social Science Foundation and the Ministry of Education, respectively.
8. WHU honors alumni for their great contributions to fighting against Covid-19
On November 28, WHU held a grand ceremony to commend alumni groups, individuals and friends of alumni who have made outstanding contributions in the fight against Covid-19. At the most critical moment of the epidemic, a number of alumni and their companies rushed to support Covid-19 prevention while other alumni specializing in medical treatment fought in the front line, some of whom even sacrificed their precious life. According to incomplete statistics, more than 5,000 alumni of WHU participated in the procurement, transportation and deployment of medical supplies globally, and more than 400,000 donors contributed over 1.2 billion RMB altogether, which accounts for more than a quarter of the total donation received by Wuhan. Apart from WHU and its affiliated hospitals, alumni also financially supported over 600 medical institutions and public service agencies in 69 cities and counties in Hubei Province.
9. WHU sets up two interdisciplinary research platforms to serve national strategies: the Institute of International Rule of Law and the Institute of Yangtze River Civilization Archaeology.
On November 20, WHU established the Institute of International Rule of Law, which is in line with General Secretary Xi Jinping’s instructions of “strengthening the research and application of international law" and with the deployment of “establishing law systems concerning foreign affairs” proposed during the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee. Meanwhile, it also marks a significant move made by WHU to innovate its systems and mechanism so as to better construct national high-end think tanks. On December 29, in order to fully implement the spirit of the important speeches made by General Secretary Xi Jinping, the Department of Education, the Department of Culture and Tourism of Hubei Province, Wuhan University, other relevant universities in Hubei, and Hubei provincial archaeological institutes and museums joined hands in establishing an archaeological community in the new era. As a result, the Institute of Yangtze River Civilization Archaeology was set up thanks to the joint efforts made by WHU and the Department of Culture and Tourism of Hubei Province.
10. WHU continues to defend honorary title of “National Civilized Campus”.
In December, WHU passed the second-round test and was awarded the titles of “National Civilized Campus” and “Hubei Provincial Civilized Campus” again, and Yang Changlin’s family was named as “National Civilized Family”. Meanwhile, both Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University and Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University retain the title of “National Civilized Unit” and “Hubei Provincial Civilized Unit”. Since WHU won the title of “National Civilized Campus” in 2017, it spared no effort to build a civilized campus with all members of WHU participating. Its timely efforts can be seen in all affairs and everywhere on the campus, thus creating a favorable atmosphere and environment for intensive development of the university and moral cultivation of the students. As a main battlefield in the fight against Covid-19, WHU actively explored new teaching forms and guaranteed the smooth operation of all courses. Four Party organizations of WHU were named as model Party branches and played an exemplary role in Party construction across the country. WHU was selected by the Ministry of Education as the sole Teachers’ Morality Construction Base in the central region. Moreover, a group of outstanding figures was commended, including Prof. Tao Delin, who was posthumously awarded by the Ministry of Education the title of “National Outstanding Teacher”, and Academician Xu Hongxing and Prof. Gong Zuojiong, both of whom were awarded the National Advanced Workers title.
Man of the Year
Wang Xinghuan, taking on heavy responsibilities at a critical and difficult time
Prof. Wang Xinghuan, Dean of Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University and Dean of Leishenshan Hospital, has been engaged in the teaching and research of urinary surgery for over 30 years. He represents one of the pioneers in the field of minimally invasive urology and is a leading scientist of four national key R&D programs, ranking no.10 on the list of 100 most famous doctors and no.3 in terms of academic influence of Chinese urological experts (released by www.globalauthorid.com in August 2020). Prof. Wang has published more than 300 papers in domestic and foreign journals and his clinical research results were adopted by international standard handbooks on various diseases. He also presided over the formulation of seven industry standards and obtained more than 60 intellectual properties, including patented inventions. He was awarded the second prize of the National Technology Invention Awards, the National Innovation Award, the 12th “Chinese Physician Award”, the title of 2020 National Top 10 “Excellent Technologists” and 2020 Hubei Provincial “Jingchu Good Teacher”. When COVID-19 broke out, Prof. Wang shouldered the responsibility as Dean of Leishenshan Hospital. He brought together 3,202 medical staff from 286 hospitals, more than 1,000 logistics volunteers and 13,000 builders to form a team of anti-epidemic fighters. Miracles were witnessed in Leishenshan Hospital where the recovery rate reached nearly 98% with no infection in the hospital, no accident in the production process, and no environmental pollution. Under the leadership of Wang Xinghuan, the Urological Department of Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University ranks eighth in the 2019 Science and Technology Evaluation Metrics (STEM) for China’s hospitals.
Rewritten by Wu Xingwen, Lin Wanping
Edited by Shi Shang, Zhu Tong
