New Year's message for 2021

Professors, students and alumni:

As the year 2021 approaches, I want to extend my sincerest wishes to all teachers, students and retired faculty members and wish all our alumni all over the world a Happy New Year on behalf of the administration of Shanxi University (SXU).

Faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, the university's faculty and students overcame difficulties and promoted the university's reform and development to a new level in 2020.

Over the past year, what touched us most is that teachers and students were responsible and active in preventing and controlling the pandemic. Many university officials and employees worked on the front line of pandemic prevention and control. Our teachers carried out online teaching for students, and the majority of retired faculty and staff members cooperated to achieve zero campus infections and the continuation of teaching and research. A total of 2,235 SXU students participated in voluntary services for community pandemic prevention and control.

Throughout 2020, what excited us most is that the university's academic level and scientific research and innovation capabilities have been greatly improved. Our philosophy program ranked first on the achievements list of the Achievement Library of the National Social Science Fund of China, while the environmental and ecological program entered the top 1 percent of ESI globally. Also, quite a few scientific research teams and individuals won and were shortlisted for national scientific research awards.

Over the past year, what made us happy is that our university served the country and region with many significant highlights. The university established the Yungangology Institute of Shanxi University, which was selected as a key provincial research base for social sciences; achieved breakthroughs in secure quantum communications, deep ultraviolet light sources and other frontier fields that the country is focused on; and prepared a large scientific device for gravitational waves that uses abandoned mines, which received vital support from provincial authorities in Shanxi.

The past 12 months have left us full of confidence that the university is being productive in various aspects. We implemented the reform of "interdisciplinary and professional integration + complete credit system" to meet students' diverse needs. A total of seven courses became national first-class courses, and 44 courses were rated as provincial-level excellent shared courses. The creative ability of our students was significantly enhanced, and they won 25 related national awards. The university also implemented talent-oriented development, introducing six high-level talents and 41 high-level doctors and cultivating nine national high-level talents. Domestic and overseas cooperation and communication were furthered through strategic partnerships, with four internationally renowned universities established.

In 2021, SXU will speed up the optimization of disciplines, promote scientific research and innovation and enhance the structural adjustment of talent training targeting major national and regional strategies.

In conclusion, let me wish everybody a Happy New Year filled with happiness and good health.

President: Huang Guitian

Dec 31, 2020