Over the past century, Ocean University of China (OUC) has been standing at the forefront of the times and striving for excellence. On October 25, OUC celebrated its 100th anniversary. President Xi Jinping sent a reply letter to the OUC community, expressing congratulations on the university’s centenary.
In his reply letter, President Xi Jinping encouraged the OUC community to take the centenary as a new starting point and advance technological development in response to national strategic needs. He urged the university to refine disciplinary arrangement and talent cultivation models, further focus on original and pioneering research for making breakthroughs in marine science and technology, and nurture more outstanding talent with a strong commitment to the marine field. It is hoped that the university will make greater contributions to building China into a leading country in education and a strong maritime country.
The celebration ceremony was held at the OUC stadium. The faculty, students, alumni jointly celebrated this grand event and witnessed the centennial glory of OUC.
Tian Hui, Chair of the OUC Council, presided over the ceremony. President Zhang Junfeng reported on the development of OUC.
The ceremony began with the solemn national anthem.
Wang Guangyan, Vice Minister of Education, read President Xi Jinping's reply letter to the OUC community, and delivered a speech. He emphasized that President Xi's letter put forward ardent expectations for the development of the university. This fully reflects that the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core attaches great importance to education and deeply cares about the development of the university. This letter has pointed out the way forward and provided fundamental principles for the reform and development of higher education, and the education and governance of OUC.
On behalf of the Ministry of Education, Wang Guangyan extended warm congratulations to all the faculty and students of OUC. He pointed out that taking the centenary as a new starting point, OUC should further enhance its sense of responsibility, mission and urgency to contribute to the building of a leading country in education and strive to make OUC’s contributions to China’s strength and prosperity. He highlighted that the Ministry of Education will, as always, care about and support the quality-oriented development of the university. It is hoped that OUC will strive to cultivate more outstanding marine talent capable of shouldering important tasks, and make new and greater contributions to building China into a great modern socialist country on all fronts and advancing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese modernization.
Lin Wu, Secretary of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee, extended warm congratulations on OUC’s 100th anniversary and sent sincere greetings to all the faculty, students, staff and alumni at home and abroad. Lin Wu pointed out that President Xi Jinping’s congratulations on OUC’s centenary and high expectations on the university's future development have inspired us deeply. We should earnestly study, understand, and implement them. We should strategize the ocean to advance quality-oriented development, accelerating the building of a strong province in education and a strong maritime province.
Lin Wu emphasized that since the founding of OUC, it has created a unique comprehensive marine-related discipline system, cultivated the talent force in the marine field, and achieved remarkable outcomes. Rooted in Shandong, the university has made important contributions to the development of Shandong. The Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial Government will support the development of OUC with greater efforts.
Sun Shuxian, Vice Minister of Natural Resources and Head of the State Oceanic Administration, extended warm congratulations to OUC on its 100th anniversary. hoped that OUC will earnestly act on the spirit of President Xi Jinping's important reply, accelerate the building of a world-class university with distinctive characteristics, continue to lead the innovative development of China's marine research and education, further leverage OUC's talent and technological advantages, actively cultivate new marine productive forces, and advance the quality-oriented development of the marine economy. Sun said that the Ministry of Natural Resources would, as always, support the development of OUC. The Ministry will incorporate the development of OUC into its work agenda and facilitate OUC’s effort of becoming a world-class university.
Zeng Zanrong, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee and Secretary of the CPC Qingdao Municipal Committee, noted that OUC’s 100th anniversary is a joyous occasion for both the OUC community and Qingdao. President Xi Jinping’s reply letter places high hopes on the future development of the university, points out the way forward for OUC, and injects strong impetus into the university’s development. OUC is rooted in Qingdao and devoted to marine science and development. Many research achievements of OUC have been transformed locally. About 40% of outstanding graduates of OUC choose to work in Qingdao every year. Zeng said that with a focus on talent cultivation, discipline development, scientific research, and achievement transformation, the local government will vigorously study and implement the instructions of President Xi Jinping, and support OUC in its building of a world-class university with distinctive characteristics. It is hoped that the vast number of alumni of OUC will play a connecting role, and help introduce more excellent enterprises and talent teams to invest and start businesses in Qingdao, striving for common development and a better future.
Tian Hui stressed taking studying and implementing the spirit of President Xi Jinping's important reply letter as the primary political task at present and in the future, and vigorously implementing the integrated development of education, science and technology and talent. Guided by scientific and technological development and national strategic needs, OUC will improve the mechanism on discipline setting and adjustment, optimize the talent cultivation model, strengthen original and pioneering marine science and technology research and strive to cultivate more outstanding marine talent with blue dreams and capable of shouldering the important tasks. OUC will accelerate the building of a world-class university with distinctive characteristics, and strive to make OUC’s contributions to building China into a leading country in education and a strong maritime country.
Zhang Junfeng reported on the development of OUC. He noted that President Xi Jinping extended congratulations to the OUC community, gave encouragement and guidance, and expressed ardent expectations. It is a high affirmation of the university, marking the greatest milestone in OUC’s history and also a common glory for the education and marine fields. He said that in the past 100 years, OUC has been striving for self-improvement and forging ahead. The university has taken unremitting efforts to rejuvenate the nation through science and education, and contribute to the country’s prosperity through exploring the ocean. The university has always carried on the red traditions, upheld the Party building, and taken the lead in the mission of building a strong country. OUC has always stayed true to its original aspiration of education, cultivating talent for the Party and the country; stayed committed to the blue dream, striving for excellence through exploring the ocean and standing at the forefront of serving national strategies and regional development; taken root in China's land, and played a pioneering role in exploring a new path for building a world-class university with Chinese characteristics. Looking towards a new journey after one century, the university will earnestly follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, fully implement the guiding principles from the 20th National Party Congress, the first and second plenary sessions of the 20th Central Committee and the spirit from General Secretary Xi Jinping's reply letter and the National Education Conference, uphold and strengthen the Party’s overall leadership, and strive to build a world-class university with unique characteristics.
Li Shucai, President of Shandong University, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Representative of OUC’s Domestic Partner Universities, noted that with a shared root, Shandong University and OUC are close partners. Shandong University, together with partner universities, will earnestly study and implement the spirit of President Xi Jinping's reply letter and the National Education Conference, focus on major national strategies and quality-oriented development of regional economy and society, promote the integrated development of education, science and technology, and talent in a coordinated way, and strive to improve the quality of independent cultivation of top-tier innovative talent, and cultivate a new generation of capable talent shouldering the great responsibility of national rejuvenation. He also stressed supporting China's high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-improvement, striving to contribute to the building of a leading country in education and a strong maritime country and making new and greater contributions to the great cause of building China into a great modern socialist country on all fronts and advancing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese modernization.
Rufus Black, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Tasmania, and Representative of OUC’s Global Partner Universities, spoke of the common qualities shared by the University of Tasmania and OUC. The two universities have forged great partnership over the last 10 years, and have made fruitful outcomes in the Collaborative Articulation Program of ocean sciences, and joint research in microbiology, oceanography and ecology.
Jiang Xingwei, Former Director of the National Satellite Ocean Application Service and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and OUC Alumnus, is also deeply inspired by President Xi Jinping’s reply letter. He reviewed the studying time he spent at OUC and expressed his deep affection for the university, the faculty and his classmates. Over the years, students of OUC have been committed to upholding OUC’s motto. With an inclusive attitude and a down-to-earth working style, they have made important contributions to the development of China's marine cause. Looking to the future, the OUC community will forge ahead with enterprise and fortitude, and strive for the early realization of building a strong maritime country.
Li Huajun, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and OUC Faculty Representative, said that as a teacher, he is deeply grateful for the fertile ground for innovation at OUC. The university has an excellent system for talent introduction and cultivation, which introduces both full-time and part-time personnel, and attaches equal importance to teaching and scientific research. Standing at a new starting point, faculty members of OUC will thoroughly study and implement the spirit of President Xi Jinping's important reply letter, stay true to the original aspiration and mission of cultivating talent for the Party and the country, vigorously carry forward the spirit of educators, work on original and leading marine science and technology research, strive to cultivate more outstanding marine talents capable of shouldering the important tasks, and make unremitting efforts to build China into a leading country in education and a strong maritime country and realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
OUC student representatives presented the 100-year arduous and magnificent journey of OUC and complimented the university's outstanding achievements. They further expressed the firm faith in keeping President Xi Jinping's instructions in mind, following the guidance of the Party, and making youthful contributions to building a modern socialist country.
The ceremony came to a successful conclusion amid cheerful music.
More than 2600 people, including leaders and guests from relevant state ministries and commissions, relevant departments of the Shandong Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial Government, cities and prefectures, partner universities, research institutes, relevant enterprises, institutions and social organizations, friends from media, and representatives of OUC’s former leadership, current leadership, alumni, faculty and students, attended the celebration ceremony.
In addition, the university has also received more than 200 congratulatory letters and calls from relevant party committees and government departments, partner universities, research institutes, and enterprises and institutions, as well as congratulations in various forms from the vast community of alumni at home and abroad.
Before the ceremony, leaders, guests and alumni representatives visited the Museum of OUC History.
