On the morning of September 23, Kuang Yaming Honors School held the themed Party Day activity for teachers and students titled “Forge Souls with the Spirit of Educators and Inspire Dreams with the Spirit of Scientists,” aimed at studying and implementing the spirit of the National Education Conference. The event was also a joint Party-building activity with the Tao Xingzhi Memorial Hall. Participants included He Wenqiu, Director of the Tao Xingzhi Memorial Hall; Wang Jun, Dean of the Undergraduate School, Executive Dean of the Freshman College, and Dean of Kuang Yaming Honors School; Zhou Yuan, Secretary of the Party Committee of Kuang Yaming Honors School; Xu Wang, Advisor to the College Teaching Committee; Zhou An, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee; Dong Hao, Vice Dean of Kuang Yaming Honors School; Hu Jinglei, Secretary of the Faculty Party Branch; Si Linmin, Secretary of the Student Party Branch; as well as Party representatives from faculty and student branches.
In her opening remarks, Zhou Yuan stated that the faculty and students of the college are dedicated to thoroughly studying and implementing the spirit of the National Education Conference. Through Party-building collaboration with the Tao Xingzhi Memorial Hall, they strive to embody the spirit of educators in practical actions, focusing on cultivating virtues and morality, imparting knowledge, and educating people. This commitment aims to drive progress toward building a leading country in education. She highlighted the college’s plans to integrate Party-building efforts with the cultivation of top-tier innovative talent, truly reflecting the essence of the “One Integration, Two Highs” initiative. First, we should understand the era significance, scientific connotation, and practical paths for building a leading country in education. Second, it is essential to accurately grasp the significance and practical effects of forging souls and fostering teacher excellence through the spirit of educators. Third, we should focus on exploring the reform of talent cultivation mode by the development of science and technology and national strategic needs.
In his speech, He Wenqiu reflected on the profound connection between Mr. Tao Xingzhi and Nanjing University, recounting Tao’s life story and educational philosophy. He described Tao Xingzhi as a great people’s educator and thinker. After returning to China in 1917 from studying in the United States, Tao devoted himself wholeheartedly to advancing education with deep love for his country and a passion for the people’s education cause. He exemplified the noble spirit of “Come with a whole heart and go without even a straw” and proposed influential educational concepts such as “life is education,” “the school as society,” and “unity of teaching, learning, and doing,” which have had a far-reaching impact in China and globally. He encouraged faculty and students to inherit and carry forward Mr. Tao Xingzhi’s educator spirit, adhere to the original intention of education, and together build the dream of a leading country in education.
Zhou Yuan and He Wenqiu jointly unveiled the plaque for the Kuang Yaming Honors School Party Member Education and Training Base and signed a Party-building collaboration agreement, marking the beginning of deep cooperation between the two sides in teacher ethics education. The unveiling ceremony was hosted by Zhou An.
Following the visit, faculty and student Party members participated in a seminar at the college on studying and implementing the spirit of the National Education Conference and deepening undergraduate education reform. The seminar was chaired by Hu Jinglei, Secretary of the Faculty Party Branch.
Wang Jun acknowledged the constructive achievements in teaching efforts accomplished through the collective dedication of the college’s faculty and students. He emphasized the college’s commitment to continuously optimizing talent cultivation and enhancing the improvement and optimisation of operational mechanisms. Wang expressed his hope that all faculty members will work together to elevate the cultivation of top-tier innovative talent to new heights. Additionally, he encouraged students to fully utilize the educational resources offered by the university and the college, maintain regular communication with their teachers, broaden their horizons, and take on the responsibilities and social duties expected of young students in the modern era.
Xu Wang provided suggestions for the cultivation of top-tier talent and teaching reform. He stressed the importance of harmonious and orderly development in teaching, administration, and student affairs, advocating the gradual refinement and improvement of teaching philosophies and programs. He also emphasized the need to focus on building students’ confidence through encouragement and guidance during the education process. Moreover, Xu recommended that the college place greater emphasis on leveraging international cutting-edge educational resources to provide students with better opportunities and resources for growth.
Dong Hao noted that the Party-building collaboration activities have provided significant insights into talent cultivation and the development of teachers’ morality and ethical conduct within the college. He emphasized that talent cultivation and teaching reform are urgent tasks for the college. First, new approaches need to be explored for nurturing top-tier talent in foundational disciplines. Second, more significant and impactful reform outcomes must be achieved.
Zhou An shared his thoughts on how student affairs can support the cultivation of top-tier innovative talent. First, he stressed the importance of strengthening ideological guidance by organizing more thematic educational activities to foster students’ sense of responsibility and mission. Second, he highlighted the need to pool resources and continuously innovate working concepts and methods. Third, he underscored the importance of adopting a student-centered approach to provide personalized guidance tailored to individual needs.
Professor Fan Hongjun, a recipient of Nanjing University’s “My Favorite Teacher” and “Puyuan Star” awards, shared his insights and reflections on teaching. He emphasized the importance of paying close attention to students’ individual needs, providing more challenging training for those with research potential, while also focusing on students struggling with learning difficulties. He highlighted the importance of paying attention to “two inquiries”—answering questions and questioning—and “two errors”—allowing students to make mistakes and permitting teachers to occasionally “make errors”, using the correction process as an opportunity to identify and solve problems. He also advocated adopting a holistic teaching perspective, integrating fine traditional Chinese culture into the curriculum to enhance students’ cultural confidence.
During the open discussion session, faculty and students engaged in discussions on topics such as optimizing course design, strengthening general education, and career development planning.
