"How to understand the unprecedented changes of the century?" "How should the education sector respond to the new challenges of the AI era?"
On March 26th, Ni Jiazuan, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and honorary dean of the College of Life and Ocean Sciences at Shenzhen University, gave a special ideological and political class to the students of Shenzhen University. Despite being 92 years old, he stood throughout the entire lecture, sharing his thoughts as a scientist and educator on the topic of "How young people should adapt to the unprecedented changes of the world and shoulder their historical mission."
Prof. Ni Jiazuan - Image courtesy of Shenzhen University
As a renowned inorganic chemist, Prof. Ni Jiazuan has personally witnessed the development of New China, deeply cultivating the field of scientific research, and making positive contributions to the research of atomic energy chemistry and rare earth chemistry in China. Today, at the age of 92, he still shines brightly and humorously refers to himself as a "post-90s," bridging the gap with the younger generation.
"To understand the environment you are in, as well as the hopes and demands the country has for young people," says Prof. Ni Jiazuan. The rapid development of science and technology is at the core of major changes, as the upheaval caused by the Fourth Industrial Revolution far exceeds that of the previous three.
The rise and development of artificial intelligence technology have brought about tremendous changes in science and technology, also bringing new challenges and reflections to the field of education. Prof. Ni Jiazuan says that since ancient times, the essence of education has been about imparting knowledge, nurturing talents, and dispelling doubts. Its fundamental purpose is to cultivate outstanding talents capable of driving social development, and each industrial revolution will trigger changes in education.
Ni Jiachuan communicates with classmates Shenzhen University provided images.
"What should young people learn and work in the AI era? What opportunities and crises will they face?" "As AI continues to develop, will its intelligence and behavior surpass that of humans in the future?" "To what extent should we use AI?" In the interaction with classmates, Ni Jiachuan answered these questions. "In the past, the majority of students mainly received existing knowledge, but now AI has almost mastered most of the existing human knowledge, making it relatively easy to acquire. Therefore, the traditional exam-oriented education that relies on mechanical memory and repetitive practice, as well as the model of completing university education only by accepting existing knowledge, is no longer suitable for the needs of the times." He encourages the younger generation to understand the requirements of talents in the AI era, learn to innovate using technology, and not be bound by technology.
"The 'Four Studies' refer to the educational requirements of 'learning to be human, learning to do things, learning expertise, and learning thinking' proposed by Ni Jiachuan. So, in the face of changes in the world, changes in the times, and changes in history, how should young people achieve the 'Four Studies'?
"The concept of 'Four Studies' was proposed by me forty years ago in discussions with classmates, and now we need to inject new connotations into it," Ni Jiachuan said. Young people need to raise their self-awareness, broaden their horizons, cultivate strategic thinking, and constantly improve themselves—learning to be human requires having a soul, establishing correct worldviews, lifeviews, and values; learning to do things requires understanding major domestic and international events, focusing on new productive forces, cultivating the ability to adapt to change, improving learning, communication, and innovation abilities to adapt to the constantly changing environment; learning expertise, in the AI era, not only can't rely on AI to stagnate their own learning but also need to "emphasize foundations and study multiple disciplines" in order to better understand and apply AI; learning thinking, one should change fixed thinking, cultivate dialectical thinking, critical thinking, and innovative thinking.
