On April 29, the Chinese Academy of Sciences held a meeting on the integration of science and education, discussing new ideas and measures to deepen the integration of science and education in the new era and accelerate the independent cultivation of top-notch scientific and technological talents. It was revealed during the meeting that the Chinese Academy of Sciences has trained over 350,000 high-level scientific and technological talents. It is expected that by 2035, a talent cultivation system with international competitiveness will be established, aiming to produce around 100,000 outstanding scientific and technological talents with solid foundations, professional expertise, innovative spirit, patriotism, and international competitiveness.
As a pioneer in graduate education in New China, the Chinese Academy of Sciences has always emphasized the importance of both producing research results and nurturing talents. Leveraging the advantages of integrating research institutes, academies, and educational institutions, it has established institutions such as the University of Science and Technology of China, the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and jointly built the ShanghaiTech University with the Shanghai Municipal Government. This has formed a comprehensive disciplinary system with a focus on science and engineering, and cultivated a high-level faculty team in science and education, including academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, making it an important base for doctoral education in science and engineering in China.
Statistics show that the Chinese Academy of Sciences has trained over 280,000 postgraduates and over 70,000 undergraduates, with over 200 alumni elected as academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering. The current student population exceeds 100,000.
Hou Jianguo, President and Party Secretary of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, stated that China's scientific and technological innovation has embarked on a new journey to achieve high-level self-reliance, and higher education has entered a new stage of high-quality development, posing higher requirements for deepening the integration of science and education and cultivating top-notch scientific and technological talents. In the new era, deepening the integration of science and education should adhere to the fundamental task of cultivating talents for the Party and the country, effectively implement the fundamental task of moral education, focus on doctoral students in natural sciences and engineering, and cultivate top-notch scientific and technological talents. It should adhere to a systematic concept and problem-oriented approach, strive for deep integration of "science" and "education" in all aspects and entities, and emphasize independent cultivation while strengthening collaborative education in an open and innovative environment. Furthermore, it should highlight integrated training, strengthen the coordinated linkage between student education and the layout of scientific research fields and the deployment of major scientific and technological tasks, and reshape the logic and chain of cultivating top-notch scientific and technological talents.
At the meeting, the Chinese Academy of Sciences outlined new ideas and measures for deepening the integration of science and education in the new era.
Hou Jianguo emphasized that the Chinese Academy of Sciences will adhere to the innovative theories of the Party to nurture talents, strengthen ideological guidance, and establish a comprehensive ideological and political work framework. It will focus on seizing the core task of occupying the high ground of science and technology, align tasks with demands, link tasks with disciplines, cultivate talents through disciplines, establish a rapid response mechanism for disciplinary specialties, adjust the enrollment indicators for postgraduates, and implement a coordinated mechanism for deploying major tasks. Based on its own foundation and advantages, it will accelerate the cultivation of high-level talents in short supply, train future key forces who will seize the high ground of science and technology, and promote the high-quality development of science and education integration colleges to amplify the effect of nurturing talents. It will strengthen the overall coordination of various science and education resources, create a community of science and education integration, enhance the coordinated allocation and aggregation of various resource elements, adhere to and strengthen the overall leadership of the Party, vigorously promote the spirit of scientists, strengthen the learning and education of the history of the academy and science and technology, and inspire students to consciously shoulder the mission of building a strong country.
Hou Jianguo urged all members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences to take Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as a guide, stand at the strategic height of implementing the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and comprehensively building a modern socialist country, enhance their sense of mission, responsibility, and urgency in carrying out the work of science and education integration in the new era, clarify division of responsibilities, tighten responsibilities, accelerate the independent cultivation of more top-notch scientific and technological talents, help produce more key, original, and leading achievements, and contribute to seizing the high ground of science and technology, achieving high-level self-reliance in science and technology, and building a strong country.
Participants unanimously agreed that this meeting marks the beginning of a new journey for the Chinese Academy of Sciences to deepen the integration of science and education in the new era. They will bravely shoulder their mission and actively explore measures to advance education, science, and talent work in an integrated manner, accelerate the cultivation of more top-notch scientific and technological talents, lay a solid foundation for achieving the goals of "being in the forefront in all respects" and "striving for two advances and one effort" comprehensively, and make new and greater contributions to the construction of a strong country and the rejuvenation of the nation.
