On the afternoon of 16 January 2026, the School of Civil and Transportation Engineering at Shenzhen University solemnly convened its 2025 Annual Summary and Commendation Conference in the Multifunctional Hall of the Alumni Plaza at Yuehai Campus. Under the theme "Deepening Civil Engineering and Transportation, Charting the Blueprint; Diligently Pursuing Innovation, Co-Creating Excellence", the meeting comprehensively reviewed the School's landmark achievements over the past year in Party building, discipline development, talent cultivation, scientific research, and social services. It recognised exemplary individuals and units for the year, while outlining the development blueprint for the coming year.
Vice-Chancellor Li Yonghua of Shenzhen University, Academician Du Yanliang of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Academician Chen Xiangsheng of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Dean of the School of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Academician Li Qingquan of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Executive Dean Long Wujian, alongside other members of the leadership team, representatives of retired faculty, and corporate guests from Shenzhen Urban Transportation Planning and Design Research Centre Co., Ltd., Shenzhen Geotechnical Engineering Group Co., Ltd., China Construction Science & Engineering Group Co., Ltd., China Construction Fifth Engineering Division South China Construction Co., Ltd., Zhongyang Construction Group Co., Ltd., China Metallurgical Construction Research Institute (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., alumni representatives, and all faculty and staff members of the School, totalling over 210 attendees, gathered together to celebrate this grand occasion. The meeting was chaired by Party Secretary Zuo Yingzi.
I. Academician-Led Initiative: Reviewing Achievements to Advance Towards World-Class Excellence
Academician Chen Xiangsheng, Dean of the School, delivered the 2025 Annual Work Summary Report. Centred on six key areas – Party-building leadership, faculty development, teaching reform, talent cultivation, scientific research innovation, and international exchange – the report reviewed the School's endeavours in scaling new heights of development. Over the past year, the School has achieved a marked improvement in the quality and efficiency of its overall development, demonstrating robust upward momentum and vibrant dynamism.
Academician Chen Xiangsheng expressed his full recognition of every teacher's dedicated efforts, affirming the School's commitment to cultivating future-oriented, smart, and multidisciplinary talents in civil engineering. He emphasised the School's determination to strive towards becoming a benchmark for high-level disciplinary development. He expressed his hope that all faculty and students would unite in collaboration, continuing to advance with vigour and resolve, and persistently striving towards achieving high-quality development.
II. Honouring Excellence: Exemplary Leadership Charting Our Course
To recognise outstanding achievements and unite our strength, the conference solemnly presented seven awards: the 2025 Outstanding Contribution Award, the Research Excellence Award, the Teaching and Talent Development Excellence Award, the Party Building Pioneer Award, the Best Service Contribution Award, the Best Partner Award, and the Alumni Service Dedication Award. These honours celebrate individuals, teams, partner enterprises, and alumni who have made exceptional contributions across all facets of the School's development. By shining the light of exemplary role models upon our journey forward, they fully demonstrate the School's commitment to excellence. Best Partner, and Alumni Work Dedication Award. This honours individuals, teams, partner enterprises, and alumni who have made outstanding contributions across all domains of the College's development. The light of these exemplars illuminates the path ahead, fully demonstrating the College's strong ethos of honouring excellence, learning from the best, and striving to be exemplary.
III. Voices from the Faculty: Passing the Torch to Sustain Our Mission
Faculty representative Fan Cheng shared reflections on his decade-long journey within the School, expressing gratitude for the spiritual guidance of distinguished predecessors such as Academicians Xie Heping and Chen Xiangsheng, alongside the robust support provided by the School's exceptional platform. He bore witness to the School's transformative strides in teaching reform, scientific research breakthroughs, and disciplinary development. He urged colleagues, particularly young academics, to remain true to their original aspirations and dedicate themselves to scholarly pursuit. Calling for unity and collective endeavour among all faculty and students, he advocated jointly writing a new chapter in the development of Shenzhen University's civil engineering discipline.
The assembly featured a special tribute to retiring faculty members, with a heartfelt video retrospective honouring the teaching careers and dedicated service of Professors Wang Jiayuan and Liu Jian. On stage, Professor Liu Jian reflected upon his 21-year journey in nurturing students, sharing insights from pioneering innovative curricula. He offered earnest recommendations for the school's pedagogical development, conveying the enduring commitment to passing on the torch of education. Academician Chen Xiangsheng, Dean of the School, presented Professor Liu with a commemorative plaque on behalf of the institution. Young faculty representatives, bearing bouquets of flowers, extended their blessings to Professor Liu and fellow retired colleagues Ms Jiang Lianfu and Ms Sui Lili, vividly demonstrating the enduring legacy of the School's scholarly ethos and educational mission.
IV. Messages from University Leadership: Uniting Hearts and Minds to Embark on a New Journey
The School's development has always been underpinned by the dedicated care and steadfast support of the University leadership. Vice President Li Yonghua of Shenzhen University delivered an address, offering high praise for the School's remarkable achievements in 2025 across scientific research innovation, talent cultivation, and discipline development. He affirmed that the School of Civil and Transportation Engineering has emerged as a vanguard in advancing the University's disciplinary development and quality enhancement.
Against the backdrop of Greater Bay Area development and Shenzhen's urban advancement, Vice President Li articulated three earnest expectations centred on the core objectives of building a high-calibre university and distinctive disciplines: to anchor talent cultivation in peak disciplines while upholding the fundamental mission of fostering virtue through education; to fortify the foundation of the School's development by focusing on core construction tasks; and to demonstrate the School's commitment and capability by concentrating on the core requirements of scientific research and innovation. Looking ahead to 2026, the inaugural year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, he encouraged all faculty and students to pursue practical innovation and sustained endeavour, thereby making further contributions to both the university and the Greater Bay Area's development.
V. Symposium and Social Gathering: United in Purpose, Warmth in Fellowship
Following the main proceedings, distinguished guests and faculty members participated in thematic symposiums or recreational activities. At the Talent Development Symposium featuring corporate alumni, college faculty, industry representatives and alumni engaged in in-depth discussions on undergraduate and postgraduate talent cultivation alongside university-enterprise collaborative education. This exchange yielded constructive insights for refining the college's curriculum framework, deepening industry-academia-research partnerships, and enhancing the alignment of talent development with sectoral requirements.
At the recreational event venue, guests and teaching staff engaged in games, leather crafting, chess competitions and Spring Festival flower arranging. Amidst a relaxed atmosphere, they fostered communication and strengthened cohesion; the laughter and merriment vividly showcased the college's united spirit and vibrant energy.
The interactive segment of this conference blended humour with warmth. During the 'Praise Cards' activity, guests and staff penned heartfelt tributes to colleagues or the faculty, their words brimming with encouragement and goodwill. The 'Fun Awards' vote proved particularly lively, with attendees casting ballots for the most competitive and most caring colleagues in their eyes – a light-hearted way to capture the admirable yet endearing daily lives of our educators.
Deepening our commitment to the land, we chart a blueprint with wisdom; steadfastly pursuing innovation, we strive for excellence together. This commendation ceremony serves not only as a tribute to exemplary achievements but also as a rallying call to unite our resolve and embark upon a new journey. Standing at this new juncture, the School of Civil Engineering and Transportation will steadfastly uphold its motto of "Laying Solid Foundations, Forging Excellence Through Perseverance". With unwavering conviction, renewed vigour, and resolute action, we shall strive to compose a new chapter of high-quality development. We are committed to deepening disciplinary development, striving for academic excellence, and contributing the wisdom and strength of Shenzhen University's School of Civil Engineering and Transportation to serve national strategies and regional development!
First Review | Lu Qiuyue
Second Review | Chen Bixia
Third Review | Zuo Yingzi
