On March 21 and 22, an XMU delegation visited Zhejiang and Nanjing Universities to explore their practices in graduate education. The visits were intended to advance the comprehensive reform of graduate education, enhance the quality of talent education, and facilitate the implementation of the “Double First-Class” initiative at XMU.
The delegation was composed of Prof. Jiang Yunbao, Executive Vice Dean of the XMU Graduate School; Prof. Fang Ying, Vice Dean of the XMU Graduate School and Director of its Training and Management Office; Liu Yanjie, Deputy Director of the XMU Admissions Office; Wang Chuanjin, Deputy Director of the XMU Test Center; as well as staff members of the Graduate School’s Training, Degrees and General Offices. During their visits, they met with Professors Ye Gongyin and Zhu Junjie, Vice Deans of the Graduate Schools of Zhejiang and Nanjing Universities, respectively.
Both sides exchanged views, in depth, on the opportunities and challenges for graduate education under the nation’s “Double First-Class” University Development Program, the financial assistance system for graduate students, dynamic adjustment of degree programs, and allocation of places across PhD programs.
Zhejiang and Nanjing Universities are both forerunners in China’s graduate education. In recent years, in their bid to gain world-class recognition, these universities’ graduate schools have carried out broad reforms in doctoral student recruitment, training mechanisms, supervisors’ professional development, and financial assistance for graduate students. In addition, they have made strong efforts to facilitate cutting-edge research by doctoral students and advance the development of emerging cross-disciplinary frontier disciplines.
