Dear teachers, students, alumni and friends,

The sun and the moon run according to the law of nature, and the years are renewed. On the occasion of bidding farewell to the old year and ushering in the new, we would like to extend our sincere greetings and best wishes to all teachers, students, retired comrades, alumni from home and abroad and friends from all walks of life.

In 2022, the study, publicity and implementation of the Party's 20 National Spirits has been the core guidance of our work. Conscious efforts were paid on comprehensive study, grasp and implementation of the Spirits of the Party's 20 National Congress so as to unify thoughts and actions. Epidemic prevention and control and university development were coordinated to ensure a safe environment of the campus with the health of teachers and students listed as the top priority. Meanwhile, 70th anniversary of the university was celebrated with the university undertook steady progress striding forward to a new journey. 

New journey, new mission

This year, new ideas guided a new course for us. The university has put the study, publicity and implementation of the spirit of the Party's 20th National Congress as the primary political task, organized themed educational activities named "youth dedicate to the Party's 20th National Congress and shoulder the responsibility to strengthen the country on new journey", and "Let the Party rest assured. I am to build the motherland better and stronger. " With focuses putting on the thematic study seminar, expert guidance reports, setting up teacher-student discussion workshops, and publishing theoretical research articles on the spirit of the Party's 20th National Congress, teachers and students of the university were overwhelmed by the enthusiasm for the study of the spirit and a force hitherto unknown was aroused.  

This year, new goals at a new starting point were anchored. Centering on the celebration theme of "New look on a New Journey", the university follows the principle of "frugality, simplicity, enthusiasm and solemnity" and focuses on the four key points of "university tradition, campus culture, alumni and campus construction" to implement the "Seven Hearts" project. The grand opening of the celebration conference, the successful holding of the Global Geoscience Education Presidents' Forum, the High-level Forum of Natural culture, and High-level Forum on Strategic Development of Natural Resources, the naming of campus roads, squares, gardens and other landscapes, the successful completion of the new university history Hall, the release of the China University of Geosciences celebration literature, the celebration gala and the wonderful staging of the original drama "Diyuan Chizi" (Love and devotion to the University as its children ), the naming of the bus stop at the university gate, all add up to a spectacular event making tribute to the history, facing the future. The ceremony is the embodiment of love for the university agglomerating all strength of the university community to cultivate the virtue and talents of the students instilling pleasure into teaching hoping to inspire the pride and enthusiasm of the whole university community to look forward to the future. The 70th anniversary of the university has injected spiritual impetus into the university community at a new starting point and vigorous strength into the high-quality development of the university.

This year, new measures to make new progress were adopted. The Constitution of China University of Geosciences (Beijing) (Revised in 2022) was officially publicized and implemented. With the construction of "double first-class" as the core, the university has improved the overall level of discipline construction dominant disciplines act as the leading role and improvement of overall discipline construction step by step and layer after layer with two disciplines, namely geology, geological resources and geological engineering, included in the new round of "double first-class" construction list. 9 majors were selected as national first-class undergraduate major construction points, 10 majors were approved as Beijing first-class undergraduate major construction points. There are 35 national and Beijing first-class undergraduate programs in the university accounting for 74% of all programs in the university. 2 majors namely Civil Engineering, Surveying and Mapping Engineering has been successfully certified with professional engineering education certification. Scientific plans have been made for the construction of the Xiong’an Campus and a headquarter for the construction was established to promote steadily the design of the overall planning and special planning schemes. Initiatives were taken to adapt to the new normal and new measures adopted for new development. CUGB is dedicated to explore unswervingly new ways to improve the quality of the university.

New journey, new sense of responsibility

This year, efforts were made in cultivating new talents. 8 achievements won Beijing Higher Education Teaching Achievement Awards (1 grand Prize, 3 first prizes, 4 second prizes). For the first time, professional doctorate students were recruited for special programs for in interdisciplinary and major engineering projects. During epidemic prevention and control period, off-line classes were replaced by high quality online teaching with online instruction and supervision. 100% application rate of national student financial aid management information system is achieved. Further promotion was made in the cultivation project of China Association of Higher Education’s "digital Ideology and politics". A labor education center was set up this year. The university has successfully completed the task of providing voluntary services for the Beijing Winter Olympics. The one-time employment rate of students of the class of 2022 reached 94.09%, and the university was awarded "National Advanced Unit of Aesthetic Education in Colleges and Universities". Students have won 62 awards in the China International "Internet Plus" Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition for College students which is a record high. 4 group and individual special prizes were won in the National College Students Geological Skills Competition and other competitions. The total number of gold medals in the Autumn Student Track and Field Games of Universities in the Capital ranks the first. Chen Lihao has become the youngest college student to climb Mount Everest. The university has always adhered to the original aspiration of "education for the Party and cultivating talents for the country" and comprehensively improved the quality of independent training of talents.

This year, new achievements have been made in scientific and technological innovation. The Deep-time Digital Earth Open Science Forum was successfully held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France led by academician Wang Chengshan and Cheng Qiuming. Deep time Digital Earth Ministry of Education Frontier Science Center has passed the expert demonstration. Three platforms have been approved as provincial and ministerial science and innovation platforms. 7 outstanding achievement awards for scientific research in colleges and universities (1 first prize, 5 second prizes, 1 Youth Science Award) were won this year. Academician Wang Chengshan's team has been selected as one of the top ten scientific and technological advances in universities of the Ministry of Education. 123 National Natural Fund projects were approved. 20 key research and development projects were set up, another record high. 1,551 high-level academic papers, including 147 academic achievements in landmark journals were published, which is an increase of 24% compared with the same period last year. The University has dedicated itself with innovation-driven development to build a pioneer of scientific research, a source of scientific and technological breakthroughs and a gathering place of innovative talents.

This year, great importance was attached to teachers’ training and cultivation. The teachers’ team of geophysics and information technology was selected as the second batch of Huang Danian teachers among all universities nationwide. Academician Cheng Qiuming was elected Distinguished Speaker of the International Society for Mathematical Geosciences. Mr. Wang Rui has received The National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars. Mr. Xu Bo and Mr. Gao Yuan have received the National Natural Science Fund for Excellent Young Scientists. Mr. Meng Xuyang, Mr. Li Xing and Mr. Zhang Xin have received the National Natural Science Fund for Excellent Young Scientists (Overseas). Mr. Xia Kaiwen and his team, Mr. Xu Xiwei, Mr. Xue Yiguo, Mr. Liu Xingyu and other high-level talents were successfully introduced into the university. "Resource Exploration Engineering Undergraduate Education Team" was awarded the Beijing high quality undergraduate education team. Prof. Bai Zhongke and Prof. Xu Jifeng were awarded as outstanding teachers of Beijing. Prof. Gao Shichen was awarded as the Outstanding Educator of Beijing. Prof. Li Yalin and Prof. Zheng Xinqi were awarded as Beijing Famous Teachers. The university carefully cultivates faculty talents with discerning eyes to identify talents, and dared to employ talents and thus recruited talents to serve for the university.

This year, new chapters were written for cooperation and exchanges. A total of 25 domestic strategic cooperation agreements were newly signed and renewed, and 2 majors of Qinghai University were selected as national first-class undergraduate major construction points.  Ahetan Geological and Cultural Village in Hualong County, Qinghai Province was made a three-star geological and cultural village in China. Academician Cheng Qiuming has been approved by UNESCO for the "Deep Time Digital Earth and Mineral Resources" Teaching program. 10 intercollegiate agreements and memoranda with first-class universities in Britain, the United States, Australia, Denmark and other countries were signed. 5 major international conferences including the 21st International Sedimentology Congress were held successfully in the university. With joint research on theories, joint cultivation of talents, joint construction of platforms, and joint sharing of experiences, the university continues to strengthen inter-university cooperation and university-enterprise cooperation.

New journey, new look

This year, new pattern for ideological and political thinking and Party building were explored. The acceptance checks of the second batch of 2 Party branches' innovation and innovation achievements has been completed. The third batch of mass innovation achievements publicity of 1 benchmark department and 2 model branches was completed. Concentration was made on Party building around "Five Studies". Natural culture education system and other five characteristic Party building ideological and political work were accomplished. The School of Marxism was selected as one of Beijing's key construction Marxist colleges. Successful completion of the first round of inspection covering all 22 second-level Party organizations were achieved in the university. Beijing TV reported the achievements of the university’s ideological and political work in Party building for three consecutive days. Ideological and political guidance from people outside the Party has been strengthened. The construction of non-Party representatives has been further promoted. A normal working mechanism of "first-level management, second-level care" has been formed for retirement work. Closer interaction mechanism between alumni and the university were set up. Alumni from more than 20 countries at home and abroad actively participated in the online and offline celebration activities. The university has won the "Capital Labor Certificate" and was awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award for Party Building and Ideological and Political Work in Beijing Universities. The university labor union won the title of "Beijing Labor Union Model Worker's Home". The university uses the ideological and political work of Party building to care for teachers and students, and leads the university to cast new glory on the new road of development.

In the past year, the university tradition and culture has been reinvigorated. A series of high-level natural culture forums with the theme of "Building a New Culture of Harmonious Coexistence between Man and Nature" were held. China's first general education book on natural culture, Introduction to Natural Culture, was published. China Geopark Development Report (2000-2020) was released. The "natural culture General Literacy" module of the undergraduate training program was added. The Creation and Practice of Natural Culture Education System from the Perspective of Ecological Civilization won the special prize of Beijing higher Education Teaching Achievement. Under the guidance of President Xi Jinping’s ecological civilization, the university contributes its strength to the modernization of harmonious coexistence between man and nature. 

This year, the campus has taken on a new look. The 2nd teaching building, the 3rd. teaching building and the 4th teaching building were reinforced and renovated; three main roads including Cradle Road, Middle North Road and Truth-seeking Road were reconstructed. The naming, layout and renovation of the four squares, spring, summer, autumn and winter, and the six gardens namely Crystal Garden, Earth Garden, Water Garden, Forest Garden, Gold Garden and Rock Garden, as well as Jinshiping (Metal and Rock) lawn and other key areas has been completed this year. West campus living area renovation project were further advanced. Pingquan Practice Base has officially started. Steady progress has been made in the renovation of Marine buildings. The fourth floor of the catering center has been recovered. The construction of mobile portal infrastructure platform and the integration of 5G private network and campus network were completed. The University will continue to create a more modern, intelligent and beautiful campus hardware and software environment for all teachers and students to enhance the sense of gaining, happiness and security for all faculty and students. 

This year, the complicated epidemic situation was actively coped with. Persisting in regular epidemic prevention and control, growing through overcoming trials after trials, we have risen through crisis after crisis, and let the sunlight of hope shed into the future. We heard the unrepentant pledge of "people first, life first" and the clang and cry of "every call must be answered, every order must be done"; we saw the bright red Party flag standing on the front line of the war of epidemic, the warm yellow lights that were bright all night long in the staff office, the "angels in white" who were retrograde and sticked to the battle against the epidemic day and night, the "volunteers in blue" in front of the battle against the epidemic shouldering the burden, the dew on the night’s watch in morning mist, and smell the food from the canteen when the day have not been clear yet..... Here, we would like to pay high tribute to the medical workers, grassroots front-line workers, logistics and security personnel and all volunteers from the university community.

The old saying goes like “If you can one day renovate yourself, do so from day to day and let there be daily renovation.” Today's innovation is the result of yesterday's efforts, and tomorrow's innovation depends on the reality of today's efforts. 2023 is the first year to fully implement the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress. It is also the year when the 14th Five-Year Plan connects the past and the next. This year serves a crucial year for the university to move towards the strategic goal of "three phases", achieve high-quality development, steadily promote the construction of "double first-class", and fully start the construction of Xiong’an Campus. We are standing at the beginning of the new journey. Guided by President Xi Jinping’s Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we will study, publicize and implement the spirits of the 20th National Congress of the CPC to further consolidate, develop and enhance the fruitful achievements formed by the 70-year anniversary of the university. With the practical actions of everyone in the university community, answering the questions of education, making good use of the power of innovation, taking the road of forging ahead, we will strive to start a new journey of building a world-class university in the field of earth sciences!

Wish you a good health, success in work and happiness of all family in the coming year!

Party Secretary: Ma Junjie   President: Sun Youhong

December 31, 2022