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Shenyang Normal University holds the Alumni Seminar Themed “Homecoming, Wisdom-Seeking, and Future-Opening”
On January 24, Shenyang Normal University convened an alumni seminar themed “Homecoming, Wisdom-Seeking, and Future-Opening” to advance the high-quality development of basic education. More than 20 outstanding alumni in the basic education sector across Liaoning Province were invited to the event. Jiang Fengchun, Party Secretary of SYNU, and Yang Song, President of the university, together with heads of relevant functional departments and some colleges, attended the meeting. Tang Libao, Vice President of the university, presided over the seminar.
President Yang Song, in her address, extended a warm welcome to the alumni for their “homecoming” on behalf of the university and expressed her respect to those who have long served on the frontlines of basic education with quiet dedication. She reviewed the university’s over 70-year journey in teacher education and updated the audience on its major achievements in recent years.
She emphasized that the university has always upheld serving basic education as its core mission, nurtured a large number of outstanding educational talents, and laid a solid foundation for the development of regional education.
In line with the spirit of the Liaoning Provincial Education Work Conference, Yang Song noted that the high-quality development of basic education is a key pillar supporting Liaoning’s new breakthrough in comprehensive revitalization. The university will build on its distinctive strengths in teacher education, deepen cooperation with alumni and the basic education sector, and focus its efforts on talent cultivation, teaching and research innovation, and resource sharing, injecting “SYNU momentum” into the quality improvement and expansion of basic education in Liaoning.
Duan Zhihui, an alumna from the Class of 1993 majoring in Chinese Language and Literature Education at the School of Liberal Arts, and currently a member of the CPC Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Shenyang Municipal Bureau of Education, delivered a speech on behalf of the alumni.
She fondly recalled her years of study at the university and expressed gratitude to her alma mater for nurturing her professional competence and fostering professional integrity as an educator. She emphasized that the university’s rich heritage in teacher education has provided solid underpinnings for her years of dedicated work on the frontlines of basic education.
She pointed out that high-quality basic education should center on the all-round development of students. She hoped that the alma mater would continue to strengthen practical training for teacher education students, further establish platforms for collaboration between the university and local schools in teaching and research, and empower more young scholars to fulfill their professional aspirations on the education frontline.
She also called on the alumni to stay connected through their alma mater, pool collective strengths, and jointly contribute to the advancement of basic education in Liaoning Province.
The attending alumni shared insights from their professional careers and expressed sincere gratitude to their alma mater. They also held in-depth discussions on key industry topics such as the cultivation of core competencies among normal university students, curriculum reform in basic education, and the digital transformation of education.
The alumni exchanged diverse views and actively offered suggestions, ultimately reaching a clear consensus on: “The alma mater empowers its alumni; alumni give back to their alma mater; and working together to serve education.”
These constructive proposals provided a wealth of valuable ideas for promoting the high-quality development of basic education through collaboration between the university and local communities.
In his concluding remarks, Jiang Fengchun, Party Secretary of the CPC Committee of the university, highlighted that this seminar was not just a heartfelt alumni reunion, but a focused dialogue dedicated to the high-quality development of basic education.
Acting on the guidance from the Liaoning Provincial Education Work Conference of “Normal universities taking the lead to boost high-quality, balanced development of basic education” , he put forward three clear hopes:
First, rally alumni support, build regular communication platforms, and foster synergy for basic education;
Second, draw on alumni expertise, deepen teacher education reform, and elevate talent training quality;
Third, align with Liaoning’s education needs, pioneer new progress in innovation and training, and contribute greater “SYNU strength”.
The successful hosting of this seminar not only implements the guiding principles of the Liaoning Provincial Education Work Conference and lays a solid foundation for the university to formulate its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), but also strengthens the university-local collaboration to support basic education and deepens the emotional bond between the alma mater and its alumni.
The attending alumni unanimously agreed to take this seminar as a new starting point, further deepen cooperation with their alma mater and peers in the education sector, and carry forward the “SYNU spirit” on the frontlines of basic education to fuel the high-quality development of Liaoning’s education in the new era.
For its part, the university will take this opportunity to forge closer regular ties with alumni across the board, pool their wisdom and strength, and strive to promote more high-quality, sustainable development of its basic education initiatives.
Jiang Fengchun, Party Secretary of SYNU, delivering a speech
Yang Song, President of SYNU, addressing the seminar
Duan Zhihui, Alumni Representative, delivering a speech
Tang Libao, Vice President of SYNU, presiding over the seminar
Alumni engaged in discussions
Group photo
Seminar venue
Translated by School of Foreign Languages, SYNU