Recently, the working conference about academic degree and graduate education was held in XMU. Vice President Wu Daguang, deans and directors of Graduate School, Admissions Office, Students’ Affairs Office and Examination Office, vice-deans of all colleges in charge of graduate work and graduate secretaries attended the conference. Executive dean of Graduate School Tao Tao chaired the conference.

He first pointed out that, with positive efforts of all colleges in recent years, reform measures have been deepening, and education quality and students’ scientific research ability have risen substantially. The We Young Edu column of the Information Office of Ministry of Education and GuangMing Daily reported on these reforms which received great attention and affirmation from domestic counterparts. He summarized the work of last semester. Firstly, the graduate education reform has been comprehensively deepened. The mid-term examination system of doctoral students has been implemented in all colleges for the first time to weed out the incompetent; the revision of training plan for graduate students with professional degrees has been completed successfully to further promote classified cultivation of graduate students; course construction focused on scientific research ability has been implemented with 6 graduate projects all being included in provincial teaching reform program; quality monitoring of thesis has been strengthened, all 50 Ph.D. theses tested by Office of the State Council Academic Degrees Committee were up to standard. Secondly, students are encouraged to carry out original scientific research. XMU has increased its support for scientific research fund projects, hosted the first session of experience exchange on “Graduate Field Research Fund”, providing a favorable environment for all kinds of innovative projects to thrive. Short-term teaching and practice have been the characteristics of XMU graduate education with their funding support achieving a third increase. Thirdly, the internationalization of graduate education has made new progress. The number of graduate students going abroad with national financial aids has increased for three consecutive years to118, reaching a new-record high. XMU has signed agreements on jointly training graduate students with foreign universities, such as University of Cincinnati in the U.S and Macquarie University in Australia, providing a new platform for graduate education internationalization. Fourthly, focusing on course evaluation, course construction has been further strengthened. 46 first-level disciplines have finished the examination of being certified as provincial key disciplines with 25 of them being judged as excellent, accounting for 48% of provincial key disciplines.

Mr. Tao Tao also deployed work for this semester. First, fully carry out self-evaluation of qualification for degree authorized unit to prepare for the fourth round of discipline evaluation. He stressed that 2016 is the year of discipline construction, the university will make use of this opportunity to conduct a complete inspection of talent training conditions in all disciplines and make adjustments according to results. All colleges and disciplines should actively prepare for this evaluation, make scientific plan to better demonstrate the competence of XMU and provide a better platform for future talent training. Second, vigorously promote selection system reform for doctoral student candidates to comprehensively improve the quality of doctoral students. Third, continue to push forward the mid-term examination system to weed out the incompetent and strengthen doctoral education management. Fourth, finish the selection for 2016th master-PhD candidates, further optimize the structure of student sources. Fifth, initiate the key graduate course construction and strengthen process teaching management. Sixth, reinforce the construction of joint training base and improve graduate students’ practice and innovation ability. Seventh, proceed to increase investments in scientific research innovations and improve students’ research ability and equip them with international perspectives. Eighth, initiate the preparation for a supervisor school to enhance their instructing ability and teaching ethics construction. Ninth, further improve the censoring system of doctoral theses and initiate selection for outstanding theses. Tenth, promote relative work about department committee and reinforce the construction of rules and regulations.

Vice-dean Tan Zhong explained discipline construction work for 2016. According to university arrangements, the construction work will focus on three aspects this year: first, carry out evaluation on qualifications for degree authorized unit; second, make dynamic adjustments; third, carry out evaluations on first class disciplines. At the conference, Tan Zhong also briefed on quota distribution principle about doctoral student recruitment, informed the result of examination for provincial key disciplines and results about provincial outstanding doctoral and graduate theses.

Vice President Wu Daguang reiterated the priority of this year’s graduate education. Firstly, he transmitted the opinions of university leaders, pointing out that despite all the challenges we have faced in reform, we should struggle to overcome them as there is no retreat. He expected all colleges to increase publicity of policy measures and let teachers be well aware of relative policies. Secondly, he pointed out that although the discipline evaluation work has many contents with different focuses, the core of it is to improve the quality of graduate education. Discipline evaluation relates to the achievement of building first-class university and first-class disciplines. All colleges are expected to attach great importance to the evaluation and be completely prepared for it. Lastly, as regard to reform of doctoral candidates and master-PhD system, he pointed out that the university will increase independence of every college by delegating power to them. At the same time, the university will roll out corresponding policies to reform teaching assistant recruitment and scholarship. He reiterated that all colleges should further strengthen construction of style of study, strictly regulate graduate education and reinforce quality control of education process.