Address at the 「Higher Education in Cloud」 Seminar
QIU Yong, President of Tsinghua University
(July 3, 2020)
【Summary】
On February 3, 2020, Tsinghua convened a university-wide 「in cloud」 class for more than 57,000 faculty members and students. The University made a solemn pledge to the society that: the fundamental duty for a university is to educate people and cultivate talents. Against the backdrop of the pandemic, Tsinghua was committed to 「classes commencing on schedule, despite the postponed return to campus」.
The past five months, from February 3 to July 3, 152 days in total, have witnessed how self-motivated Tsinghua people have kept their positive attitude and delivered a meaningful online teaching revolution, through their precision, diligence, pragmatism and innovative spirit. This demonstrates a teaching atmosphere that is aligned with this new era. Tsinghua has remained steadfast in its responsibilities and fulfilled its pledge to society.
Tsinghua’s endeavor over the past five months is a source of deep reflection and inspiration.
First, it has galvanized the University around a clear vision and firm resolve, which was effectively conveyed from the leadership throughout the University.
Second, it has propelled development of the top-level design of teaching plans and the system operation mechanism.
Third, it has motivated faculty and students with greater enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity.
Fourth, it has driven forward the Technological Innovation and System Construction for online education.
Fifth, Tsinghua empowered students by letting them be the master of their studies.
Sixth, Tsinghua shouldered its social responsibilitieswith openness.
Seventh,Pedagogy research made great progress along with education practice.
On July 3, 2020, Tsinghua reconvened a university-wide class, and made a further commitment to the public that quality is the eternal lifeline of education. As outbreak control becomes the norm, Tsinghua will strive for quality online education and further deepen the educational reform by integrating online and offline teaching.It is anticipated that Tsinghua faculty members and students will continue to maintain a motivated attitude; successfully conduct summer teaching related work, and; fully prepare for the autumn semester in an orderly and composed fashion.
First, Fall Semester 2020: Classes start - 「In cloud」, on Schedule.
Second, Global Summer School 「in cloud」.
Third, Capacity Building: Staff and Support.
Fourth, Capacity Building for Faculty&Flexibility of Teaching System.
Fifth, Effectively Improve Students』 Independent Learning Ability.
Sixth,Promoting an Open Teaching System.
The driving force for change lies in changes in concepts, tools, and external environment along with the challenges and pressure it brings. Tsinghua is not just mechanically responding to a crisis, but is working to turn the crisis into an opportunity,to accelerate the overall reform and development of the University as a whole, and to provide the most powerful education to students through the performance and practice of faculty and the University.
Universities are the lighthouse of human civilization—inspiring a brighter future for all with wisdom, tenacity, and strength. The fate of a university is always intertwined with that of her motherland and her own people. Each and every world-class university grew up serving her country. Universities must shoulder their responsibilities, to usher in new chapters for higher education in these times of unprecedented changes.
Future universities must be more open and integrative.
Future learning must be more student-driven.
Future teaching must be smarter.
Future education must achieve greater levels of inclusion and quality.
Future world-class universities will lead with vigor.
Universities have been marching towards openness in the past millennium. For a university, openness produces greater resilience; and resilience produces steadfastness, self-discipline, and the abilities to withstand risks and challenges. Future universities will be more open, integrative, and resilient. Let there be no doubt that by being a creator of knowledge, a vehicle of ideas, and a cultivator of talents, universities will play a greater role in advancing economic and social development and solving humanity’s challenges.
Dear faculty members, students, and friends,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Today is July 3, 2020. Five months ago, on February 3, 2020, Tsinghua convened a university-wide 「in cloud」 class for more than 57,000 faculty members and students. The University made a solemn pledge to the society that: the fundamental duty for a university is to educate people and cultivate talents. As the pandemic unfolded, we were committed to realizing the plan of 「classes commencing on schedule despite the postponed return to campus」. It was impossible for students to come back on campus, but possible to continue learning; it was impossible for teachers to meet their students in person, but possible to start teaching online and on schedule. In the past five months, 152 days in total, under the strong leadership of the Chinese government, the guidance of the responsible authorities, and the strong support of cooperative partners from around the world, self-motivated Tsinghua people have kept their positive attitude and delivered a meaningful online teaching revolution. Tsinghua people have successfully realized this reform through their precision, diligence, pragmatism and innovative spirit. This demonstrates a teaching atmosphere that is aligned with this new era. For all Tsinghua people, this experience is unforgettable. In the face of hardship, we did not withdraw; we achieved fruitful results with effort and dedication to our values; and as Tsinghua people, we all stood together. We are proud of Tsinghua!
Here, on behalf of the University, I would like to extend my greatest gratitude and respect to all the professors and students who remained steadfast in their responsibilities of teaching and learning, and to all the staff members who provided support for online teaching!
Today, we re-convene a university-wide class where we conclude the overall online teaching work of Tsinghua University in the spring semester of 2020, and share our experience with domestic and international universities and partners. I believe that the thinking, perception and expectation for the future we received from this innovative experience will help us clearly remember this history and understand profoundly the meaning of education. Thus, we will be more confident in the expectations for the future of higher education in the world.
Remaining Steadfast in our responsibilities in the face of challenges
Recently, many of our faculty members put forward their view that it was timely and critical for Tsinghua to adopt the plan of 「classes commencing on schedule despite the postponed return to campus」, during the winter vacation. By doing this we were able to be on the front foot in pandemic response and mitigation efforts. Many teachers asked me: 「Did you anticipate the trend of the pandemic when you announced the plan on February 3? How was the University so confident in its decision?」
I replied: This was a collective decision made by the University which was able to quickly respond to changes in circumstances and external challenges.
On January 23, Wuhan went into lock-down. This proved to be a subtle harbinger of an unprecedented challenge.
On January 24, the standing committee of the Tsinghua University Council held a meeting during which the leading group for COVID-19 prevention and control was established.
On January 26, the University publicized theNotice on Postponing the Spring Semester.
On January 27, the leading group for COVID-19 prevention and control set up a working system aimed to cover all aspects of pandemic response, including eleven specialized working teams. Later, with the changes in the epidemic prevention and control situation, four more working teams were successively established.
On January 29, the University sentA Letter to All Faculty and Students, asking all faculty and students to work together to prevent the spread of the pandemic with the following principles in mind: 「Follow the guide for the overall situation; strengthen the protection for each one of us; take a rational and confident attitude; keep moving forward with no regret」.
On January 30, the standing committee of Tsinghua University Council decided after consideration: We must make the safety of our faculty and students our top priority. In the face of the challenges put on teaching by the pandemic, we shall conquer these hardships by adjusting the teaching plan of the spring semester. With the help of all-round online teaching made possible by information technology, we 「commenced classes on schedule despite the postponed return to campus」.
Virtues are best tested in the face of crises, no matter that of an individual, a university or a country. A good university is steadfast in its resolve, and must have the capacity to respond rapidly to major changes.
We did not hesitate in the face of this sudden challenge and had no time to do so after receiving all the questions and concerns from our faculty, students, and the public. Tsinghua people always follow our University spirit that 「Action speaks louder than words.」 We believe actions are the best way to show our resolution.
February 1 marked the first implementation of Rain Classroom, the cloud teaching platform developed by Tsinghua for large-scale online meetings, and held the University meeting on teaching work, during which more than 500 members attended including leaders of all schools and departments in the University, directors of the teaching committee,the chairs of the academic degree evaluation sub-committee, and members of teaching affairs. During the meeting, faculty members were called to shoulder their teaching responsibilities and maintain the normal teaching schedule in the face of challenges. On February 1, the eighth day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, many faculty members of Tsinghua ended their winter vacation.
On February 3, the university-wide, 「First Class」 for all faculty members and students, was held on Rain Classroom with more than 57,000 Tsinghua people attending. The public also watched simultaneously through various new media platforms, reaching a total viewership of three million people. During this meaningful class, under extraordinary circumstances, Tsinghua formally announced to its faculty, students, alumni, and public that: Tsinghua has an unwavering commitment to educating people and cultivating talent. This announcement clarified Tsinghua’s principles and requirements for online teaching during the prevention of the pandemic, and included the following six aspects.
First, Unified Organization
This means that the University would follow unified requirements, take unified action and conduct online teaching in an all-round way, with common efforts from both faculty and students. It reflects our teaching concept that: 1) The university is a complex system, and the order of teaching is the most important factor for ensuring the stable operation of the University; 2) knowledge is systematic which requires internal logic among all courses and integrated implementation of teaching; 3) the steadiness of the teaching system is directly linked to students』 learning outcomes. This is not determined by one or two courses, but by integrated course organization; and 4) the systematic practice of teaching needs coordination among teaching units, schools and departments, and teachers.
We insist that online teaching of high-quality is not conducted in a spontaneous, fragmented or incomplete way.
Second, Teaching Commenced on Schedule.
This required the University to start teaching on February 17 according to the original teaching schedule. Facing this challenge, such innovative technology and techniques as online teaching and learning was fully implemented. Online teaching also requires high quality, which is made possible by positive interaction between teachers and students to ensure students』 learning outcome. Let students feel the real existence of the classroom. The classroom exists only if teachers and students are there. The classroom should extend to wherever the students are.
Third, Graduation on Schedule.
This refers to our efforts to respect the wishes of our students and ensure their on-schedule graduation. Taking the situation into consideration, the University flexibly adjusted working plans to create positive conditions for students』 scheduled graduation, such as schedule adjustment and facilitating more meetings for degree conferral approval. . At the same time, the University encouraged teachers to communicate and offer students more guidance in their last semester of school. This ensured our students received quality training and nurturing in their final semester with us.
Fourth, Adequate Preparation.
Teaching and talent cultivation are the primary responsibility of teachers. In order to guarantee students』 scheduled learning, teachers were required to make a great deal of preparation before the semester to ensure a successful 「start of teaching on schedule,」 which included adjusting teaching content after consideration, optimizing teaching methods, digitalizing teaching materials, and taking innovative methods for examination. All faculty were required to attend training for online teaching and master the fundamentals of online teaching tools before February 17.
Fifth, Responsibilities Shouldered.
Universities realize their education perception through shouldering social responsibilities. Before we ask the students to shoulder their social responsibilities, the University should present itself as a model and embody such a responsibility. The online platform XuetangX, initiated by Tsinghua in 2013, has become the second largest MOOC platform in the world regarding the number of learners, and whose 2,200online courses are all accessible to the public free of charge. Rain Classroom is an original smart teaching tool launched by Tsinghua in 2016. Based on our partner universities』 needs, we made Rain Classroom available to the society and launched 「clone classes」, offering teachers and students from other universities the opportunity to share Tsinghua’s courses simultaneously.
Sixth, Financial Aid Offered.
The pandemic disproportionately affected the economic situation of some students and their families more than others. Adjustment in the teaching schedule would influence their original plans and preparation for online learning and the ongoing process would cost a certain amount of money. We pledged that all students, undergraduate and graduate, would be eligible for special allowances offered by the University if they or their families were economically disadvantaged by the pandemic and/or by the adjustment of the teaching schedule. The University guaranteed each student an opportunity to learn.
The university-wide 「First Class」 on February 3 was a commitment to all. In light of the challenges exerted by the pandemic on teaching, people in Tsinghua showed their resolution and provided practical plans.
Fulfill education commitment with enthusiasm and action.
The two weeks from February 3 to 17 were critical to our endeavor to 「start teaching on schedule」. Could we fulfill our commitment to 「commenceclasses on schedule despite the postponed return to campus」?The answer depended entirely upon our preparation duringthe two weeksprior to the beginning of the new semester. At that time, we were faced with many difficulties: How could we help more than 2,600 teachers master all technologies and teaching methods required to deliver courses online within two weeks? How could we provide technical assurance for thousands of online courses around the University? How could we help teachers and students around the world fix various problems that might occur during online teaching and learning? How could we guarantee the quality of online teaching and learning?
On February 6, three expert teams, Online Teaching Guidance Expert Committee, Online Education Quality Assurance Committee, Online Education Technology Support Committee and one special work team of Student Learning Support were established to form a strong support and assurance system for the online teaching and learning program.
Within two weeks,a three-tier training system for remote teaching was established, including teachers, teaching assistants and students,which involved more than 2,600 teachers, 2,300 teaching assistants and volunteers. The expert teams formulated various technical guidelines for online classroom functions, course material design, video filming techniques, online conferences and other aspects. They designed 15 pre-class checklists and emergency response plans and 22 demonstration cases for online course design, updated 12 issues ofOnline Teaching Q&A, and compiled108 Questions for Online Learning. Each faculty had one or several trial courses before the official start of the new semester to adapt to this new teaching approach.
We established the Online Teaching & Learning Steering Center, and administration staff worked around the clock on a shift-by-shift basis. The specialized support team for teaching and learning was established for coordinating with partner software platforms. We also prepared live-streaming classrooms. To guarantee the stability of online teaching, we set up specialized servers for the University’s Rain Classroom. The Academic Affairs office procured 1,060 writing tablets for teachers as needed. The University issued a policy that lifted network limits on campus online traffic during the pandemic period.
We worked with every school and department to reach out to every student and learn about their needs and difficulties. We provided tailored solutions to respond to various difficulties faced by each student, extended special assistance to more than 700 students, and provided bilingual learning materials for international students. The goal of our efforts was: wherever the students were, developed cities or remote mountainous regions, we had to ensure that each individual student enjoyed the right to 「learn」 and that「no one was left behind or offline」.
February 17 was the first day of the spring semester. At 7:30 a.m., I arrived at the Online Teaching & Learning Steering Center to check the preparation work of online courses. Mr. Zhang Qianli from the Institute for Network Sciences and Cyberspace was already there. He had opened his PowerPoint presentation in Rain Classroom 15 minutes prior and was waiting for students to enter his Internet Programming Techniques classroom. In the Steering Center for Teaching & Learning, I talked to Zhang Bin over the line, who was already online and fully prepared to begin teaching College Physics. He conveyed to me his confidence delivering this course online to 120 students.
At 8:00 a.m., the class bell sounded, and this familiar bell kicked off a revolution of online teaching at Tsinghua University. The teachers ushered in their "first show" of online teaching, which was very successful after two weeks of full preparation. The first day of the semester went by as scheduled, marked by smooth teaching & learning activities, well prepared teachers and passionate students.
From the opening of online classrooms at 8:00 a.m. on the morning of February 17, to the end of the final exams of the last four courses at 9:00 p.m. on June 14, online teaching and learning of the 2020 spring semester started with vigorous preparation and concluded in a steady and orderly manner.
In the spring semester of 2020, a total of 4,471 online courses were delivered. Except for some courses that require laboratory experiments that were not available online,all other courses were offered as scheduled.
A total of 77,223 lectures were given, with an accumulated participation of more than 2.68 million students and teachers, totaling over 4.29 million hours around the University.
In the spring semester, 3,395 undergraduate students graduated at a rate broadly consistent with 2019 levels; 4,037 graduate students graduated and another 1,000-odd decided to graduate in August. The rate of graduate students receiving their degree was roughly consistent with last year.
In the spring semester, we organized over 85 online recruitment events, which provided more than 50,000 jobs, one and a half times of the number of previous years. We provided online career assistance to more than 20,000 students. By June 20, the overall employment rate of 2020 graduate students of Tsinghua University was higher than that of previous years.
Tsinghua people have made arduous efforts, practiced through exploration and innovated through practice, withstood the test of the pandemic and fulfilled their commitments. This is a hard-won achievement - We should give a round of applause to all the faculty and students of Tsinghua University! I would also like to propose a round of applause to the families of the faculty and students. Our online teaching and learning successes could not be possible without your understanding, care and support -Thank you!
A Teaching Atmosphere aligned with the New Era
As we review the unforgettable struggle of the past five months and we deeply reflect on those touching moments, we should also address certain questions. 「What have we successfully attempted?」 「What did we learn from the process?」
First, Vision and Determination: Effectively Conveyed from Leadership throughout the University.
The clear vision is that online teaching should be implemented in an organized, systematic and comprehensive manner. Unlike MOOC, online teaching is a real classroom in a virtual space, where solid teaching and learning take place.
The steadfast resolve is to ensure that no one is left behind. Our online teaching support is for every faculty and student. No one should be left behind. As many online courses as possible should be delivered. Not a single course should be left behind. During the comprehensive process of online teaching management and cultivation, no stone should be left unturned.
At the outset, many of our faculty members had reservations about online teaching. It was thought to be too demanding and 「pushing too hard」 to implement well-planned online teaching comprehensively throughout the University. Through tireless communication and thorough dedication, we managed to convey the exact principle and resolution to all schools, departments, teaching units, and the entire faculty and students, so that online teaching achieved the desired results.
Delivering PE courses online seemed quite impossible for many. But our faculty in the Division of Sports Science and Physical Education did it. They classified PE courses into detailed categories. Some can be taught online and are completely suitable for home workout, like martial arts and aerobics. Some can be taught and are partially suitable for home workout, such as ball sports. And others can be taught but are unsuitable for home workout, like swimming. Based on the features of different courses, the faculty adjusted their teaching programs and developed suitable exercises and routines for online teaching and home workout. The faculty and students also put creativity to work, looked for and even handmade many exercise tools. For example, they used electric swatters as tennis rackets and water-filled detergent bottles as dumbbells. In this semester, 374 courses offered by 66 teachers from the Division were successfully delivered, with an enrollment of 11,116 students. During the pandemic, mottoes such as 「work healthily for the motherland for fifty years」, 「Attach equal importance to physical fitness and character development」, and 「Without sport, there is no Tsinghua」 resonated in all the hearts of Tsinghua people. A message left by one parent in our 「Tsinghua Sports」 WeChat official account goes like this, 「There’s a PE class this afternoon, and my kid asked for an early lunch so that the PE class will be put to better use. 『Without sport, there is no Tsinghua.』 It’s just so reassuring for us parents.」 Let’s all give a thumbs up to our faculty in the Division of Sports Science and Physical Education! Tsinghua University has always been the one that can be counted on by parents, and the society.
Second, Teaching Plan: the development of the top-level design and system operation mechanism.
Three expert teams and one working team were established to design a professional and feasible top-level plan for teaching guidance, quality assurance, technical support and study support, offering an all-round support to the faculty and students.
Teaching working teams were established in 54 schools, departments, and teaching units and chaired by the principal leaders who also took the lead in participating in online teaching training. In some schools and departments, letters and proposals were written to the faculty and students. A one-on-one liaison support mechanism was established for the faculty and students. Evaluations of online teaching were regularly made. A WeChat group that included all deans of schools and department heads was created and became a place for robust discussions, sufficient exchanges, mutual encouragement and learning every day.
During online teaching, all schools and departments demonstrated their huge sense of duty and enthusiasm for work. They united together and established a formidable presence. Power is generated by the collective through unanimous actions. Let’s give a thumbs up for all the self-motivated people of Tsinghua!
Third, Enthusiasm, Initiation, Creativity: Engagement amongst Faculty and Students.
Tsinghua University has a worthy tradition of believing 「it is at the grassroots level where experience is learned and policies made」. Many good experiences and practices during online teaching were summarized by our faculty and students during their practice and exploration. Many problems and difficulties were solved by pooling different solutions and views. During the past five months, the enthusiasm, initiative and creativity can be fully stimulated, and everyone was a participant, promoter, and builder of online teaching.
The revered 95-year-old Mr. Zhang Li of the Department of Physics offered classes and provided answers online. The 64-year-old Mr. Cui Jianyuan learned how to use apps such as WeChat for online teaching. Mr. Yang Zheng, an associate professor in the School of Software, updated ten necessary apps for online teaching. These actions have become our inspiring tales.
Mr. Dag Westerstahl, a professor from Stockholm University in Sweden, and member of the lecturing guest team of Jin Yuelin for Logic, offered an undergraduate course called Basic Theories of Logic this semester. Based in Stockholm, he overcame the seven-hour time difference from Beijing and taught 11 undergraduates online. Professor Westerstahl confessed that he 「basically had no online teaching experience」. He tested the system repeatedly with his assistants, colleagues and students to be well prepared for teaching. In his teaching, he made prompt adjustments based on the characteristics of online teaching and required each student to prepare one question every week for the online sessions so that they can be fully engaged in discussions.
Professor Wang Qing of the Department of Physics took online teaching as an opportunity to reform the examination method of Electrodynamics. This course now has three tests and each test consists of three questions. Most of these questions are closely related to the class discussions. Professor Wang Qing said that in his 30 years of teaching of electrodynamics, it was in the 2020 Spring Semester that the examination for this course really 「made fundamental changes and breakthroughs」.
The faculty and students of the Academy of Arts and Design developed and launched their own online exhibition system which hosted a special graduation work online show including over 1000 pieces by 282 undergraduates and 167 graduates. Since the exhibition kicked off on June 12, the number of visits has exceeded two million. Having overcome difficulties and persisted in their creation, all graduates completed their graduation work with high quality.
Many students overcame difficulties to take lessons on time. A senior student from the Department of Engineering Physics lives in Inner Mongolia, where it was still freezing outside when the spring semester began. Since his mobile phone did not work well in cold weather and only had intermittent internet access, he had to use the optimal phone from all of his family members. Another senior student from a rural and mountainous region of Anhui Province also suffered poor reception. With two courses this semester, he had to climb to the top of a mountain for better internet access.
I am so pleased to see that parents also gave their utmost understanding and support to our students. A parent even left a comment, 「I’m so touched somehow. Sometimes, I watch my son studying. And he said it was even more efficient than sitting in the classroom as two professors in different places could cooperate on one module. Thumbs up for Tsinghua!」
Fourth, Online Teaching: Technological Innovation, System Construction.
We encouraged all faculty members to have classes with intelligent teaching tools, rather than merely communicating with students via instant messaging apps. Rain Classroom supports online teaching with key enabling technologies, achieves various teacher-student interactions, facilitates the replay of module videos and helps the faculty better understand students』 learning progress. Meanwhile, thanks to suggestions from both faculty and students, Rain Classroom has been continuously updating and improving its new features in a bid to meet a variety of needs for teaching and learning. Those features including desktop sharing, replaying with adjustable speeds, examination system and make-up mode were supposed to be developed in one or two years, but they have all been successfully applied to online teaching withintwo to three months.These were all advanced by suggestions from faculty and students, as well as through efforts and contributions by our R&D team who worked tirelessly for months.
With the support of intelligent teaching tools, we are able to conduct experiments online. Professor Zhu Guiping, from the Department of Electrical Engineering, led students in conducting experiments on the intelligent experiment platform developed together with Rain Classroom. Before the class, Professor Zhu sent equipment and components to students by express delivery. In class, she demonstrated how to use the equipment step by step via video, then assigned experiments online and checked students』 performance on her mobile phone. After class, students sent back their photos of experiments at home to Professor Zhu and submitted results on the platform.
Fifth, Empowerment: Let Students be the Master of their Studies.
From the perspective of 「teaching」, the online teaching and learning of Tsinghua progresses at the same pace under unified organization. Yet, from the perspective of 「learning」, Tsinghua’s online courses have created a broader space for students』 autonomous learning and diversified growth. Rain Classroom has a playback function, which enables students to replay class videos to clarify their understanding of course content. It also has a live comment and note submission function which allows students to ask the teacher for repeated explanation if necessary. The online courses, online Q&A, and all kinds of online academic exchanges have fully satisfied students』 diversified and multi-level learning needs and stimulated students』 motivation to actively access learning resources. The innovation of the teaching management system, based on the innovation of teaching technique, provides greater encouragement and support for students to realize their independent, free, spontaneous and non-utilitarian learning. Students can truly learn what they are interested in, and be interested in what they learn. Let them be the master of their studies.
Mr. Qian Zhongshu once boasted of his ambition to 「devour all the books at Tsinghua’s library」. During the online teaching period, Tsinghua University has launched the 「Weiyang Program」 to enable its students to 「attend all good classes at Tsinghua」 as guest students online. The term 「Weiyang」, which comes from the lyrics of the Tsinghua anthem, implies the endless free exploration in learning and the infinite fun of it. The 「Weiyang Program」 presents students with an opportunity to participate in extensive lectures and encourages them to fully enjoy the fun and achievements of learning at their leisure.
This semester, the Weiyang Program included 141 courses from Tsinghua’s 34 schools and departments, and attracted 20,000 course registrations. Among them are the four most popular courses: Legal Thinking, Political Economy of Corruption, Modern Western Philosophy, and Deep Learning, each of which enrolled more than 980 students. Zuo Chong, a 2017 doctoral student at the School of Life Sciences, promptly signed-up for two courses--Legal Thinking and Writing and Communicationon March 1, on the first day that the 「Weiyang Program」 was made available for course selection. 「I used to think the law course was obscure and difficult to understand. But after listening to Liu Han’s Legal Thinking, I found that this is not the case, and that the law is all around us.」 Shen Yang, a teacher at the School of Materials Sciences and Engineering, offered a course titled Oxides of Wonders, which was included in the 「Weiyang Program.」 He did not expect that many students who majored in liberal arts also signed up to listen to this science and engineering course. The students』 enthusiasm during class interaction impressed him very much. Shen said: 「The essence of undergraduate study never lies in how much specific knowledge you have learned, but in the points of interest you have identified in the study, as well as the right way of thinking and learning.」
The Writing Center launched a series of activities called 「Cloud Writing Workshop」 which was warmly welcomed by students. The 32-session workshop attracted more than 5,400registrations,with an average attendance of more than 150 people per session and a total of more than 1,500 live comments. These active participants all bore high expectations on their writing abilities and level, and were eager to receive more instructions and support. With the goal of 「promoting learning from each other」, the workshop was organized by full-time teachers of the Writing Center. Students who had taken writing courses in previous years were invited to share their experiences through live Q&A, discussion forum Q&A, and other ways to provide current students with support for extra-curricular learning. Furthermore, some important guests were invited from time to time to participate in exchanges and share ideas on different topics. Zhang Bingjing, a student of class97in the Department of Electronic Engineering, said: 「The Cloud Writing Workshop for us is really a timely help. It is rewarding to share with others for every exchange. In each of the exchange and Q&A sessions, our problems are solved in a targeted manner. At the Workshop, you can meet a better self who is more passionate about writing.」
In order to promote student-focused learning, it is important to provide more resources and platforms, and help students enhance the ability of independent learning. During the pandemic, the biggest challenge for students was that there was no academic atmosphere at home. The Learning Development Center launched an activity called 「online study room」 through which students could make online appointments to study together, thus creating a favorable academic atmosphere. We believe that the awareness and ability of autonomous learning will benefit students throughout their lives.
Six, Social Responsibilities Shouldered with Openness.
Online teaching enjoys a more open style, compared with traditional in-person teaching, and offers greater opportunities for the University to shoulder its responsibility.
With its series shared platform, Tsinghua built 147 「clones」 of its Rain Classroom for Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan University and others. It also held an online, large-scale job fair jointly with 126 universities in Hubei province which attracted more than 600 employers offering job opportunities for graduates. Tsinghua University Primary School solely carried the task of primary school section in the program 「In the Same Class」 of China Education Television, offering 12 lessons covering all subjects of primary school education to all students in China.
Along with the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, universities in other countries started to adopt online teaching. On March 27, Tsinghua University, as the chair unit of the Asian Universities Alliance, held an online special working meeting of universities to prevent COVID-19 from further spreading. Leaders from 14 universities attended. The University also announced the establishment of an international support program for scientific research through the Spring Breeze Fund. Through this initiative, Tsinghua aimed to promote international cooperation for scientific research to combat the pandemic. This effort received laudable recognition and support from all participating universities. On April 24, Tsinghua and UNESCO jointly initiated a Special Dialogue of global universities with leaders, experts and scholars of 21 universities from 15 countries and representatives from UNESCO attending online. Together, we explored the challenges and reforms of online education during the pandemic for potential development in cooperation.
Ms. Marielza Oliveira, Director of UNESCO’s Beijing Office, highly appreciated Tsinghua’s positive actions during the pandemic and its achievements in online education. She believed that Tsinghua’s experience would be insightful for UNESCO and many higher education institutions. I hope that Tsinghua and UNESCO will actively explore the possibility of deepening cooperation.
The pandemic made us further realize that people are closely related to each other and so are universities. Universities cannot exist independently from society, and that exchanges between universities are crucial to the development of higher education. The pandemic crosses borders, but universities shouldn’t build walls around themselves - learning should never stop. Here, on behalf of Tsinghua University, I would like to extend our gratitude to our domestic and international partners, from whom we learnt so much through exchange and cooperation during the pandemic period.
Seventh, Pedagogy Research Progressed along with Education Practice.
Online teaching is a new area for exploration. We insist that practicing and researching are intertwined. We will be able to conduct research in practice and guide such practice in turn.
Since online teaching is different from in-person classroom teaching in many aspects, its practice provides multiple new avenues for higher education research. On February 25, under the guidance of the University, three online teaching research teams were set up with faculty members and students from the Institute of Education, Tsinghua University. They conducted continuous research into online teaching policies, online teaching effects and typical cases. Based on these, they provided suggestions and advice on how to guarantee the quality of online teaching. To coincide with the Tsinghua – UNESCO Special Dialogue of global universities held on April 24, we conducted a report 「Integrity, Resilience and Reform - Evaluation and Implications of Tsinghua University’s Emergency Online Education」. The report shared its findings in teaching concept and model changes brought about by online teaching, and university cooperation in terms of teaching and scientific research. It is suggested in the research that Tsinghua’s online teaching maintained a high quality, and students expressed a high level of satisfaction; the online teaching ability of faculty was constantly enhanced with a high level of teacher-student interaction. Online teaching not only helped realize our goal to 「teach and be taught in a real manner」, but also maintained the usual academic atmosphere of Tsinghua. The faculty highly appreciated their students』 educational approach during online learning, which was positive and diligent, and even more outstanding than before. With the continuous advancement of online teaching, teachers' focus has shifted from online teaching technology and online classroom discipline to interactive teaching experience, student learning effectiveness, and the diversified forms of online and offline teaching, the essence of teaching, and the perception of universities. Yet at the same time, the research also found that students faced challenges during online learning, such as learning inefficiency, difficulty to sustain concentration, and lack of discussion with their peer classmates. These research findings not only provide guidance for the further development of Tsinghua’s online teaching, but also serve as typical cases for its peer institutions, both domestic and international.
Dear faculty members, students, and friends!
In the speech delivered during the university-wide class for all faculty members and students on February 3, I said: 「In the future, when we look back at this pandemic experience, we will feel proud for what we have done today because it shows our calmness, our steadiness, and our determination.」 Today, I am resolute that this brave exploration in online teaching in 2020 is a meaningful endeavor in Tsinghua’s history. It shows to us all that in the face of a critical challenge to humankind, Tsinghua, with its outstanding traditions and strong sense of mission, with the unity and enthusiasm of its faculty and students, and with rich imagination and creativity, remained steadfast in its responsibility of educating people and cultivating talents, and realized its commitment to the society.
Due to the pandemic, 2020 will mark a watershed in human history.
While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to envelop the world, it is still difficult to foresee how it will unfold and what underlying impact it might cause. No one knows when in-person education will return. We are faced with a long struggle and coexistence with COVID-19. The University needs to prepare for emergencies andcontinuously improve the ability of the teaching system to adapt to changes in the external environment. Through the valuable experience in online teaching that has accumulated after the spring semester, we have a soberer understanding of the current problems and deficiencies of online teaching. For instance, some indispensable experimental modules could not be carried out online; the online format was lacking immersion and disciplines, thus severely compromising the learners』 effectiveness and interactions; changes in teaching instruments and models led to a drastic increase in the faculty’s workload. Besides, issues arising from online teaching such as intellectual property and thedigital divideare needed for further research.
Future uncertainties loom large. Nonetheless, we are fully confident and ready for the upcoming summer and autumn semesters. Five months ago, on February 3, Tsinghua made a commitment to society: Teaching and talent cultivation are our unwavering responsibilities. While tackling the pandemic, Tsinghua’s 「teaching commenced on schedule despite the postponed return to campus」. Five months later, on July 3, we will once again make a commitment:Quality is always the lifeline of teaching. Against the backdrop when pandemic control becomes the norm, we strive for quality online teaching. By integrating online and offline teaching, we will further deepen the reform in teaching and education. In the same spirit of optimism, I hope you will see today, July 3, as a new starting point to practiceAction speakslouder than words,and the pioneering spirit of innovation and bravery, to embrace the summer semester while preparing for the incoming fall semester.
First, Fall Semester 2020: 「In cloud」, on Schedule.
According to the updated school calendar, the 2020 undergraduates will arrive on September 8, and postgraduates on August 25. Opening ceremonies for the two cohorts will be held on August 26 and September 9 in the Cloud, respectively, and classes will commence on September 14.
The University looks forward to the students returning to campus and is actively making preparations. At the same time, flexible and thoughtful arrangements will also be made, and we will respond to various unexpected situations in a timely manner according to the development of the epidemic situation. Whether it is offline or 「in-cloud」, the new semester will start as scheduled.
Second, Global Summer School, 「In-cloud」.
The University has decided we will host an online Tsinghua Global Summer School every year from 2020 onwards. This year, the Summer School will take place from July 20-28. Entitled,Toward a Post-Pandemic World,the program will leverage a variety of formats including cloud discussions, cloud visits, and cloud observations and performances, utilize world-class teaching resources across the campus, invite renowned Chinese and international scholars for lectures, and offer courses ranging from economics, politics, society, education, climate change and leadership. The Global Summer School will recruit young learners from partner universities and associations such as Global Alliance of Universities on Climate (GAUC), Asian Universities Alliance (AUA) and Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), helping students from different backgrounds understand the opportunities and challenges in a post-COVID-19 world, and explore solutions for a sustainable future. The Global Summer School offers a special class for participants to learn aboutTsinghua bamboo slips.We hope that through the lens of ancient Chinese bamboo slips, participants could have deeper knowledge of Tsinghua, deeper understanding of China and deeper insights of the times. It is my hope that the Global Summer School will become a mechanism to strengthen our cooperation with partner institutions. With the limitless availability of the Cloud, exchanges are ever more reachable.
Tsinghua’s summer semester includes over 200 practice programs, which are taught differently per their characteristics. Theories of fundamental practice courses, such as metalwork and electronic processes, will be provided online, and hands-on practice will be achieved by sending materials by post and offering online instructions. Once safe to do so, in-person teaching will resume immediately. Other practice courses will either be taught remotely or postponed.
Third, Capacity Building: Staff and Support.
To do a good job, an artisan needs the best tools. The University will use the summer vacation to renovate classrooms, improve software and hardware, and enhance the support for the online-offline-integrated teaching model. At present, there are 40 modern multimedia classrooms equipped with HD video-recording systems that support live streaming and recording. We will also renovate more than 200 regular multimedia classrooms and connect the classroom facilities such as computers, projectors, amplifiers and Rain Classroom.
Continue to upgrade Rain Classroom’s software platform，We will optimize the access control of media playback and add functionalities such as watermarks and presentation editing tools, which is a step forward in protecting the intellectual property rights of the faculty. We will also provide scenario-based optimization, continuously improve the concurrent service capacity for the large user base and transform Rain Classroom content into digitized teaching materials.
Fourth, Capacity Building for Faculty & Flexibility of the Teaching System.
Departments and programs should increase experience sharing in online teaching and extrapolate lessons from successes to integrate them into future practice.
Unlike the spring semester when all courses were taught online, according to the latest development on pandemic control, the faculty must be prepared for the dual track model where online and offline teaching co-exist in the fall semester by improving teaching content and method. In the 2020 fall semester, there will be over 5,200 course times, provided by more than 2,600 faculty members. All faculty must be ready for the online plus offline model before courses commence in the fall.
The expert team will undertake the research on the online + offline teaching model, and compile teaching guidelines as well as instruction manuals. The University will launch multiple rounds of trials for multi-level teaching experience exchange and teaching ability training to further boost faculty capacity.
We endeavor to make online teaching an organic component to the regular teaching system, rather than a 「default」 alternative choice. Thus making the deep integration between online and in-person teaching.
We should further improve the quality guarantee system of teaching and the evaluation mechanism of teaching modes. By assessing the effectiveness of student learning, we will make great improvements to the quality of teaching. We will continue to promote digitization of materials, enrich teaching resources, and firmly place online teaching into the underlying reform of education and teaching.
We should adapt the curriculum and teaching practice to the latest development of the pandemic, ensuring a smooth transition between online and offline models.
Fifth, Effectively Improve Students' Independent Learning Ability.
We should increase students』 capacity in online and offline learning, and improve their concentration and autonomous learning. We should create an online plus offline environment for student interactions and facilitate communications amongst these young learners, and utilize the influence of classes and communities in the cultivation of good online and offline practices. We should improve the needs-based financial aid support program to ensure that no one is left behind.
Continue to implement the "Weiyang initiative" to encourage more students to make independent learning choices and have fun learning.
Sixth, Promoting an Open Teaching System.
To promote the further opening of courses, we will encourage the Rain Classroom model of 「clone-classes」 by allowing access to its online MOOC resources. We will make available high-quality lecture resources, academic resources, and training resources to the society and the world, increase exchanges with international partners, and promote high-quality educational resources to benefit more people in need.
Quality is the eternal lifeline of teaching. In the context of the normalization of epidemic prevention and control, we are determined to start classes 「in-Cloud」 and on schedule. This promise should be remembered. I believe that Tsinghua people will continue to carry forward the spirit of self-commitment to society.
Turning Crises into Opportunities and Charting New Horizons amid Turbulence.
There is an old saying in Lao Tzu that 「In calamity lies good fortune and in good fortune lurks calamity.」 Crises always come with opportunities. The development of information technologyhas revolutionized ways of acquiring and imparting knowledge, as well as the teaching-learning relationship. We are seeing ever more clearly new opportunities hidden in the COVID-19 crisis as we explore the emerging landscape of online education.
To seize new opportunities, one needs to drive change. The driving force for change comes from changes in ideas, tools, and the external environment along with the pressure it brings. In the past five months, online education has been a top priority at Tsinghua, but it is not the whole story. While vigorously carrying forward online education, Tsinghua is also driving on its established reform and development tasks, with some of the key reforms accomplished in advance.
On March 2, General Secretary Xi Jinping visited the University and gave full credit to its scientific research on outbreak prevention and control. The University had taken the immediate step of organizing 18 research teams to accelerate R&D in testing technologies, antibody drugs, vaccines, and has since achieved a series of world-leading scientific and technological outcomes. Academician Cheng Jing’s team has developed the 「Respiratory Virus Nucleic Acid Test Kit (Isothermal Amplification on Disk Chip)」 with SARS-CoV-2 among the six viruses, which has been approved by the National Medical Products Administration of China as an emergency medical device and used in the frontline of the outbreak. A 「Smart Diagnosis System」 was developed with the joint effort of the team of Dr. Dong Jiahong, Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, along with other teams. The system can complete chest CT screening of suspected cases within five to ten seconds. Over 200 monoclonal antibodies blocking SARS-CoV-2 infection and their coding genes have been isolated by Academician Zhang Linqi’s team and other teams, revealing the structural basis of the SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-biding domain bound to the ACE2 receptor and thereby laying a solid foundation for the development of therapeutic antibody drugs and vaccines. In addition, the team of Prof. Bai Jingwei has worked with other teams and developed a fully integrated home-testing device for COVID-19, enabling a fast nucleic acid test within 30 minutes without technicians or lab equipment.
On March 13, the opening ceremony for the 18th Symposium on Scientific Research was held at Tsinghua University. Themed 「Innovating Research Model to Build a World-Class University Innovation System」, the meeting further clarified the strategic goals, development paths and reform plans of the University’s scientific research in the upcoming period. We are committed to providing an underpinning for Tsinghua as it develops from an academic leader in certain fields into one across the board upon 2030. Building on the opportunity to develop key national laboratories, we are dedicated to a more important role in building strategic forces in the field of science and technology and contributing to China’s growth as a world power in the arena of technological innovation.
On April 2, the Vanke School of Public Health and Health of Tsinghua University was established. Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General Emeritus of the World Health Organization, was named the inaugural Dean of the School. The establishment of the School was rooted on major national needs and the needs of the development of human society. The School focuses on disciplines including public health policy and management, comprehensive healthcare, big data in healthcare, and preventative medicine. It is committed to training talents and leaders in the field of public health, promoting discoveries in knowledge and science, serving the country and society, and advancing international cooperation for the good of global healthcare development. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus sent a video message congratulating the establishment of the school. Our global partners including Bill Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Co-Chairs, Prof. Klaus Schwab, Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, among others, also sent their congratulations. Sending his best wishes for the School, Harvard University President Lawrence S. Bacow said: 「The world has never been more in need of such an institution. As the COVID-19 pandemic casts humanity in shadow, you promise the bright light of knowledge and wisdom.」
On June 18, Tsinghua’s Academic Degree Evaluation Committee completed the review of documents on the requirements of innovative achievements for graduate students applying for degrees from all of its educational units. On June 23, the University council approved administrative improvement measures for the academic standard of faculty appointments for all departments. After the implementation of "Tsinghua University: Recommendations on Improving the Academic Evaluation System", which was issued in April last year, the tendency of only focusing on academic grades, rate of enrolment for further education, diploma, thesis, titles and ranks was reversed. The University should return to the true spirit of academic learning, striving to a forge world-class academic grade and an excellent academic culture.
Tsinghua's thoughts and actions on online education, along with the University's efforts to promote comprehensive reform during the same period, show that Tsinghua is not just mechanically responding to a crisis, but is working to turn the crisis into an opportunity, and to accelerate the overall reform and development of the University as a whole. This is what can be learned from the long practice of education and reflects the pattern of talent cultivation. The nature of talent cultivation is determined by the nature of the University. Tsinghua aims to cultivate talent with a sense of purpose and a commitment to excellence. We not only need to inform students what purpose they should have and what excellence means, but also need to set an example for them on how to carry out our mission and how to pursue excellence. Education is happening everywhere and at all times. The effort of teachers and the University is in itself the most powerful education.
In the past five months of online teaching practice, our exploration may have been rushed and imperfect. Our efforts may not have fully achieved the desired teaching effect; but in the process, the efforts, and perseverance of all teachers are enough to bring students a profound education, one I believe students will remember and benefit for life.
The COVID-19 pandemic is nowhere near its end, but all of us can say that its profound impact on human society could surpass that of any major event or disaster in history. Whenever a major event happens, it inevitably triggered in-depth thinking and deep-level social transformation. The Black Death brought an unprecedented catastrophe to human society, but it also contributed to the awakening of rational consciousness and gave birth to the Renaissance. Humanity has experienced numerous disasters and epidemics, but not once did humanity fail to emerge from severe affliction and achieve new progress and development.
Value of University: Perspectives over a Millennium.
The pace of mankind is always moving forward, and education is always facing the future. We have to look at the value of the university from a millennial perspective. Universities are the lighthouse of human civilization – supporting a stronger future and inspiring a brighter future for all.」 In 1088, the oldest university in the world, the University of Bologna, Italy, came into existence. Ever since then, universities have found their roots in the soil of human society and set to grow and take on new missions. Under the combined influence of the failure of war, the demands of industrial development, and the school of thoughts featuring new humanism, the German educator Willhelm von Humboldt established the University of Berlin in 1810. He successfully introduced scientific research into the university, initiating a new model and marking the first step in university modernization. In 1904, President Van Hess of the University of Wisconsin proposed the "Wisconsin Plan," which gave Wisconsin two major tasks: to help the state government with the promotion of agricultural technology and correspondence education in all areas of the state. Since then, universities have written into their functions the mission of serving society along with teaching and research. Decades into the 21stcentury, universities have moved from the periphery of society to its center, playing an increasingly important role as they have been endowed with yet another mission: to preserve and enrich culture, and to advance innovation and international cooperation.
The destiny of a university is always closely intertwined with the fate of its own country and nation. World-class universities all have progressed in the course of serving the development of their own countries. In 1911, Tsinghua University was established during a time of national humiliation. Ever since then, this University has persisted on improving its virtue and refining its achievements, and has always strived for self-discipline. During the anti-Japanese war, students of the Southwest Associated University were resolute and steadfast in continuing their study, safeguarding and kindling knowledge, and passing on traditional culture. They set up an eternal monument for all educational endeavors. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Tsinghua community dedicated their lives to patriotism and excellence and devoted their youth and hard work to the places where their motherland needed them the most. Entering the new era, Tsinghua has accelerated on its path of becoming a world-class university with a more open attitude and has continually made further contributions to the development of its country, the happiness of its people, and the progress of human civilization.
During COVID-19, the global landscape is undergoing profound changes. We are convinced that under the guidance of the philosophy of a community with a shared future for mankind, we undoubtedly have the willingness to support each other in the face of difficulties, and the capacity to finally overcome the pandemic and herald a bright future. Universities must bravely shoulder their responsibilities to open up new horizons in developing higher education in a century of unprecedented changes.
Changes have already taken place in today’s higher education; yet more profound changes are still on the way. The future will be a brand-new space.
Future universities must be more open and integrative universities. Universities in the future will break through physical borders, technological limitations, and identity constraints, and will connect with society more openly. University education will achieve a more in-depth and more natural integration: in class and after class, on and off campus, domestic and foreign, online and offline. Universities that are more open and integrative will shoulder greater responsibilities.
Future learning must be more student-driven. More and more educators and learners will realize the importance of independence in education and can create and share more resources that can help in this regard. Every learner can enjoy the sense of accomplishment and happiness of learning.
Future teaching must be smarter. Information technology will continue to promote the innovation of teaching methodologies. Heuristic education will be more widely applied. Smart teaching tools will bring more teacher-student interactions, making all students able to 「enjoy seats in the front row」. Educational big data enables teachers to understand learners' behavior better and also provides researchers with first-hand research materials. Smart teaching can make learning more personalized, more inclusive, and allow students to be taught in accordance with their aptitude.
Future Education must achieve greater levels of inclusion and quality. The noble ideal of education is to provide learning for all people free of class or racial discrimination. The ultimate goal of education is to promote the all-round development of people. High-quality education will be more people-oriented. Through the cooperation and exchanges of a community with a shared future for mankind, efforts will be made to narrow the "digital divide", to create more accessible high-quality resources, and promote educational fairness.
Future world-class universities will lead with vigor. Information technology will further strengthen the spillover effect of world-class universities; the influence of these universities will continue to increase. Their leading role in developing higher education will become more prominent.
COVID-19 is the most severe and sudden global crisis of this century, and it is also the first real 「globalized pandemic」. Currently, the global economy is facing a risk of recession, with huge losses in international trade and major disruption to the global supply chain. Globalization is undergoing profound changes. The pandemic has hit all aspects, such as human health, economic growth, social development, national security and international relations. Humanity is experiencing comprehensive and far-reaching challenges. However, we still firmly believe that the goodness of humanity and social justice will eventually overcome all difficulties, and the movement towards an era of more openness and inclusiveness will never be stopped.
OnJanuary 17 this year, I visited the world’s oldest university, the University of Bologna, Italy, for the first time. Founded in 1088, the university is a time-honored institution with 932 years of history. In 2088, the university model will enter into its 1,000th year. The development of the university is a process of opening to the outside world. The opening makes the university more resilient. Resilience is a tenacious and lasting spirit, a self-improving character, and an ability to resist risk challenges. I firmly believe that universities in the future will be more open, more integrated, and more resilient, have deeper integration with society, and play a more critical role in promoting human economic and social development as well as solving the common challenges that humanity faces. The universities will play a greater role in promoting human economic and social development and solving the common challenges facing humanity. I am equally convinced that universities will play an irreplaceable role in the fight against COVID-19, and will make humanity better prepared for the next crisis, by creating knowledge, spreading ideas, and nurturing talent.