From Xin Sijin, Secretary of the Party Committee of WUT, and Yang Zongkai, President of WUT

In a blink of an eye, the year 2022 is arriving. On this special occasion, we would like to extend our most sincere New Year wishes to all the faculty, retired teachers, students, alumni from all walks of life and friends who always support WUT’s development.

The year 2021 marks the Centenary of the Communist Party of China and the first year of the 14th Five-Year Plan. In 2021, we have jointly walked into a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and effectively consolidate the achievements made in poverty alleviation in coordination with the extensive drive for rural revitalization. We have embarked on a new journey to build a modern socialist country in all respects and to realize the Second Centenary Goal. On the way pursuing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, we are full of energy and are much more confident! In 2021, all the faculty and students of WUT have been committed to striving for excellence and forged ahead in unity. We have walked hand in hand, with great determination, to build WUT into a world-class university with distinctive characteristics.

In the past year, we have always adhered to pursue excellence and been continuing to strengthen our political literacy. We have carried out “Ten Centenary” activities such as “CPC History in Song” to celebrate the Centenary of the Communist Party of China. We have constantly consolidated the political function of the university’s party organizations, and effectively inspired the enthusiasm, initiative and creativity of party members and officials. We have carried out the extensive study of the Party’s history to fully absorb wisdom and strength from and enhance our confidence and convictions through the Party’s major achievements and historical experience over the past century. . We have realized a full coverage of inspection, and the overall outlook of the official team has been continuously improved. With all these efforts, the positive and healthy political culture on the campus has been effectively consolidated.

In the past year, we have comprehensively planned for new development and ushered in a new path for facing challenges. We have seized opportunities while grasping the overall situation. For the next 30 years, we have elaborately drawn a blueprint for the 14th Five-Year development. We have promoted development through self-revolution and, focusing on the long-term development of WUT, fully deepened reform in a comprehensive way with a formidable courage which can bend a sword. We have forged ahead in the fierce competition and embarked on a new journey to build WUT into a “Double First-Class” university at a high starting point.

In the past year, we have been gathering outstanding strengths and contributing our wisdom to the country. The National Engineering Laboratory of Fiber Optic Sensing Technology (WUT), the only national scientific and technological innovation platform in the field of fiber optic sensing in China, was successfully optimized and reorganized; Hubei Longzhong Laboratory was approved and inaugurated. We have taken the initiative to serve the national strategies of Hainan Free Trade Port, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Yangtze River Economic Belt and projects for developing China’s transportation strength; we have actively participated in developing advanced scientific and technological equipment, national major projects and equipment. With the support of alumni and enterprises, we successfully held the special event Help the City of Heroes - Create New Glories Together. We also made new achievements in dovetailing with the regional development layout of Hubei Province of One Main Leading, Two Wings Driving, Territorial Synergy.

In the past year, we have continued our pursuit of excellence and have achieved a lot in the construction of disciplines and talents cultivation. We have made steady progress in the global top 1‰ disciplines, with three disciplines newly added to the global top 1% list. We had 3 new first-class doctor degree disciplines and 3 new professional doctoral programs. WUT’s Professor Fu Zhengzhi was elected as an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and academician Jiang Desheng was granted the Hubei Outstanding Talents Award. A large number of outstanding young talents of WUT emerged in the national high-level talent programs and Youth Top-notch Talent Training Program of Hubei Province.

In the past year, we have inherited the spirit of pursuing excellence, and excellent students of WUT were like stars  shining even brighter. As the only representative of national higher institutions, we delivered a typical speech on employment work in the National Conference on Employment and Entrepreneurship; a total of 918 WUT’s student teams participated in the 7th China International College Students’ “Internet +” Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, which made the new record of WUT. For the ninth time, we won the “Challenge Cup” in Hubei Province. Four new Stars of Self-improvement of Chinese College Students were added to the list, making the "Stars of WUT" glittering.

In 2021, we have strived forward through breaking the waves and won the glory after breaking though brambles and thorns. These achievements are all thanked to the concerted hard work with neither complaint nor regret from teachers, students, faculty and alumni of WUT and are the results of the efforts and sweat of those WUTers who steadily move forward. At this moment, we express thanks to all WUTers who actively adapt to the conditions of regular epidemic prevention and control, bravely face the challenges of campus development, studiously surmount the twinge brought by deepening reform and mutually promote all kinds of undertakings in WUT! Your hard work is greatly appreciated!

Let’s strive and sail out for our new journey ahead. Looking into the future, there is no plain sailing within the ongoing journey. In 2022, all teachers, students and faculty of WUT shall refuse to “lie flat” but keep diligently combating difficulty and marching ahead.

Let’s endeavor to light the ongoing path. Let’s industriously move forward towards the overall goal of “Double First Class” construction step by step with the aspiration of pursuing excellence and the striving passion of not being outdated.

Let’s keep striving gesture ahead and let it be the source of energy. Let’s concertedly picture the splendid 14th Five-Year Plan development with a sense of responsibility to make tireless efforts and the bravery of prevailing over whatever challenges that may lie ahead.

Let’s forge the key to success through hard work. Let’s carry forward “WUT Spirit”, converge “WUT Energy”, unfold “WUT Responsibility”, make efforts to build the world-class universities with distinctive features and achieve more “WUT Glories” during the path of serving the construction of a modern socialist country.

Outstanding journey can only be brought about by hard work! Let's embrace the new 2022 with full hope and present to the 20th CPC National Congress with magnificent achievements in high-quality development!

Wish you all a happy, healthy, and smooth new year and the felicity of the whole family!

Source: Administration Office of the CPC Wuhan University of Technology Committee

Rewritten by: Jiang Siyuan, Zhou Tongtong, Han Xiaolin

Photo by: Yao Hong

Edited by: Li Tiantian