University leaders call for sharper alignment with national priorities, stronger discipline development, and deeper academic renewal.

Sichuan International Studies University convened a meeting on March 16 to advance its Double First-Class programs development, setting priorities for the next stage of discipline building, academic planning, and institutional growth.

President Dong Hongchuan addressed the meeting, which was chaired by Vice President Hu Anjiang. Attendees included deans of schools and colleges offering graduate programs, as well as leaders of administrative departments.

The meeting reviewed recent policy guidance and discussed key areas of work tied to the university’s Double First-Class development agenda, including adjustments of academic disciplines and programs, preparations for the next round of discipline assessment, and continued efforts to strengthen the quality of academic programs.

In his remarks, Dong outlined three priorities for the work ahead.

First, he said, the university must appreciate what it means to pursue Double First-Class development in the current context and plan its work from three perspectives: what the nation needs, what Chongqing requires, and what SISU is positioned to contribute. That means embedding the university’s development in broader national and local priorities, taking stock of progress already made, identifying current shortcomings, and defining the most important tasks for the next phase. 

Second, Dong called on the university to maintain a clear focus on its development goals and to concentrate its efforts on achieving visible results. With the aim of building a first-class foreign studies university and a first-class foreign-language discipline, he said, SISU should treat discipline development as a central driver of progress. He urged stronger work in talent cultivation, research, and social service, along with better coordination of high-quality resources across the university, so that SISU can produce a group of distinctive and signature achievements during the current stage of development.

A third priority, Dong said, was to expand international education at SISU while continuing to renew its disciplines and academic programs. Guided by the development of the New Liberal Arts Initiative, he said, the university should deepen reform of its “Foreign Languages Plus” model for cultivating high-level interdisciplinary talent, promote closer integration between foreign-language studies and other fields, and incorporate digital and intelligent technologies throughout the educational process. 

Hu closed the meeting by calling for strong execution in the next phase of work. He urged units across the university to move ahead with higher standards, more concrete measures, and greater resolve to ensure that each initiative is implemented effectively.