The School of Earth System Science convened its spring semester teaching and learning meeting on March 19, 2026, to map out key priorities spanning faculty teaching policies, undergraduate and graduate education, and graduate employment initiatives.
Associate Dean Professor Xiaodong Li, unpacked the university’s newly rolled-out evaluation policy for teaching-focused faculty roles. He also led discussions on undergraduate enrollment trends, student placement arrangements, and the optimization of training programs.
Dean Professor Congqiang Liu, underscored that teaching quality stands as the core benchmark of the school’s competitive strength. He called for a fundamental mindset shift from a "research-first" culture to one that prioritizes talent development, introducing the concept of "precision education." This approach entails bolstering foundational training for undergraduates while nurturing innovative thinking in graduate programs. To turn this vision into action, Dean Liu laid out three concrete measures: developing high-quality "golden courses" that blend academic rigor with practical relevance, compiling standardized, up-to-date teaching materials and syllabi, and building cross-disciplinary collaborative teaching teams to elevate the school’s overall educational capacity.
