Sichuan University is getting better and better because of West China Medical Center, and West China Medical Center (WCMC) is becoming stronger and stronger due to Sichuan University. On September 29, our university held a high-level forum on “New Medical Sciences Development and Medicine & Engineering Combination" to celebrate the 124th anniversary of the founding of SCU and the 110th anniversary of the founding of West China Medical Center.
On the morning, Yin Li, governor of Sichuan Province; Fan Ruiping, Secretary of Chengdu municipal Party committee; Wang Chen, President of Peking Union Medical College; leaders of Sichuan University, some retired leaders, representatives of medical staff, alumni, teachers and students, guests and friends from all walks of life gathered together to review the 124-year glorious history of SCU and the achievements of WCMC over 110 years. Chairman Wang Jianguo presided over the opening ceremony.
The Conference kicked off with the solemn National Anthem. Chen Zhu, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, sent in a letter her congratulations on the 124th anniversary of the founding of SCU and the 110th anniversary of the founding of WCMC. Vice President Zhang Lin read out the congratulatory letter.
On behalf of the provincial Party committee and the provincial government, Yin Li congratulated the teachers, students, staff and alumni of Sichuan University and expressed his gratitude for the great contribution SCU had made to the economic and social development of Sichuan and the country. He thanked the medical staff of West China Hospital(WCH) for the important contributions to the prevention and control of COVID-19 in China. Yin Li hoped that SCU would accomplish more original scientific works and make more contributions to the social and economic development of the region as well as the nation. The Sichuan provincial Party committee and government will continue to support SCU's development.
In his speech, President Li expressed welcome and thanks to all guests, and greetings to alumni at home and abroad. He also thanked leaders at all levels and people from all walks of life for their care, support and help. He briefly reviewed the historical achievements of Sichuan University and West China Medical Center. He said that WCMC joined SCU at the beginning of the new century, due to the inclusion of West China Medical Center, SCU has acquired a solid foundation for building a more complete system of disciplines and a first-rate comprehensive university and due to the inclusion into SCU, West China Medical Center achieved leapfrog development. He also said SCU is comprehensively accelerating the speed of building a world-class university with Chinese features with a goal of "constructing a national medical center and developing WCMC into a world-class medical institution". Looking into the future, the university will strive to build the best medical services in West China Medical Center, fully support its scientific research, take the medicine & engineering combination as its new nameplate, spare no effort to develop a first-class talent training system there, and make it the very place for more outstanding young students to pursue learning and become talents.
In his speech, Li Weimin, President of the West China Hospital/School of Medicine, said that he has witnessed the rapid development of WCMC in recent years. WCMC has achieved six breakthroughs in the fields of academicians, national platforms, high-level research papers, national science and technology awards, national key disciplines and national advanced group awards. In the meantime, it has actively undertaken social responsibility. In the prevention and control of COVID-19, it has acquired five achievements, namely, launching the emergency plan in the first time, dispatching medical professionals to Wuhan in the first time, assisting the pandemic prevention and control overseas in the first time, establishing the five-level consultation mode in the first time, and starting scientific and technological research on COVID-19 prevention and control in the first time.
The students' representative Yang Yang expressed her gratitude to the university and teachers. She said that she was proud to be a student of WCMC, Sichuan University and would inherit and carry forward its spirit. She further said that the students of SCU would study hard, cherish their university life, develop excellent skills, and take as their own responsibilities to curing patients and save lives.
Chen Fen-Er, an alumni representative and academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) from Fudan University, said in his speech that Sichuan University is an ideal place to learn and study, and a sacred palace to pass on the knowledge of science and technology. Being equipped with the knowledge, skills, spirit and strength given by their alma mater, generations of students from SCU have traveled to work in different places across the motherland and all over the world. They have contributed outstanding wisdom in the fields of politics, economy, culture, science and technology, medicine and health. He finally wished the alma mater a greater success.
In his speech, Zhan Qimin, executive vice president and director of the Peking University Health Science Center and academician of CAE, said that those who have the same aspirations will not be separated by mountains and seas. Upholding the same principles and values, Peking University and Sichuan University have always shared, since the time of founding, the same fate with the country and nation, and have always shouldered the responsibility and mission of rejuvenating the nation, contributing to the society and serving the people. He expected that in the future, Peking University and Sichuan University would hold on to the tradition, deepen cooperation, accelerate the development of world-class universities with Chinese characteristics, and make greater contributions to China's construction of a powerful country in higher education, promoting global common prosperity and better future for mankind.
Jin Li, executive vice president of Fudan University and President of Shanghai Medical College, said in his speech that Fudan University and Sichuan University, one in the east and the other in the west, have been looking out for each other since the day of their birth. They maintain a high degree of spiritual agreement, and have had friendship for a hundred years. Since the beginning of the new century, the two universities have reinforced exchanges and cooperation, especially in medical science. He expected that Fudan university and Sichuan university would strengthen cooperation and together contribute to the development of higher education, the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the progress of human civilization.
Wang Chen, vice president of Chinese Academy of Engineering and President of Peking Union Medical College, said in his speech that the 21st century is a century of medicine and life sciences, and the environment and ecology of medical development will undergo great changes. He believed that WCMC would definitely play a greater role in medical technology progress, medical system reform, medical service improvement, and make greater contributions to national development, social progress and people's health.
At the opening ceremony, the university signed a cooperation agreement regarding Chengdu Health Medical Center (Future Medical City) with Chengdu East New District and Chengdu Xingchen Group. According to the agreement, the first phase of the project (Future Medical City) will include the construction of medical service, teaching, research and production facilities in order to further promote the development of "three institutions and one park", namely a comprehensive medical center, an international medical school, a research institute and an industrial park.
In addition, SCU signed cooperation agreements respectively with Hainan Province, the city of Sanya, Boao Lecheng Administration Bureau and Hainan Development Holdings Co., Ltd.
Vice President Zhang Lin and Professor Wei Yuquan presided over the academician forum after the opening ceremony. At the forum, Wang Chen gave a report to share his thoughts on the direction of medical education. Zhan Qimin shared his insights on strengthening the combination of medicine and engineering and promoting the development of modern medicine; Jin Li introduced his latest achievements in biomedical research; and Fan Daiming spoke of his thoughts on the direction and focus of modern medicine in the wake of the pandemic.
Vice President Zhang Lin of SCU and Zhang Wei, Secretary of the Party committee of the WCSM (WCH), delivered a speech at the summit forum in the afternoon.
Witnessed by all the guests, Sichuan University Medicine & Engineering Integration Research and Transformation Platform and Sichuan University West China 5G Health Portal were officially released at the forum. These two platforms will accelerate the transformation and application of medicine & engineering integration, implement the national strategy of "Internet plus medical health", promote medical services to a new level, meet the new needs of the masses for medical health and make more contribution to the construction of Health China.
