​Shenzhen MSU-BIT University Holds Celebration for the 41st Teachers’ Day and 2025 Mid-Year Work Summary Conference

“Strengthen the spirit of education and empower teachers with the dedication of true educators, composing a new chapter in building a strong nation through education.” On the afternoon of September 10, Shenzhen MSU-BIT University (SMBU) held a grand ceremony to celebrate the 41st Teachers’ Day and the 2025 Mid-Year Work Summary Conference. The event was attended by President and Deputy Party Secretary Li Hezhang, First Vice President Sergey Nikolaevich Ivanchenko, and Deputy Party Secretary and Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission Chen Chaofeng, along with heads of faculties, centers, and administrative departments, middle-level managers, and all teaching and administrative staff without scheduled classes or official duties. The conference was hosted by Assistant to the President and Director of the University Administrative Office Xie Huanxin.

During the conference, Deputy Party Secretary and Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission Chen Chaofeng announced the university’s commendation decisions. Twenty-seven faculty and staff members, including Viktor Petrovich Ilyutko, received the Five-Year Service Award in recognition of their dedication and long-term contributions to the university. One hundred and eighteen faculty members, including Alexander Vladimirovich Ledenev, were honored with the title of Outstanding Staff of 2024 for their exceptional performance and professionalism. Additionally, thirteen faculty members, including Zhao Yanmeng, were awarded the title of Outstanding Moral Education Mentor of 2024 for their exemplary commitment to student guidance and moral education. The university also announced the results of the 2025 “Nan Yue Outstanding Teacher” and “Nan Yue Outstanding Educator” selection: Elena Viktorovna Samaryova was recognized as a Nan Yue Outstanding Teacher, and Xie Huanxin received the honor of Nan Yue Outstanding Educator. Subsequently, the university leadership presented awards to the recipients of the Five-Year Service Award and the Outstanding Moral Education Mentor of 2024 in recognition of their dedication and exemplary performance, aiming to honor excellence and set inspiring examples for all faculty and staff.

The conference also featured an oath-taking ceremony for newly appointed faculty members. University leaders presented the newcomers with university badges and took commemorative photos with them. “I pledge to abide by the laws and regulations of China, and to respect the cultural customs of all nations. I will uphold the principles of moral integrity and education, striving to become a good teacher with firm ideals and beliefs, noble character, solid knowledge, and a benevolent heart. Together, we will work in unity to advance the high-quality development of Shenzhen MSU-BIT University!” Twenty-four newly appointed faculty members raised their right hands and solemnly took the oath.

Academician Leila Namazova-Baranova of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professor at the Artificial Intelligence Research Institute, and Academician Alex Kot Chichung of the Academy of Engineering, Singapore, Chief Scientist of the Faculty of Engineering, delivered speeches as faculty representatives.

Drawing on her decades of deep engagement in her professional field, Academician Namazova-Baranova shared her remarkable achievements in scientific research and youth talent cultivation. She encouraged young scholars to set clear goals, make well-structured plans, make good use of their mentors’ wisdom, and move forward with determination—believing that life holds infinite possibilities for those who persevere.

Academician Alex Kot, drawing on his decades of teaching experience, shared a series of practical and effective teaching methods. He emphasized the importance of remembering each student’s name and engaging with them personally, asking questions tailored to their learning levels, adjusting the pace of instruction based on students’ responses, and acting as a “conductor” in the classroom to inspire students’ enthusiasm for learning.

President Li Hezhang delivered a speech titled “Empowering Teachers and Cultivating Talent: Advancing Toward a New Stage of High-Quality Development.” On behalf of the university, he extended his sincere holiday greetings and highest respect to all Chinese and international faculty and staff who have been working diligently on the front lines of teaching, research, administration, and service.

President Li Hezhang noted that since 2025, Shenzhen MSU-BIT University has fully implemented the guiding principles of the National Education Conference, the Plan for Building a Strong Education Nation, and the Joint Statement between China and Russia on Further Deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Coordination. He emphasized that the university adheres to an integrated approach that coordinates education, science and technology, and talent development, with a firm focus on connotative (quality-oriented) growth. With the goal of achieving by 2030 a position among the top tier of Sino-foreign cooperative universities and maintaining its status as the leading China-Russia cooperative university, the entire SMBU community has been working in unity and with determination, driving remarkable progress across all areas. President Li reviewed the university’s accomplishments in the first half of 2025 across six key areas: academic disciplines and programs, student cultivation, faculty development, scientific research and social service, international exchange and cultural cooperation, and university governance and Party building.

Focusing on the theme of the 41st Teachers’ Day, President Li Hezhang put forward three key points: First, he emphasized the importance of strengthening the spiritual foundation of educators. Teachers should deeply understand the essence of the “spirit of the educator”—embodying ideals such as “serving the nation with sincerity and devotion” and “teaching by words and exemplifying through actions.” These values, he said, should become a shared moral compass and identity, shaping the spiritual core of the university’s educators. Second, he called for consolidating the moral foundation of teaching by launching the 2025 “Teacher Ethics Education Month.” Through thematic studies, seminars, and case-based discussions, the initiative aims to foster an atmosphere of “cultivating virtue, teaching with integrity, and guiding with morality,” thereby laying a solid ethical groundwork for building a high-quality, professional, and innovative faculty team. Third, he urged teachers to embody the mission of strong teaching through action, upholding the educational philosophy of “virtue as the foundation, culture as the soul, scholarship as the base, and practice as the source.” He encouraged faculty members to implement the university’s “culture–science–innovation” integrated talent development model and to strive to become “bridges of Sino-Russian cultural exchange,” “igniters of students’ curiosity,” “pioneers of educational reform,” and “mentors who shape students’ character and growth.”

President Li Hezhang called on all faculty and staff to uphold the spirit of the educator as their guiding banner, to strengthen their moral foundation, and to forge ahead with dedication and perseverance. He encouraged everyone to transform the celebration of Teachers’ Day into a driving force for progress, working together to write a new chapter in the high-quality development of Shenzhen MSU-BIT University.

Before the official start of the conference, a short film titled “Our Stories of Education” was screened, conveying heartfelt holiday greetings to all faculty and staff.

In addition, on Teachers’ Day, the university’s property service provider, Mingzhe Group, presented flowers to all teachers, expressing warm appreciation for their hard work and dedication, and adding a heartfelt touch to the festive atmosphere.