The 2020 “First-rate universities and disciplines” Mathematics Construction Alliance Conference was held in Tianjin
From Nankai University News Network (Reporter and Photographer: Wei Chengjin): Hosted by the Mathematics “First-rate universities and disciplines” Construction Alliance and organized by Nankai University, the 2020 “First-rate universities and disciplines” Mathematics Construction Alliance Conference was held in Tianjin on November 7. Cao Xuetao, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and president of Nankai University, and Tian Gang, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and chairman of the Chinese Mathematical Society, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches. More than 30 well-known mathematics experts and scholars from more than 20 universities in China, including members of the Alliance, attended the conference.
Cao Xuetao met with Tian Gang and other participating experts and scholars before the opening ceremony.
Cao Xuetao, on behalf of Nankai University, extended his congratulations on the conference convening and welcomed the arrival of all guests in his opening speech. He also expressed his gratitude to experts and scholars for their long-term support for Nankai University’s Mathematics. He mentioned that mathematics is the traditional mainstay of Nankai University, evolving from the Department of Arithmetic founded by Mr. Jiang Lifu in 1920, the second department of mathematics among Chinese universities at that time and one of the earliest disciplines established by Nankai University. This year is the 100th anniversary of its founding. Cao Xuetao appreciated all the guests for coming to Tianjin and Nankai University to discuss the development of mathematics.
Since the founding of the “First-rate universities and disciplines” Mathematics Construction Alliance, it has played an increasingly important role in gathering consensus and strength and building platforms, promoting the reform and innovation of mathematics construction in China, speeding up the development of China’s mathematics, and prompting China to become a mathematics power. He believed this conference would leave its mark on the history of alliance construction. Cao Xuetao also emphasized that General Secretary Xi Jinping gave an important speech at a symposium of scientists this September, expecting scientists and scientific and technological workers to assume their historical responsibilities, keep putting a high value on the global technological frontiers, main economic battlefield, the national major demands, and people’s life and health, and explore the breadth and depth of science and technology. The General Secretary’s speech clarified the development direction for China’s science and technology industry. The Alliance shall also be guided to the “Four Orientations” and be more active in gathering major scientific topics, leading international mathematics programs and major projects, supporting collaborative interdisciplinary integration, serving regional reforms and significant development strategies, and innovating industry-university-research cooperation models.
Tian Gang thanked Nankai University for organizing this conference in his speech. According to him, Nankai University’s mathematics has made outstanding achievements after a hundred years of development, and has become an important centre for mathematics research and education in China. It is of great significance for Nankai University to be the organizer of this conference.
China’s mathematics has made remarkable results in introducing and training talents in recent years, as Tian Gang pointed out, all credited to the joint efforts of colleagues across the country and the support of foreign and domestic friends. This is gratifying and encourages us to move towards a higher goal, which is the goal of “First-rate universities and disciplines” Construction. China is now a major mathematics country, but we aim to become a mathematics power. At present, the development of mathematics is facing both opportunities and challenges. As a superior platform for exchanges between scientists from different domestic universities, the conference hosted by “First-rate universities and disciplines” Mathematics Construction Alliance will focus on discussing the challenges and problems of the development of mathematics across the universities, which will be critical to the construction of the “First-rate universities and disciplines” and become a conference of historical significance. Tian Gang hoped that mathematics scholars across the country would be cooperative and collaborative to strive for the construction of a mathematics power as soon as possible.
The opening ceremony was followed by a top forum, covering topics such as the improvement of the Alliance’s organizational structure, selection of the chairman organization and vice-chairman organization of the alliance council, discussion and approval of the Alliance Charter, Alliance Development Plan, etc., as well as the in-depth debate of talent selection and training model.
It is stated that China has attached more importance to mathematics in recent years. In January 2018, the State Council issued the “Several Opinions on Comprehensively Strengthening Basic Scientific Research,” proposing to place more emphasis on key basic disciplines such as mathematics and physics. The Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Education, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Natural Science Foundation of China jointly formulated the “Work Plan for Strengthening Mathematical Research” in August 2019, stressing
the importance of mathematical research and giving continuous and stable support to basic mathematics in all aspects. The development of mathematics is at this moment embracing unprecedented opportunities and challenges. In this context, the First-rate universities and disciplines Mathematics Construction Alliance was set up at Peking University on January 11, 2019, to lead the reform and innovative development of China’s mathematics construction and further the construction of mathematics power.
Editor: Wu Junhui