“Building a transportation powerhouse with railways, supporting higher education in border areas”—A report on the exchange and learning activity to the west, by the faculty Party branch of the Department of Highway & Railway Engineering

To welcome the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, with the strong support from the party committee of the School of Civil Engineering (SCE) and Southwest Jiaotong University (SWJTU), the faculty Party branch of the Department of Highway & Railway Engineering of SCE sent an expert delegation to the western places such as Urumqi and Hotan, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (hereafter “Xinjiang”). The purpose was to carry out exchange activities in response to the “transportation powerhouse” strategy, the “Supporting Xinjiang” and the “rural revitalization” plans. By doing so, the exchange and cooperation between the university and those places in Xinjiang were promoted; the strength of highway & railway engineering discipline and branch members’ expertise were fully utilized; contributions were made to Xinjiang regional construction and talent cultivation. The exchange activity was conducted from May 16 to 20, 2021.

With the glorious and historical tradition of “the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea”, the faculty party branch of SCE, SWJTU, is a model branch for Party building. The branch is responsible for the cultivation of undergraduates majoring in civil engineering, railway engineering, road and bridge and river-crossing. The branch also undertakes the construction of road and railway engineering, a secondary discipline under transportation engineering. Internationally, the Party branch has a remarkable reputation for academic research and innovations. The Party branch is also known for its glorious tradition—“follow the Party, fight to win”. The exchange activity to Xinjiang attracted attention from the branch members, and the expert delegation of nine professors: Prof. Yi Sirong, Prof. Qiu Yanjun, Prof. Jiang Guanlu, Prof. Li Yuanfu, Prof. Liu Changqing, Prof. Liu Xianfeng, Prof. Yang Rongshan, Prof. He Qing and Prof. Yang Enhui, was sent to Xinjiang to carry out a 5-day party building activity including learning and exchanging.

Figure 1 A Group Photo of the delegation at the gate of Xinjiang Institute of Engineering.

The delegation paid the first visit to the School of Civil Engineering, Xinjiang Institute of Engineering (XJIE). As the leader of the “Supporting Xinjiang” plan, after Prof. Liu Xianfeng’s inauguration as the dean of the School of Civil Engineering, XJIE, he has paid several visits to SWJTU and discussed the supporting plans at various levels, including institutional cooperation, disciplinary construction and talent cultivation, which laid solid foundation for the smooth implementation of this activity. Miss Lin Lin, the secretary of the school of civil engineering, XJIE, introduced to everyone the special targeted one-for-one cultivation initiative—following the party building and combining ideological lessons with “three-going-into, two-connecting and one-making-friends”. The delegation deeply appreciated the hardship of cultivating people with the poplar spirit and running a university in the frontier. During the seminar, the delegation exchanged experience and opinions on talent cultivation, project application and the construction of curriculum system.

Then, Prof. Yi Sirong, Prof. Qiu Yanting, Prof. Jiang Guanlu and Prof. Li Yuanfu, in their own expertise, gave lectures titled “Systematic Reform of Engineering Talent Cultivation Based on OBE and CQI”, “Civil Engineering in Discipline Construction”, “Development of Subgrade Engineering in China’s High-speed Railway” and “Development Prospects and Challenges Faced by Architecture Sector”. The professors introduced to all the faculty and students in XJIE, about China’s education system reform, discipline construction and the cutting-edge development at home and abroad.

Figure 2 The Delegation and faculty of Xinjiang Institute of Engineering in the Seminar.

Figure 3 Four professors give lectures.

In the afternoon of May 17, the delegation discussed in the seminar with Gomanjiang Aili, president of XJIE, Feng Bo and Wang Jianmin, vice president of XJIE, Lu Shejiao, secretary of Discipline Inspection Commission, Zhang Yong, the minister of the organization department of the standing committee of the party, and other leaders from the Departments of Development and Planning, educational administration, academic research and the School of Civil Engineering. In terms of railway engineering, the two sides exchanged opinions on such aspects as talent cultivation, discipline construction, curriculum planning and faculty development. Eight members of the delegation were appointed to be the guest professors of XJIE. The activity was reported in detail on the official website of XJIE the next day.

Figure 4 The delegation and school deaders of Xinjiang Institute of Engineering in the Seminar

Figure 5 Xinjiang Institute of Engineering reports the appointment ceremony of guest professors.

After the ceremony, the delegation visited the campus of XJIE, the exhibition hall of Xinjiang coal industry, moral education and the classic red exhibition of the Party history. While visiting the ideological and cultural construction of the Party, all the delegates reviewed the Party history, read the Party classics and learned about the Party history, culture and thought.

Figure 6 The Delegation visits the Party history collection of Xinjiang Institute of Engineering.

Figure 7 The delegation visits the moral education of Xinjiang Institute of Engineering.

On May 18, the delegation went to Hotan city, the hinterland of southern Xinjiang, where the delegation happened to come across a group of “Supporting Xinjiang” members doing family-visiting activities. The group was headed by Li Yuhong, the secretary of XJIE, and Wang Zengguo, the deputy secretary of XJIE. The delegation conducted a seminar with the “Supporting Xinjiang” members. Secretary Li Yuhong introduced the work team of XJIE stationed in Gia town, Hotan city, and the arduous work made by poverty alleviation faculty. Secretary Li Yuhong also invited the delegation to have an in-depth conversation with the work team so that they could know the detailed information of rural revitalization. Later, the delegation paid a visit to the patriotism education base in Xinjiang where they got to know the strategy of moistening Xinjing via culture, the strategic thread of enhancing the sense of Chinese community and China’s highly effective policy to govern the border areas.

Figure 8 A Group photo of the delegation and staff led by the secretary of Xinjiang Institute of Engineering

Figure 9 The delegation visits the patriotism education base in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region.

In the morning of May 19, the delegation was invited to Kutazbayri village, Korpomari village, Caucha village, Hotan city and desert poplar base where the delegation deepened the understanding of the remarkable achievement of China’s rural revitalization and economic and cultural construction in the border areas. The delegation visited each village’s base for practicing Party building education, Tuanjie square, the theme promenade for national unity education, the party building theme park etc., during which the delegation conducted meetings with the stationed work teams. During the seminars and visits, the work teams were seen at the frontline to handle concrete affairs for the people, solve practical difficulties for the people, fuel the regional economy and enhance the achievements of the Chinese nation’s ideological community. After the visit to the local Party building base for culture construction and reviewing the vows for Party-joining, all the delegates deeply felt the importance of base party building, the hardships of constructing the national border areas and the remarkable achievements of party building in the border areas.

Figure 10 The seminar between the delegation and the stationed work team in Kutazbayli Village.

Figure 11 The delegation visits the themed gallery for national unity education.

Figure 12 The delegation visits the desert poplar base.

Figure 13 The delegation visits the Party building base for culture construction.

Figure 14 The delegation reviews the vows for Party-joining.

In the “Supporting Xinjiang” plan that has been implemented for years, the Party branch fully utilized the strength of highway & railway engineering discipline and branch members’ expertise. During the 5-day exchange and visit, the Party branch offered ideas and plans for Xinjiang regional construction and talent cultivation; all the delegates gained a lot. Based on the exchange and visit, the Party branch will further deepen the work in Xinjiang and spare no efforts to aid China’s border areas to construct universities and cultivate talents.

While in Xinjiang, the Party branch also had close conversation with the alumni majoring in transportation and urban construction industry. During the 14th five-year-plan, the infrastructure in Xinjiang will make fast progress with high quality development as its focus, which also provides our discipline construction with sufficient application scenarios and continuous opportunities for cooperation. In the large areas of Xinjiang, there is a lot to be done by faculty and students of highway and railway engineering. Following SCE and SWJTU Party committee, the Party branch have made up its mind to carry on its role as the battle fortress and the exemplary role of all Party members in order to earn new achievements for the transportation powerhouse.

The activity gained strong support from the Hotan municipal government, SCE, the School of Rural Revitalization and XJIE.