On the afternoon of October 17, 2023, the youth teacher salon and the annual meeting of the “Youth Teacher Development Advisory Group” were held in Room 102, Zone 3 of the West Main Building of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Applied Electronics (EEA). Guo Qinglai, Deputy Director of the Teacher Development Center, Kang Chongqing, Dean of EEA, and Yu Xinjie, Secretary of the Department Party Committee, along with the third group of appointed youth teacher career development mentors, newly joined young teachers, and 17 young teachers from the EEA participated in the event. The meeting was presided over by Wu Wenchuan, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of EEA.

At the meeting

Yu Xinjie delivered a speech

At the meeting, Yu Xinjie, Secretary of EEA’s Party Committee, first introduced the development and changes of the Youth Teacher Development Mentor Group over the past three years. He emphasized that the group aims to help young teachers quickly adapt to their roles, establish a solid foundation, enhance professional abilities, and provide long-term feedback for future career development and promotion. Additionally, he encouraged young teachers to actively participate and conveyed the leadership's importance of the “Youth Teacher Development Mentor Group”.

Li Shisong gave a speech

Subsequently, young teacher Li Shisong shared his experiences and growth over the past year, summarizing the lessons and gains he learned from different mentors. He also shared his new insights and understanding of the mentorship system, expressing gratitude to Yu Xinjie for guidance and support. He concluded by offering suggestions for the development of the mentorship system.

Zhang Pinjia gave a speech

Representing the youth teacher career development mentor in 2022, Zhang Pinjia acknowledged the significant help provided by the mentorship system to young teachers. He highlighted that guiding young teachers is also a learning process for mentors, promoting their own development. He expressed gratitude for the support within the department and hoped that the mentorship system would become an essential platform for promoting interdisciplinary communication.

Awarding certificates to new young teachers and their career development mentors for 2023

Kang Chongqing, Dean of EEA, announced the appointment of four new young teachers and their career development mentors for 2023, extending a warm welcome. Guo Qinglai and Yu Xinjie jointly presented appointment certificates to the newly appointed career development mentors for young teachers in 2023.

Guo Qinglai gave a speech

Guo Qinglai, Deputy Director of the Teacher Development Center, stated that the “Youth Teacher Career Development Mentorship System” had transitioned from pilot programs in several departments to a university-level system last year. He hoped that, ultimately, the system would evolve from establishing procedures to cultivating a culture. He encouraged everyone to work together for the development of young teachers, believing that the personnel development in the department would continue to improve.

Wu Chao gave a speech

During the salon, young teachers actively spoke, expressing their thoughts and feelings about the mentorship system. As the representative of young teachers, Wu Chao shared four understandings of the mentorship system. Firstly, he emphasized the strong support from mentor and advisory teams. Secondly, he highlighted the strong bond formed between young teachers and mentors through the mentorship system. Thirdly, he pointed out that the atmosphere created by the mentorship system not only allows young teachers to receive help from mentors but also strengthens communication among young teachers. Lastly, he expressed his hope for finding his direction and positioning in teaching and research within the next year.

Huang Songling gave a speech

Senior professor Huang Songling shared his experiences of receiving help from mentors in the past, affirming the benefits of the mentorship system for the professional development of young teachers. He advised young teachers to make good use of this system, consulting on various issues beyond teaching and research.

Kang Chongqing gave a speech

Finally, in his concluding remarks, Kang Chongqing pointed out that EEA’s personnel structure is undergoing significant changes, with professors retiring continuously. Therefore, the cultivation of young teachers is a key focus for the department. The introduction of the mentorship system by the university, with EEA as a pioneer, is a rare and positive development. He hoped that this system would allow young teachers to take root in the fertile soil of EEA and provide them with better growth opportunities. Additionally, Kang Chongqing made three requests for the development of young teachers: taking the main road, setting lofty ideals, and accomplishing great things; avoiding detours, learning from the experiences of predecessors, and allocating energy reasonably and effectively; and not taking crooked paths, looking to predecessors as a mirror, and walking a straight path in both learning and personal development. He also encouraged young teachers to gain insights from their future work actively and to seek advice from mentors and senior teachers, allowing the mentorship system to manifest in their daily activities.