Nineteen Students Stands out in SJC’s Fifth Top-Notch Academic Talent Cultivation Qualification Program

The qualification program for top-notch academic talent cultivation in 2021-2022 academic year launched by the School of Journalism and Communication (SJC) of Renmin University of China was held in Mingde News Building on December 8, 2021. It was divided into two sessions, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. Before the opening of the second session, Professor Hu Baijing, Vice President and member of the Standing Committee of China’s Communist Party Committee of Renmin University of China, arrived at the scene to express his gratitude to the experts, and encouraged the students to give their best performance.

After the open selection, a total of 19 student were selected in the top-notch talent cultivation program, including the 2020 doctoral students Zhang Shichao, Jing Tian, Ding Yiran, Guo Huiling, the 2021 doctoral students Chen Sirui, Zhang Wei, Chen Yuheng, Xue Tingyu, the 2020 master students Mi Xiangyue, Yi Junming, Ding Muhan, Li Yaoyu, the 2018 undergraduate Xie Lezi, the 2019 undergraduates Lv Xing, Wang Ziyi, Cao Qiuer, Zhang Tenghua, Chen Yaoyi, and the 2020 undergraduate Li Yifei. SJC will carry out project-based management to the students selected for the training plan, provide special scientific research funding, give priorities in recommending overseas exchanges, joint training and learning activities, and assign experts to provide targeted scientific research guidance in order to pay close attention to the academic progress of the selected candidates.

Zhang Huifeng, secretary of China’s Communist Party Committee of SJC, attended the event and delivered a speech. He introduced that the “Top-notch Academic Talents Cultivation Program in Journalism and Communication” is a beneficial attempt to cultivate talents, which encourages students interested in academic research to embark on a standardized scientific research path as soon as possible. Zhang pointed out that the program would offer resource support for the students selected and hoped the program to provide more academic talents for the development of journalism and communication studies.

Han Xiaoning, deputy dean of SJC, hosted the program and presented the general situation of the fifth selection of top academic talents. According to Han, a total of 33 students who met the application conditions participated in the on-site selection, including 17 doctoral students, 5 master students, and 11 undergraduate students, which made the selection to be the one attracting most candidates to participate in five years. Han expects more students to participate in the selection of the top-notch talent cultivation program to improve their academic abilities.

The expert committee for this selection is chaired by Professor Gao Guiwu, director of the Department of Broadcasting in SJC. Members of the committee include Professor Wen Xue, head of the Communication studies in the School of Languages and Communication Studies in Beijing Jiaotong University, Professor Ding Hanqing, deputy dean of the School of Journalism and Communication in Beijing Normal University, Professor Du Zhitao, deputy dean of the School of Journalism and Communication in University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Professor Gu Jie, director of the Department of Media Convergence and Communication in the Television School of Communication University of China, Professor Zhang Sen, assistant dean of Guangming School of Journalism and Communication in China University of Political Science and Law, Associate Professor Mao Zhanwen, deputy dean of the School of Journalism and Communication in Minzu University of China, Associate Professor Zhang Li and Associate Professor Chen Liang from the School of Journalism and Communication in Tsinghua University, Professor Li Biao, deputy dean of SJC, and Professor Lin Shengdong, Professor Wang Bin, and Dr. Zhou Yushu from SJC.

The selection took the form of open interview and competitive election. Applicants first explained their personal research plans, and then answered questions from the judges. The expert committee later selected the finalists based on the applicants’ research plans and performances on the scene.

After the applicants’ presentations, the expert committee made a summary and comment on the students' performance.

Wen Xue pointed out that under the background of interdisciplinary integration, the subjects proposed by the students revealed their in-depth interdisciplinary thoughts in sociology, political science, ethics, etc., which reflected the exploration of journalism and communication in the "new liberal arts" research and construction and the leading and exemplary role of SJC in the development of journalism and communication.

Zhang Li pointed out that the discipline of journalism and communication is originated from an interdisciplinary background and has interdisciplinary characteristics. She believed that it’s worth of encouragement since all the students chose their research topics on the basis of their own interests, which covered a wide range of topics and explored the boundaries of disciplines. Zhang suggested that students should strengthen the research design in future academic studies, and should find out the suitable research methods and ways to make their own research and thinking more mature.

Ding Hanqing indicated that after several years of development, the mechanism of "Top-notch Academic Talent Cultivation Program" in SJC has become more and more mature, producing rich academic achievements. She praised the good academic atmosphere of SJC, and students’ research topics that are rich, novel, close to life and of the value of the times. She suggested that students should lay a solid academic foundation, attach importance to the research of predecessors, and follow academic norms, so that they can go further and more steadily on their academic paths.

Du Zhitao affirmed the students' research topics and put forward several suggestions. He pointed out that in academic research, researchers should always hold the problem awareness and adhere to the problem orientation to concentrate on the research problem itself. Students should pay attention to the study of theory in order to combine research methods with theories and problems, and to avoid the overuse or show-off of methods. He expected students to make substantive efforts in academic research.

Finally, Gao Guiwu, chairman of the selection expert committee, summarized the qualification program on behalf of the experts. He praised the demeanor, defined academic quality and accomplishment of SJC students who participated in the selection. He hoped that the students could listen to the opinions and suggestions put forward by the judges to improve their research and academic ability, and to keep on their academic path.

In order to promote the “double first-class” construction of the discipline of journalism and communication in Renmin University of China, SJC has expanded the talent training mode, cultivated academic reserve forces, and established a comprehensive training mechanism for undergraduates, master and doctoral students. SJC has implemented the "Top-notch Academic Talents Cultivation Program in Journalism and Communication Discipline" since 2017. For now, the fifth qualification program has been successfully launched, and nearly 80 students participate in it.

(Group photo of teachers and students in the morning and afternoon sessions)

Author: Xiao Wenqing, Li Chunqiang, Ying Yingwen

Photography: Liu Qian, Qiu Beichen

Cinematography: Hao Tong, Yang Lei

Editor: Guan Yilun

Translator: Chen Ran