On February 18, Shenzhen Polytechnic University held a grand Youth Teacher Development Conference at the Xili Lake Campus Gymnasium. The theme of the event was “Promoting the Spirit of Educators and Supporting the Growth and Success of Young Teachers”. Over 1,000 attendees participated, including university leaders, members of the Party Committee, middle-level management from teaching and research units, young full-time teachers, counselors, researchers, as well as staff from the Organization Department, Personnel Department, Student Affairs Office, Academic Affairs Office, Research Office, Office of International Exchange and Cooperation, and the Labor Union. The conference was chaired by Wang Hui, the university’s Vice Party Secretary.

The Youth Teacher Development Conference was held at the Xili Lake campus gymnasium.

The conference began with a screening of the themed video “Growing Together with Shenzhen Polytechnic University”. The video vividly and emotionally showcased the journey of young teachers growing alongside the university, inspiring a deep sense of passion and mission towards the cause of vocational education.

Following the video, six teacher representatives, including Liu Dong, Wang Hongying, Song Zhendong, Guan Minglei, Wei Changning, and Sun Yi, took turns sharing their experiences and insights gained from their educational and teaching practices. Their speeches not only highlighted the qualities of Shenzhen Polytechnic University’s faculty but also provided valuable guidance and inspiration to the young teachers in attendance.

Chen Dongni, Director of the Personnel Department, provided a detailed explanation of the “Shenzhen Polytechnic University Measures for Promoting the Development of Young Teachers (2025–2035)” (Draft for Consultation). The measures offer comprehensive policy support for young teachers in areas such as career development, research support, and teaching innovation. The goal is to unleash the potential of young teachers and help them achieve self-improvement in their future educational and research work, contributing more wisdom and strength to the university’s development.

In her motivational speech, Wang Hui emphasized that young teachers are a new force in vocational education and possess unique advantages. They are the core drivers of reforms in vocational undergraduate education, curriculum development, and scientific research innovation. With vocational education now facing unprecedented opportunities for growth, young teachers should take the lead, embrace challenges, and continually enhance their overall quality and teaching abilities. She also highlighted that the university must provide more support and guarantees to help young teachers grow and succeed.

In the second part of the conference, Party Secretary Yang Xinbin delivered a special report titled “Mastering the Art of Curriculum Development: Strengthening Teachers by Understanding the Essence of the Curriculum”. He thoroughly explained the key role young teachers play in the university’s development, stating that they are crucial to achieving the goal of “redefining vocational technical universities”. He outlined the development goals and pathways for young teachers, including in teaching, research, and management, and assured that the university would offer corresponding incentives and support measures. Drawing on the experiences of world-class universities and the German Technical Universities (TU), Yang provided valuable references for young teachers. Finally, he outlined his expectations for their growth, including developing a comprehensive knowledge system, integrating foundational disciplines, focusing on career development, deeply engaging in the industry frontline, and solidifying teaching abilities. He encouraged young teachers to embrace the “First Principle Thinking” approach, think like Luhmann, internalize development momentum, and continuously improve themselves, contributing to the university’s growth.

(Text/Yang Zhang, Personnel Department; Photos/Zhang Lei, Publicity Department)