On April 24, Zhejiang University held the 2015 Conference on Talent Work and presented the 1st Talent Introduction & Cultivation Award (the “Bo Le” Award). A total of 4 colleges and departments, including the Guanghua Law School, the College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, the Department of Information Science & Electronic Engineering and the School of Medicine, and 5 professors, including Li Lanjuan, Zhang Ze, Feng Xinhua, Zhang Fuchun and Bao Hujun, received the Outstanding Organization Award and the Outstanding Individual Award due to their valuable contributions in talent introduction and cultivation.

The academic prestige and social influence of a university is largely dependent upon faculty and students, among whom high-tier talents and high-caliber faculty play a core and leading role and act as key strategic resources in creating a world-class university and gaining academic edges both at home and abroad. To accelerate the construction of disciplines and talents and bring into full play the initiative of various circles in participating in talent introduction and cultivation, our university set up the Bo Le Award to commend those who make notably enormous contributions in relevant work in November, 2014.

As our university has been constantly improving policies regarding talents, optimizing resource allocation and implementing the strategy of strengthening talent work, there has been a striking rise in terms of the overall level of faculty. In 2014, the number of high-tier talents hit a record high at 60; the number of faculty selected into the Recruitment Program for Young Professionals came second among China’s institutions of tertiary education in 2014; and a total of 69 faculty members were selected into the “Hundred Talents Program”. Why are so many elite talents eager to become a member of Zhejiang University? Tang Kangrui, a professor of the Department of Chemistry, said that it benefited tremendously from an optimal system for talent development. “While discovering horses, Bo Le attaches more importance to horse-raising and horse-racing. As long as a welcoming academic atmosphere is created, it will attract more ‘sturdy steeds’”, said Zhang Ze.

Party Chief Jin Deshui put forward the requirements for forthcoming talent work. He stressed the importance of creating an ideal environment for talent introduction, cultivation and growth. “It is of supreme significance to introduce talents. We need to provide everyone with ample scope for fulfillment so that every resource can be put to best account”, said Jin.