Dear teachers, students, alumni, and friends：

As time progresses and a new year approaches, at the moment of welcoming 2025, we, on behalf of the University of South China and in our personal capacity, extend our sincere New Year greetings to all faculty, staff, students, retired comrades, alumni, and friends from all sectors of society who have long cared for and supported the development of the University of South China.

2024 marked the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Itwas a crucial year for the implementation of the 14th Five-Year Plan and also an important year for the school to pursue reform and innovation and strive to write a new chapter in the construction of a high-level university. Throughout the year, the whole school thoroughly studied and implemented Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, deepened reform and innovation centering on high-quality development, and further enhanced the school's comprehensive strength and influence.

This year, we have carried out in-depth study and education on Party discipline, making Party building stronger and more effective. We have thoroughly studied and implemented Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, comprehensively strengthened Party discipline construction, firmly safeguarded the "Two Establishments" and resolutely ensured the "Two Upholds" in promoting reform tasks and solving development problems, and effectively transformed the achievements of Party discipline study and education into a powerful driving force for promoting reform and development. Two national model Party branches and benchmark branches have been added, and two cultivation projects of the "Strong Country Campaign" special action for "double-leader" teacher Party branch secretaries in national and provincial universities have been approved. Adhering to the tenet of "acquiring knowledge, enlightening wisdom and nourishing the heart", we regularly hold Xinzhi Academy Lectures every two weeks. We have continued to give play to the exemplary leading role. The Advanced Nuclear Energy Technology Design and Safety Team has been rated as the "National Worker's Pioneer", the Infertility and Endocrinology Department of Nanhua Hospital and the Affiliated Maternal and Child Health Hospital has won the honor of being an advanced collective in the national health system. Teacher Ding Dexin has been selected as a candidate for the national moral model, and student Wang Meiling has been rated as a "Good Chinese". One person has won the "National Excellent Teacher" award, two people have won the "National May 1st Labor Medal", and two people have won the "Advanced Worker in the National Health System" award. By adhering to telling the stories of Nanhua well, the comprehensive influence of the school's WeChat official account, video account and Douyin account has entered the top 100 among universities in China, and the school's reputation has been further enhanced.

In this year, we have been consistently promoting the integrated advancement of education, science and technology, and talent, and reaching a new level in high-quality development. We have adhered to the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education, scientifically revised talent cultivation programs, adjusted and optimized credit hours, made great efforts to improve teaching and experimental conditions, reduced the burdens on teachers and students and empowered them. Our achievements in the National Teaching Innovation Competition for Teachers ranked second among provincial universities, the total number of projects approved in the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program for College Students ranked among the top three among provincial universities, and the initial employment rate of graduates reached 90%. We have unswervingly adhered to the strategy of strengthening the university with talents. Throughout the year, 34 high-level talents were introduced and cultivated, 4 people were selected for national talent projects, 19 scholars were included in the list of the world's top 2% leading scientists, and 12 high-level talents were newly added to the Hunan Provincial Furong Program. We have persisted in optimizing the discipline layout. Three new disciplines have entered the top 1% of ESI globally, three new first-level discipline doctoral programs have been added, the enrollment plan for doctoral students has increased by 26.47%, and 7 national key clinical specialty construction and cultivation projects have been approved. We have been committed to well-organized scientific research. We won 1 second prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award, obtained 108 national-level scientific research projects, witnessed a 18.92% growth in the total scientific research funds, completed the registration of technology contracts with a total amount of 387 million yuan, and the number of scientific and technological achievement transformation projects increased by 75%. We have vigorously promoted the activity of "Alumni Returning to Hunan", which has driven an investment of 350 million yuan, contributing the strength of the University of South China to the local economic and social development.

In this year, we have wholeheartedly and attentively handled practical matters concerning people's livelihood, constantly meeting the yearnings of teachers and students for a wonderful campus life. Focusing on the needs of students, we completed the construction of the Student Activity Center in the Yumu Campus and fully opened it to the public. We also completed the annual maintenance and renovation of old student dormitories, and the Aesthetic Education Center, the Entrepreneurship Park and the Dream Creation Space were put into use one after another. Always keeping in mind the thoughts and concerns of teachers and students, we promoted 16 projects for the construction of undergraduate teaching conditions. The shantytown renovation project "Nanhuali" was capped as scheduled and entered the housing selection process. New electric motorcycle charging stations were built, and 19 special projects such as road renovation were completed, making the campus take on a new look once again. We completed the renovation of the activity room for retired staff in the West Campus, and persisted in building the "Beauty in Golden Autumn" home for veteran Party members. The original stage play "The Splendid Years of Nuclear Construction" won the "Outstanding Stage Play Award" in the "Understanding China" activity organized by the Working Committee on Caring for the Next Generation of the Ministry of Education in 2024.

Time is like a song, and the original aspiration remains as firm as a rock. Over the past 66 years, we have been forging ahead with perseverance and determination, and have written a wonderful chapter of strengthening the nuclear industry for the country and promoting medical care for the people through continuous struggle. In the new year, let us unite more closely around the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, adhere to the original mission of educating people for the Party and cultivating talents for the country, and strive hard to continue writing a new chapter of high-quality development of the University of South China in the new era.

Wish everyone a happy New Year, May your life be warm and may all your wishes come true.

Party Committee Secretary: Gao Shan

Principal: Zhang Zhuohua

December 31, 2024