Teachers, Students, Alumni, and Friends,

As the cycle of seasons turns and a new era begins, when the river of time flows past the embankment of the years, the dawn of the new age has already tinged the eastern horizon with its light. With hearts full of gratitude, we extend the most sincere greetings and the finest wishes to all faculty, staff, students, retired comrades, alumni at home and abroad, and friends from all sectors of society!

The year 2025 marks both the completion of the “14th Five-year Plan”and the initial strokes in charting the course for the blueprint of the “15th Five-year Plan”. It is yet another magnificent voyage of steadily advancing Chinese modernization among the wave of further comprehensive deepening of reform. Amid the torrent of time, we have always held fast to the commitment of “dedicating industrial progress to the nation”. Under the guidance of the Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we have thoroughly implemented the guiding principles of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the subsequent plenary sessions of the 20th Central Committee, earnestly carried out educational activities on the spirit of the Party’s eight-point frugality code, comprehensively deepened the “135 Project”, and taken the “Five First-Class Standards” as our guiding beacon. Together, we have striven to write a new chapter in building a distinctive, high-impact, first-class engineering and application-oriented local university!

Over the past year, we have forged our soul with “First-Class Culture”, achieving new progress in inheriting the red legacy. Focusing on the “Dual Upgrading” goals, we have navigated forward with culture as our vessel, scientifically formulating the development plan for the 15th Five-Year Period, translating the grand blueprint into detailed “construction plans” and transforming them into tangible “real landscapes”. Rooted in the “Red Soil”, we have nurtured character with culture as our foundation. Five projects were selected for the provincial higher education “Benchmarking and Striving for Excellence” initiative, injecting new vitality into the development of grassroots Party organizations. Thirty theoretical articles on “Fostering People with the Party’s Innovative Theories” were published, with the banner of thought soaring high through reflection and writing. We have refined the framework for the united front work, creating the distinctive brand of “Teacher-Student Consultation Culture”, where diverse voices harmonize in a chorus of development. The establishment of the university Red Cross Society, recognition with the National Award for Promoting Voluntary Blood Donation, and selection as a national pilot school for emergency rescue education have deepened the ethos of life care and dedication across the campus. Advancing the “Three-Color Education” in Ideology and Politics, teaching cases were selected as national models for the integration of industry and education as well as science and education, receiving promotion and recognition. The 74-year legacy of the university and its profound red heritage shine brightly together.

Over the past year, we have established our foundation with “First-Class Education”, achieving new progress in cultivating outstanding talent. We expanded our horizons and took firmer strides in openness and integration: Established a non-independent legal entity Sino-foreign cooperative education institution in partnership with Otago Polytechnic, part of Universal College of Learning; founded the province’s first Medical Engineering Technology College integrating medicine and engineering among non-medical universities, and the first Future Technology College among provincial universities of its kind; initiated the planning of Shaofeng Academy to address educational transformation; launched the Low-Altitude Economy and Technology Innovation Institute and the Medical-Engineering Integration Innovation Institute. We have solidified our foundations and gathered momentum through collaborative education: Took the lead in establishing the “National Alliance of Outstanding Engineer Colleges in Local Universities”; jointly formed the “Hunan Medical-Engineering Integration Industry-University-Research Alliance” and the “Hunan Collaborative Innovation Consortium for Science Education Activities”; initiated the establishment of the “Hunan Low-Altitude Economy and Technology Industry-University-Research Alliance”; established partnerships with eight hospitals, including Hunan Provincial People’s Hospital, together with Yuelu Mountain National University Science Park, Hunan Normal University, and others. We have deepened our substance and achieved breakthroughs in education and teaching: One program passed the professional evaluation by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development; three programs completed certification assessments by the German ASIIN; one program’s engineering education certification application was accepted; six courses were approved as national first-class courses; won one special prize and four first prizes in provincial teaching achievement awards, ranking first among similar provincial universities and leading among provincial institutions; received two provincial outstanding achievements awards in educational scientific research. We have empowered growth, with students achieving remarkable results in innovation and entrepreneurship competitions at all levels: won 279 national awards, including three national special prizes in the “Challenge Cup”, one of which was in the main category—the only university in the province to achieve this honor!

Over the past year, we have strengthened our foundation with “First-class Talent”, reaching new heights in accumulating momentum for development. Guided by the spirit of educational excellence, we have built a high-quality, professional teaching faculty, driving the high-quality development of the university through top-tier talent. With top-tier efforts, we have created an attractive environment for talent: Two national-level experts have joined the university full-time, while seven high-level talents, including academicians and National Outstanding Youth Fund recipients, have been flexibly appointed. With top-tier services, we have gathered outstanding talent: Nineteen national and provincial-level talents have been added, including recipients of the “National March 8^th Red-Banner Pacesetter” award, “Furong Plan” leading talents, and experts receiving provincial government special allowances—a record high; one team was selected as a provincial-level scientific and technological innovation team, and two teams were recognized as “Huang Danian-style Teacher Teams”; five scholars were included in the list of the world’s top 2% scientists. With top-tier mechanisms, we have strengthened and nurtured talent: A total of 118 teachers were selected to participate in continuing education programs, including domestic academic visits, advanced degree studies, and enterprise engineering experience projects. For three consecutive years, our school has been recognized as an advanced collective in provincial pre-employment training management for university teachers.

Over the past year, we have empowered innovation with “First-Class Achievements”, making new breakthroughs in enhancing our innovative capabilities. Focused on addressing major national needs and supporting Hunan’s “4×4” modern industrial system and “4+4 Sci-Tech Innovation Project”, we secured approval for the major construction project “Multi-Physical Field Coupling Disaster Simulation Vibration Table Model Test Platform” from the Provincial Development and Reform Commission and our collaborative research results was published in Nature. We have also jointly established an innovation center with the “National Key Laboratory for Offshore Wind Power Equipment and Efficient Wind Energy Utilization”. Progress in scientific research and discipline development has been steady and rapid. A total of 133 national and provincial-level scientific research projects were approved, including our first participation in a major project of the National Natural Science Foundation and deep involvement in a key project of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. One project was approved as a key project of the National Social Science Fund. Our school’s ESI international ranking improved by 177 places, with the engineering discipline consistently maintaining its position in the top 1% globally. In serving local economic development, we have continued to advance the “Hundred Doctors into Enterprises” initiative. Our school’s scientific and technological achievements transformation index ranked eighth in the province, securing a place among the top ten for two consecutive years and leading among similar institutions in Hunan. Policy advisory contributions have been impactful, with one policy recommendation receiving affirmative feedback from the provincial Party committee and government leadership.

Over the past year, we have enhanced quality through “First-Class Governance”, achieving new milestones in strengthening institutional safeguards for education. Comprehensive advancement in lean management and information-driven administration has further streamlined the operational mechanisms of internal units. The development of DeepSeek intelligent systems has empowered smart teaching and research, while the deployment of “AI Counselors” has bolstered technology-enabled education, marking a solid step toward the modernization of our governance framework. The campus environment has been beautified, with the Science and Innovation Building now standing tall and the construction of two student dormitories accelerating. All teaching buildings (Blocks A, B, C, and D) on the main campus are fully equipped with air conditioning, while Student Dormitories A and B and the Student Activity Center have been revitalized. The creation of “Three-Color” reading spaces—showcasing blue for craftsmanship, red for patriotism, and green for environmental awareness—has enriched our campus culture. These continuous improvements in both software and hardware reflect a heartening commitment to optimizing the educational environment. Balancing development and security, our school was honored as a “Hunan Provincial Advanced Unit in Peaceful Development”. The establishment of the Association of Senior Scientists and Technicians has infused seasoned wisdom into the institution’s growth. The convening of the third membership congress of the Alumni Association and the election of a new council, along with the promotion of the “Alumni Returning to Hunan” initiative, have united efforts to revitalize Hunan and elevate the university. These endeavors vividly illustrate the ongoing consolidation of our foundation for development.

As the measure of time reaches a new starting point through relentless endeavor, we stand at the year’s end and look back—this is the 2025 that every member of HIE has measured with their own footsteps. Marching toward the new and advancing toward the excellent, in this great journey of chasing the wind and racing with the moon, we have written, with vitality, speed, and quality, the determination and perseverance that belong to this collective.

Time flows ceaselessly, and our strides never pause. The year 2026 marks the beginning of the 15th Five-Year Plan and represents a critical phase in our school’s journey toward high-quality development. In the new year, let us adhere to the guidance of the Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, thoroughly study and implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the successive plenary sessions of the 20th Central Committee, lay a solid foundation for the opening phase of the 15th Five-Year Plan, and dedicate ourselves to the great tide of building a powerful nation through education, so as to advance with even firmer strides toward the goal of building a distinctive, high-impact, first-class engineering and application-oriented local university.

Although the road ahead is as boundless as the rivers and seas, action will lead us to the destination. In the new year, let us set forth once more with renewed determination. With original aspiration as our pen, we will carry forward the enduring spirit of the “Red HIE”. With earnest action as our ink, we will uphold the driven ethos of the “Striving HIE”. Guided by shared passion and conviction, we will inscribe a new chapter of “Excellent HIE” on the grand canvas of Chinese modernization, and together, create a brighter future of “Happy HIE”!

Wishing all faculty, students, alumni, and friends from all walks of life happiness, health, and success in all endeavors in the new year!

May Hunan Institute of Engineering ride the tide of progress and achieve even greater brilliance!

May our great motherland prosper and thrive, with peace and prosperity for all!

(Reviewed by Wang Jiayi, Gong Qian)