On March 4, Dalian Maritime University (DMU) held a meeting to prepare for the new semester in the COSCO Auditorium. Attendees included university leaders, mid-level administrators, second and third-tier professors, academic discipline leaders, program directors, and section-level cadres from administrative departments.

At the meeting, Xu Minqiang, Secretary of the Party Committee, first briefed attendees on the 2025 democratic life meeting for the Party Committee leadership team. The report focused on four key aspects: thorough preparatory work prior to the meeting, the earnest and serious conduct of the democratic life meeting itself, comments and related requirements from the supervision team, and the follow-up plan for implementing corrective measures. He emphasized that the University Party Committee should take this democratic life meeting as an opportunity, consistently treat implementing the spirit of the CPC Central Committee’s eight-point decision as a crucial political task, drive the implementation of corrective actions with the spirit of perseverance, and genuinely enhance the quality of the democratic life meeting with practical and effective rectification outcomes. Subsequently, Xu Minqiang notified the meeting of relevant information regarding adjustments to the university's leadership team by the Ministry’s Leading Party Members Group.

Xu Minqiang stated that this year is one of opportunity presented by the 15th Five-Year Plan, a year of challenge for advancing the “Double First-Class” initiative, and a year for pooling efforts towards the goal of becoming a “nationally top-tier and world-class” institution. The entire university must focus on the central task of improving the quality and efficiency of management, making further strides in internal governance and reaching a higher level in quality standards.

He stressed that efforts should concentrate on three key areas. First, the formulation of the 15th Five-Year Plan should serve as the driving force for improving overall coordination and effectiveness. This includes strengthening top-level design, promoting effective alignment and systematic advancement of the overall plan and specialized plans, fostering collaborative synergy between colleges and departments, and meticulously integrating the plan’s objectives and tasks into the university’s annual key work points and target-based assessments, thereby comprehensively improving the quality and efficiency of work coordination. Second, advancing the “Double First-Class” initiative should serve as the driving force for improving performance in key areas. The university should proactively track and align with new developments and requirements from higher authorities, earnestly conduct the periodic summary and evaluation, focus on the main strategic directions, produce landmark achievements, ensure solid and detailed supporting materials, and drive comprehensive advancement through institutional innovation and organizational guarantees. Third, the goal of “building a top-tier domestic, world-class research-oriented maritime university” should guide efforts to improve the quality and effectiveness of education and institutional development. The university will promote the integrated development of education, science and technology, and talent cultivation; further deepen the integration of Party building with academic and administrative work; emphasize practical action and tangible results; and produce outcomes that are measurable and implementable, thereby ensuring a strong start for all work in the new semester. At the meeting, Xu Minqiang also outlined arrangements regarding campus security and stability for the new semester.

President Shan Hongjun outlined the key administrative priorities for 2026. He emphasized that the entire university must strengthen strategic guidance by effectively formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan, breaking down tasks, and clarifying responsibilities. Key focus areas include ensuring the successful conclusion of the “Double First-Class” construction cycle, managing degree program applications, and driving institutional development.

Efforts should concentrate on fostering virtue and nurturing talents by optimizing the program portfolio and dynamic adjustment mechanisms, deepening reforms in maritime talent cultivation, accelerating the development of the Academy of Elite Engineers, and solidifying the foundation of talent training. Innovation-driven development must be prioritized through proactive planning for major national projects, building high-level research platforms, and advancing breakthroughs in core technologies. Faculty development should be enhanced by cultivating professional ethics, strengthening the recruitment and cultivation of high-caliber talents, and promoting postdoctoral programs. Open and integrated growth requires actively serving the high-quality development of the industry and local communities, planning new pilot tasks for building China’s strength in transportation, improving mechanisms to support ministerial needs, and creating distinctive, high-level service platforms. Governance efficiency must be improved by refining performance evaluation methods, accelerating digital transformation, emphasizing cost reduction and efficiency gains, and continuously enhancing operational support capabilities. He stressed that transforming top-level design ideas into tangible results hinges on implementation. The entire university must adhere to implementation based on laws and regulations, follow through with commitments, and ensure high-quality and efficient execution, steadily advancing the vision of building a top-tier domestic and world-class research-oriented maritime university.