On February 10^th a video conference was held in order to arrange teaching work for the 2020 Spring semester. Prof. YANG Renshu, President of USTB, and Mr. XUE Qingguo, Vice President, attended the meeting. More than 100 USTB leaders and personnel from the university’s schools, Department of the Registrar, Graduate School, Department of Student Affairs, International Student Center, Office of the President, Department of Public Affairs & Communications, Office of Information Technology and other relevant units participated in the meeting.

At the meeting, Prof. SONG Bo, Director of the Department of the Registrar, gave a detailed report on the work plan regarding the teaching arrangement during the Spring Semester of the 2019-2010 academic year at USTB. He expressed his hope that all work units will work to ensure that students’ education will remain uninterrupted during the epidemic period, in accordance with the will of the Ministry of Education, China. He continued saying that teachers should make full use of available internet resources so as to complete teaching activities through the use of live online broadcasts.

Prof. SHANG Xinsheng, Associate Dean of the Graduate School, explained the use of the online teaching platform. He added that teachers should acquaint themselves with the platform in order to anticipate any difficulties and ensure smooth operation in time for the start of the semester.

Mr. ZHAO Baoyong, Director of the International Student Center, explained how international student education will be conducted through the use of online classrooms.

According to the overall plan of the university, all non-practical courses offered in the 2020 Spring Semester will continued to be arranged in line with the original calendar and schedule. Teachers and students will commence the semester coursework in live online classrooms so as to ensure uninterrupted education, and normal classroom teaching will commence once the epidemic has passed and students are allowed to return to campus. Practical and physical education courses are to be suspended or postponed. Undergraduate theses, postgraduate education and degree applications shall be carried out according to the original schedule, with relevant work being done online.

At the meeting, Prof. XUE Qingguo pointed out that since the outbreak of the epidemic, USTB has took the priority of the health and safety of our teachers and students. Online teaching work is a powerful tool for winning the battle against the coronavirus epidemic.

He then put forward three requirements regarding online teaching work. First, it should be used to ensure normal teaching continues during the epidemic period, and every unit should follow regulations in order to ensure the students’ uninterrupted education. Second, each school should set up a working group to study the work plan and organize the teachers to modify and improve their teaching methods and material so as to prepare for the online classrooms. Third, teachers and students should strictly attend classes at the specified times according to the schedule, classroom discipline should be strictly observed, and teachers must ensure high teaching quality.

Finally, Prof. YANG Renshu gave a summary speech. First, he detailed the basic situation of the epidemic prevention and control work at USTB, and the steps to be taken with future prevention and control work in the near future.

In view of the impending start of the new semester, Prof. YANG Renshu expressed his hope that all units will attach great importance to the work and make increased efforts in three aspects. First, USTB should work hard to raise awareness. At present, the epidemic situation is in a critical period. All units should first ensure the health and safety of its teachers and students, and then carry out online teaching efforts in order to ensure students’ uninterrupted education. To overcome present difficulties every school should carefully adjust the teaching program in order ensure normal operations. Second, USTB should work hard on mobilization and organization. The adjustment of the teaching arrangement involves more than 1000 undergraduate courses, more than 500 graduate courses, graduation procedures and employment, etc. In the face of such difficulties each school should establish a leading group to organize and coordinate teacher mobilization and online coursework so as to ensure high teaching quality. Third, USTB needs to work hard to ensure coordination. The Office of the Registrar, Graduate School, the Office of Information Technology and other units should actively perform their duties. Given the current situation, they should also fully consider the interests of teachers, students and the university, and work to guarantee high-quality teaching resources and the implementation of the online teaching platform. All units should strengthen communication and coordination to ensure uninterrupted education and the smooth commencement of the new semester.

At the meeting, the leaders of each unit discussed utilizing the online classroom platform, lesson preparation for online teaching and the utilization of existing resources.