Seizing the Momentum to Embark on a New Journey and Striving with Resolve toward First-class Excellence
Dearteachers, students, alumni and friends,
As the seasons turn and time moves on, on this wonderful occasion when the New Year bells of 2026 are about to ring, on behalf ofXi’anUniversity of Architecture and Technology,weextend our sincere New Year greetings and best wishes to all teachers and students, retired colleagues, alumni at home and abroad, as well as to leaders at all levels and friends from all sectors of society who have long cared for and supported the development ofour university.
In 2025, the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee clearly charted a grand blueprint for the next five years, and the clarion call to build China into a leading country in education to support and lead Chinese modernization has grown ever more resounding. Over the past year, guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, all members of the XAUAT community have thoroughly studied and implemented the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress and the plenary sessions of the 20th Central Committee, and fully carried out the requirements put forward during the on-site research on “Double First-Class” development by Secretary of the Shaanxi Provincial Party Committee Zhao Yide and Governorof Shaanxi Provincial GovernmentZhao Gang. Upholding the educational philosophy of “Building the University through Scholarship, Serving the Nation through Self-Strengthening,” we have focused onthe“Double First-Class” initiative and high-qualitydevelopment, forging ahead with determination and diligence, and striving to write the XAUAT chapter in the great endeavortobuild aleading country ofeducationin the new era.
This has been a year of ideological guidance and vigorous progress.
We are committed to fostering virtue and cultivating talent through the Party's innovative theories, made the implementation of the CentralGovernment’sEight-Point Regulations a conscious action, and achieved full coverage of centralized training courses for Party members. By strengtheningthefoundations of primary-level organizations and consolidating foundational work, the effectiveness ofthe“Double-Creation” initiativeinParty building has been remarkable, with benchmarkschools and modelbranches emerging at all levels and the Party flag flying high across campus. We have resolutely fulfilled the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education: the “Thousand Questions and Answers” initiative was featured in a specialreport by the Central Leading Group for Education Work; the “Onward to Yan’an” youth train became a dynamic mobile classroom for ideological and political education; and the stage playYouth,HeadingNorthwestgenerated strong nationwide resonance during its national tour. With high-quality Party building leading high-quality development, all 140 annual tasks for high-quality developmenthave been implemented, the “14th Five-Year Plan” was successfully concluded, and the shared spirit of unity and progress among faculty and students has grown even stronger.
This has been a year ofempowering and enriching the faculty, and of nurturing outstanding talentsto grow and flourish.
We thoroughly advanced the "Talent-Driven University Development Year" initiative, a total of 12 national high-level talents were newly approved.Throughglobal recruitment initiatives, case-by-case policies andflexible introduction mechanisms, 168top-tier talents, including Academicians, Yangtze River Scholars, and leading talents under the National Ten Thousand Talents Program were introduced.This has led to a substantial increase in high-caliber faculty. Meanwhile, 34 high-level academic teams have been established, comprehensively enhancing the vitality of the talent workforce and generating strong momentum for reform of talent systems and mechanisms. We have made solid efforts in education and teaching:continuous improvements have been achievedwith theReview andEvaluation ofUndergraduateEducation andTeaching,and achievements such asNationalFirst-classUndergraduateCourses, National Excellent Textbook Awards, and “14th Five-Year Plan”Textbooks have continued to emerge. We deepened the integration of industry and education as well as science and education,jointly established a School of Excellent Engineers with leading enterprises,and took solid steps forward in engineering education. Innovation and entrepreneurship education delivered frequent good news: in the China International College Students’ Innovation Competition, we won gold medals for four consecutive years; in the “Challenge Cup,” we once again claimed the national “Excellence Cup”, at the National College Students Innovation Annual Conference webrought home the Excellent Organization Award for Shaanxi universities. Faculty and students have resonated in step with the University’s development, excelling on diverse tracks and striving for distinction.
This has been a year of solid execution,continuous progress and pursuitof excellence.
With the goal of building world-class disciplines firmly in sight, we accelerated the “4+” transformation and upgrading, launched six emerging undergraduate programs, and established new interdisciplinary doctoral programs, significantly enhancingtheoverall disciplinary strength. The number of disciplines ranked in the global top 1% increased to six, and Architecture remained firmly among the top three nationwide in the Best ChineseSubjects Ranking byShanghaiRanking. Engineering has remained among the top 1‰ worldwide in the ESI rankings and continues to advance toward the top 1‱. We have strengthened organized scientific research, securing more than 140 newnationalprojects，including a number of projects (and sub-projects)fundedby the National Key Research and Development Program，key projects bythe National Natural Science Foundation of China andmajorprojectsby the National Social Science Foundation of China. Annual research funding exceeded RMB 1 billion, with two projects each supported with funding of over RMB 100 million. We once againclaimed the Special Prize of the Huaxia Construction Science and Technology Award and received six First Prizes of the Shaanxi Provincial Science and Technology Award, ranking first among provincial universities in Shaanxi. Seizing the opportunities presented by the nationalpolicies of "Two New Initiatives" and "Two Major Areas", we have accelerated infrastructure development and equipment upgrades. By tackling challenges with determination and delivering solid results, we have gained remarkable momentum in pursuing excellence and continuously raised the bar for“First-class” development.
This has been a year of service, contribution, responsibilityand action.
We actively served national strategic needs: Academician Liu Jiaping successfully completed scientific expeditions to both the Arctic and Antarctic, leading cutting-edge research in polar architecture to new peaks. We continued to promote the large-scale application of green building technologies, compiling37 industrial/local standards over the year,documenting a list of 71 technologies, and assisting more than 10,000 farming households in Tibet with post-earthquake reconstruction. We have written our papers on the vast land of our motherland. A range of advanced technologies have been applied to more than ten major national and international engineering projects, including the Yaxia Hydro-power Project and the China-Tajikistan Highway project. Technologies and equipment for the resource utilization of solid waste have been deployed across multiple production lines. The Taosi National Archaeological Site Park under the Chinese Civilization Origins Project, led byXAUAT in planning and design, was included in the latest batch of National Archaeological Site Parks. Significant achievements have been made in research on the Tang Dynasty Chang’an City Site. The stories of XAUAT scholars serving national strategies and contributing to the development of a better human living environment have been widely reported by central media. XAUAT has injected strong momentum into high-quality development of national, industrial and regional economies.
This has been a year of deepened cooperation and joint progress.
We adhered tothe “going global” strategy, expandingthe horizon ofopeneducation.We forged new cooperative relationships withmanytop-tier international universities, further expanding theXAUAT’s global network of partnerships.With the Silk Road International Alliance of Architectural and Technological Universities continuing to expand,we successfully hosted the Alliance’s 2025 Annual Conference and Presidents’ Forum,founded the Silk Road Architecture and Technology Publishing Cluster, launchedthe overseas physical education project – the XAUAT-OshTU International School of Architecture – in Kyrgyzstan, and co-established XAUAT-OshTU Institute of Area and Country Studies, achieving a remarkable elevation in our international influence. Over the year,twopillars ofXAUAT, the currentstudents andthe alumni, have jointly contributed to the university’s vibrant development. Alumnus Yao Yangping was elected as an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences;alumnus Bai Yingxin led the formation in a dignified march, proudly receiving review by the nation at the grand military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistanceagainst Japanese Aggression. United by a shared bond with their alma mater, alumni continue to contribute to its growth, building momentum for a new chapter and a renewed voyage ahead.
Looking back on 2025, our deepest inspiration stems from the perseverance of all faculty and students who rose to challenges and forged ahead courageously. This sense of responsibility in shouldering heavy burdens has become a vivid hallmark of the XAUAT spirit.What we find most gratifying wasthe fact that in our quest to become a“Double First-Class” university there have been no bystanders—only dream chasers. It is this immense power of unity and common purpose that has unitedus all. Our most reassuring support has derived from the care and support of higher-level authorities, the trust and support of all sectors of society, and the enduring attachment of our alumni to their alma mater. This sustained goodwill has consistently provided a source of strength for our continued progress.
The year 2026 marks the beginning of the national “15th Five-Year Plan.” At this historic juncture, building upon a legacy spanning more than 130 years and seven decades of glorious achievements, all members of the XAUAT community will continue to be guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era,advancing with steadfast steps and indomitable will, and striving to write a new chapterin “Building a Leading Country in Education --XAUAT in Action”
Let us jointly wish our great motherland prosperity, stability and peace.
May Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology shine ever more brilliantly and achieve even greater glory.
And mayeveryone enjoy good health, families Happiness, success in all endeavors, and a joyful New Year!
ZHU Xiaowei,Secretary of theXAUAT CPCCommittee
ZHAO Xiangmo, President
December 31, 2025
