China’s Hunan University turns 100: President Xi Jinping calls for practical skills and stronger teaching

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on Hunan University to improve the quality of its teaching and prepare more skilled graduates as the institution marks its 100th anniversary.

Xi extended his congratulations to the university's faculty, students and alumni on Oct 16 through a letter marking the centenary.

Xi, who also serves as general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, outlined his expectations for the institution's future development.

He urged the university to preserve and carry forward its revolutionary traditions while continuing to raise the quality and standards of its teaching.

Xi also emphasized the need to nurture more talent capable of applying academic knowledge to practical affairs. He said these efforts should contribute to China's ambition of becoming an education powerhouse and advancing Chinese modernization.

Founded in 1926, Hunan University has spent the past century educating and developing a large number of outstanding individuals. Its centenary marks 100 years of the institution's contribution to China's education sector and talent development.