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| Undergraduate Program |
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Fudan University has been
carrying out a profound reform in its undergraduate program, aiming
at quality higher education and intending to train more creative
talents for the world. The reform begins with the construction of a
credit system.
The Transformation: One Step further toward Liberal Education
Having set its educational goal of ability, quality, and originality
more than ten years ago, Fudan is concentrating on cultivating
all-round talents with substantial knowledge, ability and
creativity. It is among the first universities in China that adopts
the credit system as an important means of educational
administration. These ten years of practicing and exploring have
updated our understanding of how to train our students for the new
century. The implementation of the Education Scheme for Arts and
Sciences of Fudan University, which features arts and sciences
education and intends to offer quality liberal education, has well
demonstrated the aggiornamento of Fudan's undergraduate program in
China, both in theory and in practice.
Fudan has reconstructed its course system for its educational goal.
A course scheme composed of general education, specialized education
and basic education in arts and sciences has been drawn up
elaborately. Encompassing a complete and comprehensive range of
disciplines, the courses of general education enable students to
receive instructions in diverse fields. All the 70-plus
undergraduate majors of Fudan have been put into seven general
categories in order that students can benefit on a broader scale
from the systematic discipline training. According to the Education
Scheme for Arts and Sciences, course modules are determined by
discipline systems and course suits, and credits by course modules.
In this sense, we provide students with more options for their
college studies. In contrast with the traditional syllabus, the new
scheme has appropriately decreased the gross credits and class
hours. Supported by second-major programs and extracurricular
academic activities, it has made remarkable contributions to the
intellectual development of the undergraduate students of Fudan.
Efforts for the Students' Individualized Development
We have made out Fudan Academic Regulations for Undergraduates
(trial version), which are in sync with the objectives of the credit
system construction. Excellent students may apply for earlier
graduation; quicker learners may have their second majors; those who
prove exceptionally promising in a certain field may have
opportunities to be transferred to their interested disciplines; a
wide variety of optional courses are open to all students.
Every semester there will be 2,000 or so courses for students to
select from. The education resources allow students to choose
courses according to their training plans and out of their personal
interest. We spare no efforts in fulfilling the teaching plans of
each semester, and the students may choose from the basic courses in
both the spring and the autumn semester. Meanwhile, summer schools
are regularly held to meet the students' needs for more knowledge.
We also keep optimizing the supervisor system to ensure that the
students will receive adequate instructions concerning their
academic researches.
Education Quality Improvement: All for the Students
We rely on the quality administration to guarantee the stability and
progressiveness of the education quality in the reform. An advisory
panel for the undergraduate education consisting of eminent
professors has been established. It has three branches: the
commission of education quality and administration, the commission
of discipline and education material construction and the commission
of laboratorial education, which form the effective mechanism for
undergraduate education administration. By applying the advanced
research outcomes, we have established the index system of course
appraisal, which will be carried out every semester by way of
education quality supervision. In a word, we are improving the
quality of our undergraduate education technically and
institutionally.
Good education materials, competent teachers and advanced
pedagogical methods are essential to quality education. For the
course construction, we have invested millions of RMB for the
courses and teaching materials. For example, the complete Harvard
teaching materials have been introduced to Fudan. The full use of
various modernized teaching facilities has yielded us noteworthy
accomplishments. Top ranks in the lists of the national and
municipal teaching awards are the most eloquent illustrations.
Reform Spurs Development and Improves Education Quality
We aim at a successful transformation from traditional education to
liberal education. We wish to convert our students to young masters
of sciences and the humanities, with rich knowledge about history as
well as their own time. They are expected to be creative, active and
progressive, with sound moral integrity and a strong sense of
responsibility. They will learn to synchronize themselves with the
frequent changes and intense competitions in the world, and to
cooperate and communicate with others.
Intellectually, both the concepts and methods of science and the
philosophy of living and learning will confer great benefits to
them.
Since China has entered the WTO, we have to readjust and optimize
our education policies to meet the new needs of talent cultivation.
And it is in this process that the quality and effects of our
education are elevated.
Fudan's talent cultivation relies heavily on its long history, fine
tradition, excellent faculty and advanced facilities for school
operation. In the new era, Fudan has faith and confidence enough in
its reform and pursuit for preeminence. Endowed with the courage and
wisdom to overcome all the difficulties and guided by the goal of
constructing a great university in the world, the University will
elevate its undergraduate program to a higher level and make greater
contributions to the modernization of our country. |
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