On December 11, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) welcomed former Beijing Normal University (BNU) President Zhong Binglin to campus. As the former Ministry of Education (MoE) Department of Higher Education Director, Zhong Binglin gave the 252^nd lecture in the SUSTech Lecture Series on “Deepening the higher education research based on major practical issues.” Center for Higher Education Research (CHER) Director Shen Hong presided over the lecture.

Professor Zhong Binglin is the Honorary President of the Institute of Higher Education at the BNU Faculty of Education. His research focuses on education policy and management. He is a committee member of the National Advisory Council on Education, the National Steering Council on Education and Examination, and the Academic Degrees Committee of State Council. He also sits on the Expert Committee on the Development of “Double First-Class” universities organized by the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance and the National Development and Reform Commission. His other positions include honorary international Vice President of Cardiff University, former vice president of Southeast University, and president of the Chinese Society of Education (CSE).

In his lecture, Professor Zhong Binglin focused on the new challenges in education reform and development within real-world issues. He believes that higher education institutions need to look outside themselves to expand their horizons and better understand upcoming challenges. Professor Zhong said that the scale of domestic higher education was proliferating, but its development still had a long way to go. Universities should focus on expanding high-quality offerings over an extended period while developing top-notch faculty teams and talent pipelines.

Education reform could also be driven by economic, scientific, and technological development. Changes in society will also have an impact on the employment market for college graduates, and the changes to the industrial landscape of the country will impact the development of academic disciplines. International education is also influencing pedagogy across China, and Professor Zhong Binglin highlighted that continual improvement will satisfy the challenges resulting from social development.

Professor Zhong Binglin analyzed his research methods, stressing the importance of understanding real-world issues that influence higher education reform. He pointed out that it is vital to conduct education research to better serve the major strategic needs of the country.

Professor Zhong Binglin took many questions from those in attendance. Following the Q&A session, CHER Director Shen Hong closed the lecture by thanking Professor Zhong Binglin for his insightful address. SUSTech has paid close attention to its development, and Professor Zhong Binglin’s points are of great help for its further progress.