Recently, Tianjin University’s School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology (SPST) Undergraduate Pharmacy Teaching Experimental Center was inaugurated followed by a teaching workshop.
The Pharmacy Experimental Teaching Center was established in 2003. After more than a decade of development it has become a featured undergraduate teaching base with training modes for “teaching assistants”, “PK” and “innovative research”. It was listed as a “Pilot Center of Teaching Models of Colleges and Universities in Tianjin” in 2013. To meet the need for reform of internationalized teaching, the school improved and reformed its teaching center. The design of the new experimental center introduced the latest international practical teaching elements, focused on the students, and paid attention to the concepts of health, safety and environmental protection. The first-stage construction of 1,500 square meters, includes the Molecular Chemistry Center, the Life Sciences Center, and the Bioinformatics Center winning much attention and support from the university and social organizations.
The deputy director of Tianjin Foreign Expert Bureau Wang Baolin, the director of the International Office of Tianjin Educational Committee Zhang Jianqing, the director of the Office of International Cooperation of Tianjin University Yang Fuling, the Secretary General of the Peiyang Education Development Foundation Li Xiumin, the deputy director of the Office of Undergraduate Affairs Jia Guoxin, the deputy director of the Office of State-owned Assets and Equipment Management Shao Lan, the secretary of Qiushi Honors Colleges Shan Xiaolin, the representatives of the Office of Management of Bidding and Tendering, and representatives of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), and Thermo Fisher Scientific attended the inauguration.
The Dean of the SPST, Professor Jay Siegel firstly warmly welcomed and sincerely thanked all guests at the inauguration on behalf of the school making a brief introduction to the new Experimental Center. The Center was designed according to the international standards, with internationalized programs and advanced pharmacy experimental teaching systems.
Wang Baolin gave SPST credit for its international reform pointing out that SPST was selected as one of the “model internationalized schools of universities in China” by the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs and the Ministry of Education. In the two years since then, SPST has creatively introduced high-level talent and effectively developed internationalized course systems. He hoped that SPST would continue to act as a model of internationalized schools, and become a leader in internationalized teaching system management in our city.
The development of the Experimental Center gathered support from other sectors of the university. The deputy director of the Office of Undergraduate Affairs of Tianjin University Jia Guoxin expressed the support and hope from the university for the internationalized development of the SPST. She expressed hope that the new experimental center would generate a new impetus for Tianjin University to develop a top-class experimental teaching program and try to become a model of practical teaching domestically and internationally. She also encouraged the undergraduates of the SPST to understand the content of pharmacy, make good use of the internationalized experimental program, improve experimental skills, and become the most excellent undergraduates in pharmacy in China. At the same time, she expected the Experimental Center to be more able to provide teaching and scientific research programs for more students in related majors.
To express the gratitude for the support for the undergraduate teaching and to show the spirit of the undergraduates, the chorus of SPST sang English songs for the guests. The chorus were mainly the students of the undergraduate pharmacy international experimental class established in September last year. After the inauguration, Professor Jay Siegel and Secretary Feng Cuiling guided the guests around the Experimental Center.
Later a teaching workshop was held. Professor Brian P. Coppola from the University of Michigan, Associate Professor Alan L. Kiste from the Vocational and Technical University of California, Shan Xiaolin, and Professor Robert Borris from SPST of Tianjin University made keynote speeches on various fields. Firstly, Professor Robert Borris, who has been teaching in the SPST of TJU for nearly 2 years and mainly responsible for the teaching reform, spoke about how to break down barriers and develop interdisciplinary pharmacy teaching in English. Associate Professor Alan L. Kiste chose the lecture/laboratory (studio) and the learning effects of students as the theme. The Qiushi Honors College, as a pilot college, is devoted to promoting teaching reform and exploring methods for innovative talent training. Shan Xiaolin of the Qiushi Honors Colleges shared their experience. The last report was made by Professor Brian P. Coppola from the University of Michigan. He explained in detail how to design courses and cultivate innovative talent.
