On October 22, the Symposium on High-Quality Development of the Fluid Center was held in the conference room on the seventh floor of the Fluid Center. Attendees included Li Hongbo, Secretary of the Party Committee of the university; Li Hong, Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President of the university; Jin Shude, former Secretary of the Party Committee of Jiangsu University of Technology and former Director of the Drainage and Irrigation Machinery Research Institute; Yuan Shouqi, former Secretary of the Party Committee of Jiangsu University and Director of the National Research Center of Pumps; Shi Weidong, former President of Nantong University and member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference; Yang Jingjiang, Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Director of the Organization Department of the university; along with members of the leadership team of the Fluid Center and representatives of retired and current faculty. The symposium was chaired by Zhang Desheng, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Fluid Center.

In his opening remarks, Zhang Desheng extended his heartfelt greetings to the attendees. He noted that as the nation implements the guiding principles of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee and the National Education Conference, the Fluid Center has convened this symposium to reflect on the past, uphold the spirit of the Fluid Center, and explore innovative pathways and models for future development. He emphasized the importance of advancing the integrated development of education, science, and talent to achieve new milestones in high-quality development, thereby contributing to the progress of the Fluid Center, the university, and the industry.

Participants actively shared insights and suggestions for the high-quality development of the Fluid Center. Jin Shude recounted his personal experiences of witnessing the Fluid Center's journey from its inception to its current achievements. He highlighted the significant contributions made by successive generations of Fluid Center scholars to the development of the national fluid equipment industry and the efficient use of global water resources. Jin encouraged young researchers at the Fluid Center to maintain their passion and dedication to scientific inquiry, boldly explore uncharted territories, and tackle challenging technical problems. He concluded with best wishes for the continued high-quality development of the Fluid Center.

Yuan Shouqi reflected on his career at the Fluid Center, recalling inspiring stories of breakthroughs and achievements over the decades. He commended the steadfast efforts of generations of scholars, represented by figures like Dai Guirui and Jin Shude, who forged and upheld the values of “integrity, diligence, innovation, and dedication”—the essence of the Fluid Center's spirit. Yuan called on the new generation of scholars to carry forward this legacy, take on critical responsibilities, and contribute to building a world-class pump engineering center in alignment with the nation’s strategic needs, achieving new triumphs on the path ahead.

In his concluding remarks, Li Hongbo highlighted the significant contributions made by generations of Fluid Center members to the development of the university over the past 60 years. He urged the center to adopt a first-class mindset and continue developing the National Research Center of Pumps and Systems Engineering into a world-leading research hub. Li emphasized the importance of fully implementing the spirit of the National Education Conference, integrating deeply into the new development paradigm, and strategically planning for future industries to serve the national strategy for educational excellence. He also stressed the importance of faculty development, passing on the spirit of the Fluid Center, and cultivating a cohort of national-level talents to make greater contributions to the university's “Double First-Class” initiative.