Beijing Women's Federation

In response to the requirements of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) in advancing women's scientific and technological innovation, and giving full play to the role of women professors in Beijing, a forum on promoting women's scientific and technological innovation, guided by the Beijing Women's Federation (BWF) and organized by the Capital Women Professors' Association (CWPA), was held at the Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) on July 15. Women academicians, Cheung Kong Scholars, representatives of outstanding youth, and nearly 70 delegates from more than 50 colleges and universities, all of which are CWPA members, attended the forum to discuss the development of technological innovation.

Chen Yanping, Vice President of the BWF, and Qin Zhihui, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Secretary of the Disciplinary Inspection Commission of the BIT, addressed the forum. Leaders of the Beijing Medical Women's Association, the Beijing Women Architects' Association, the Capital Women Journalists' Association, the Beijing Friendship Association of Overseas Women from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, were also invited to the forum.

He Haiyan, President of the Capital Women Professors' Association, speaks at the forum. [Beijing Women's Federation]

He Haiyan, President of the CWPA, delivered a welcome speech during the opening ceremony. She said that in the context of the high-quality promotion of the "Double First-Class" initiative, and in order to take actions and measures according to the documents issued by ACWF and several departments on supporting female sci-tech talents' innovation, CWPA has launched four specific mechanisms, which are: organizing a forum; establishing a special committee for female scientific and technological workers; building the strategic partnership with enterprises, parks and related organizations in key national strategic areas, such as the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Yangtze River Delta; and implementing a science and technology leaders' plan, which intends to give full play to the role of high-level scientific and technological innovation leaders, and to guide and train young female graduate students. He Haiyan noted that CWPA will work with female professors to promote the spirit of science, step into the future with confidence, fulfill their mission with self-improvement, and to exert greater influence in technological innovation.

Qin Zhihui, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Secretary of the Disciplinary Inspection Commission of Beijing Institute of Technology, addresses the forum.

Qin Zhihui, Deputy Secretary of the Party committee and Secretary of the Disciplinary Inspection Commission of the BIT, indicated in his speech that the female professors of the capital play a crucial role in enhancing national scientific and technological strength, accelerating the development of women's scientific and technological talents in colleges and universities, and solving essential problems. Noting that they have contributed to the development of the economic and regional construction of Beijing, Qin said that the BIT will continue to support the work of the CWPA, and hoped that the female professors will keep making achievements in scientific and technological research with wisdom, promote the development of scientific and technological forces, and make greater contributions to the country.

Chen Yanping, Vice President of the Beijing Women's Federation, makes a speech at the forum. [Beijing Women's Federation]

Chen Yanping, Vice President of the BWF, affirmed that the CWPA has worked hard with the BWF since the launch of the action plan on women's scientific and technological innovation. Talking about the four specific mechanisms recently implemented, Chen indicated that they fully reflect the insight and leadership of female professors in the capital in promoting technological innovation, as well as their capacity for plan implementing and collaborating. Chen briefed attendees on the recent progress of the BWF in setting up the women's association for science and technology, building the women sci-tech talents' pool, conducting policy research, and bringing the role of BWF's group members into play in promoting women's technological innovation. She also expressed her hope that female professors will continue to keep the country's top priorities in mind, pursue their ambition in serving the country with achievements in science and technology, fully understand the mission of the new era by targeting the global sci-tech frontiers, serving the main economic battlefields, striving to fulfill the significant needs of the country and benefiting people's lives and health, and to be a fighter who dares to pursue dreams. Chen underlined the importance of carrying forward the spirit of Four-sphere Confidence, which refers to confidence in the path, theory, system and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and urged female professors to actively promote gender equality, stick to technological innovation, and to make more efforts to speak for women in the field of technological innovation. She also appealed for them to focus on the bottleneck of technologies through collaborative research, further participate in the technological innovation system of the in-depth integration of industry, universities and research, to improve the level of scientific and technological innovation of universities, and to increase the contribution of women in scientific and technological innovation. She said that female professors should share in social responsibilities, drive the common development of women, take some time out of their busy schedules to participate in women's science popularization work, use technological innovation to empower the industrial chain, rebuild the value chain, guide young people to become talents, and to spread outstanding family traditions and be advocates of good social behavior.

Representatives of female professors from different universities speak at the forum.

Su Donglin, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a professor and doctoral supervisor of Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics,  Wu Yanhong, Cheung Kong Scholars Distinguished Professor and professor and doctoral supervisor of Peking University, Li Yanqiu, Cheung Kong Scholars Distinguished Professor, a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Hundred Talents Program, and professor and doctoral supervisor of BIT, Xu Qi, Cheung Kong Scholars Distinguished Professor and researcher of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wu Yixian, Cheung Kong Scholars Distinguished and professor and doctoral supervisor of Beijing University of Chemical Technology,  and Zhang Yingying, professor and doctoral supervisor of Tsinghua University, gave lectures based on their studies during the event. The speakers said that they have the ideals and beliefs of doing scientific research for the benefit of the country and they will devote themselves to the fields in accordance with the urgent need of the country, and will lead more young people to devote themselves to the cause of serving the country with science and technology. Their strong patriotism, profound academic attainments, extraordinary demeanor, and selfless teaching style greatly inspired the audience. The audience agreed that this forum has injected huge momentum for female professors at universities in Beijing to gather the strength of female talents in scientific and technological innovation, and to strengthen the construction of collaborative innovation platforms. Participants said that they must carry forward the spirit of scientists based on patriotism, carry the burden of scientific research, and shoulder social responsibilities. They must also contribute to the development of Beijing as an international sci-tech innovation center and show women's power as "half of the sky
 in science and technology.

Participants pose for a group photo at the Beijing Institute of Technology.