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On March 22, the unveiling ceremony for the School of Geographical Science of Hubei University and the Symposium on the High-Quality Development of Geographical Disciplines were held in the conference center. Liu Jianping, Deputy Secretary of CPC Hubei University Committee and President of Hubei University, and Zhang Guoyou, Deputy Secretary of CPC Geographical Society of China Committee, unveiled the School of Geographical Science. Also present at the ceremony were experts and scholars in the field of geography, representatives of alumni, and the person in charge of relevant departments. The ceremony was presided over by Zhang Donghui, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Hubei University Committee and Vice President of Hubei University.

Liu Jianping expressed welcome and gratitude to the officials and experts. He noted that the geographical disciplines, originating in professional compulsory disciplines in history and geography, has developed into a multi-directional, multi-tiered disciplinary system. The disciplines have accumulated a profound academic heritage in areas such as human-environment interaction research and ecological protection of the Yangtze River basin, cultivating a large number of geography professionals who have taken root at the grassroots level and served the nation. He stated that the establishment of the School of Geographical Science will break down disciplinary barriers, deeply integrate the development resources of the geography and tourism disciplines, and contribute to supporting Hubei Province’s strategic pillar development and advancing Chinese modernization.

Zhang Guoyou extended warm congratulations on the establishment of the School of Geographical Science at Hubei University. He pointed out that the Geographical Society of China will continue to support the School's disciplinary development, talent cultivation, academic research, and social services by building platforms for academic exchanges, facilitating access to quality resources, and fostering the high-quality development of geographical disciplines. He Canfei, Director of the Teaching Steering Committee for Geography Science in Higher Education of the Ministry of Education, stated that as the national steering body for the development of geographical disciplines, the Committee will support the development of geographical disciplines at Hubei University, helping it to become a highland for geographical science research in central China, a talent cultivation base for high-level professionals, and a high-end think tank for regional sustainable development, contributing more to major regional and national strategies.

At the unveiling ceremony, Yu Yifeng, Professor of the School of Geographical Science of Hubei University, Zeng Gang, a 1978 geography alumnus of Hubei University, Dean of the Institute of Urban Studies at East China Normal University, and Director of The Center for Modern Chinese City Studies, and Liu Yan, a 1982 geography alumna of Hubei University and professor of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, delivered speeches as alumni representatives, among others, offering recommendations for the School's disciplinary development and talent cultivation. At the symposium, Fang Chuanglin, a researcher from the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Bao Jigang, founding dean of the School of Tourism Management at Sun Yat-sen University, and He Canfei, Director of the Teaching Steering Committee for Geography Science in Higher Education of the Ministry of Education, among others, delivered keynote reports on topics such as the transformative development of geography and the cultivation of geography professionals. During the round-table session, experts engaged in in-depth discussions on themes such as Fusion Innovation and High-Quality Development of Geography for the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030).

The establishment of the School of Geographical Science at Hubei University represents a significant initiative by Hubei University to optimize its disciplinary portfolio, integrate educational resources, and enhance its capacity to serve economic and social development. The School will delve into academic frontiers, strengthen talent cultivation, focus on social services, and continue to deepen university-local cooperation and academic exchanges. It strives to build a high-level School with distinctive features and national recognition, contributing to advancing China's geographical disciplines and supporting high-quality economic and social development.