On September 21-22, 2016, the Symposium on Deepening Comprehensive Reform of Professional Degree Graduate Education, sponsored by the Secretariat of the Association of Chinese Graduate Schools(ACGS）and hosted by the Graduate School of Peking University, was held at the Apricot Grove Villa in Beijing. The deans of graduate schools of 12 universities approved by the Ministry of Education to carry out the pilot project of deepening comprehensive reform of professional degree graduate education, including Tsinghua University, East China Normal University, Beijing Normal University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Southwest Jiaotong University, China Agricultural University, China University of Petroleum, China University of Political Science and Law, Nanjing University, Wuhan University, Renmin University of China and Peking University, and the deans of national engineering management professional degree graduate education  Hao Tongliang, Deputy Director of Cultivation Department of Graduate School of the Academic Degrees Office of the State Council/Ministry of Education, was invited to attend the conference. Other participants included the Secretaries General of the National Steering Committee for Graduate Education of Social Work and the National Steering Committee for Graduate Education of Applied Psychology, and the heads of relevant faculties of Peking University. The meeting was presided by Wang Tianbing, vice dean of Graduate School of Peking University.

The pilot units introduced the work done by their respective units in the past year to deepen the comprehensive reform of professional degree graduate education, discussed and exchanged views on the issues of professional degree management system, cultivation mode, evaluation mechanism and construction of quality assurance system, and discussed the common problems that exist. Deputy Director Hao Tongliang of the Ministry of Education gave on-the-spot answers to the relevant policies and questions. He said that this year is the 25th anniversary of the development of professional degree graduate education in China, and hoped that the pilot units would seriously sum up their experiences and further promote the comprehensive reform of professional degree in a solid manner according to the requirements of the Ministry of Education. The meeting came to an end in a lively discussion. The participants positively affirmed the in-depth and detailed communication and discussion on an issue in this meeting, and highly appreciated the organization and service of the meeting.

The secretariat of the joint meeting said that more seminars and other forms of activities will be organized in the future to build a platform for members to learn and learn from each other, and to promote communication and communication, collaboration and sharing among members.

Secretariat of ACGS

September 23rd, 2016