On March 21,2017， the School of Statistics and Management held a seminar for the Class of 2014 undergraduate students in the lecture hall. The seminar invited Vice Dean Wu Chunjie, who is in charge of teaching, Director of the Undergraduate Programs Li Tao, Director of the Financial Statistics Department Chen Yan, and Researcher Bai Yang to attend the seminar. The meeting was hosted by the Class of 2014 undergraduate counselor, Teacher Yao Liming.
This discussion forum mainly focused on the graduate study paths for the undergraduate students of the class of 2014. First, the teachers, based on their own experiences, introduced the class of 2014 to the experiences of choosing to continue their studies. Vice Dean Wu Chunjie first presented the situation of the class of 2013 regarding pursuing graduate studies domestically and abroad, combining it with the trend of increasing numbers of students pursuing further studies over the past two years. He pointed out our department's leading position in academic development and the achievements of the talent cultivation reform in innovative statistics, noting that graduates are recognized in both industry and academia. Continuously improving oneself is also a necessary way to enhance personal competitiveness and development. He encouraged students to pursue a master's degree and, if capable, aim for a doctoral degree to become outstanding interdisciplinary statistics professionals.
Next, Director Li Tao shared feedback from students who had gone abroad for graduate studies, advising that students should prepare well in advance for applying to study abroad and should focus on applying to schools with varying levels of prestige. Both doctoral and master's applications should be considered. Researcher Bai Yang suggested that students think ahead about what they want and how to enhance their research background, encouraging them not to fear rejection and to establish contact with teachers early on. Director Chen Yan encouraged students to make the best choices by utilizing all available resources and to find directions that suit them. She also emphasized the importance of having a life plan and being proactive in seeking opportunities to collaborate with teachers on projects during university.
After the teachers introduced their experiences, the students participating in the discussion meeting took turns introducing themselves and sharing their future plans, as well as raising questions of concern to the teachers. The teachers provided answers to the common concerns raised by the students. Our college has always placed great importance on the cultivation of undergraduate talent. Based on the educational reform project for the Statistics major - the Bingwen Program, we have launched a research excellence training project for undergraduates, which plays an important role in helping students enhance themselves and discover their potential. This discussion meeting for the 2014 undergraduate cohort is an important avenue for the college to address students' queries and further promotes undergraduates' planning for their futures.
In recent years, the college has implemented an innovative model for training statistical talents and reforming practical teaching. Many proactive and effective measures have been adopted for talent cultivation, and the achievements were awarded the Special Prize for Teaching Achievements by Shanghai University of Finance and Economics in December 2016. Through this symposium, high-level undergraduate students will be effectively and positively guided to plan their studies and enhance the quality of their graduation.
