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For 70 years, Beijing University of Agriculture (BUA) has cultivated talent and advanced agricultural development in the capital. On the morning of October 17, BUA held its 70th Anniversary Conference on High-Quality Development. and chart its future development at the University Auditorium. More than 800 attendees, including government officials, distinguished guests, alumni from China and abroad, and representatives of the university's faculty, staff, and students, gathered to celebrate the milestone, reflect on BUA's seven decades of educational achievements, and discuss its future development.

Mu Peng, vice mayor of Beijing and member of the Party Leadership Group of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality; Chen Wei, president of China Agricultural University (CAU) and academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering; Antonius Hendrikus Johannes Bisseling, foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, and distinguished professor of BUA; Qiao Shiyan and Ren Fazheng, academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, attended the conference. Also in attendance were Li Yi, deputy secretary of the Education Commission of Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China and director of the Beijing Municipal Education Commission; Yang Jianhai, secretary of the Agricultural Work Committee of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; and Gao Dawei, secretary of the CPC Leading Party Members Group and director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Landscape and Forestry. Other attendees included officials from relevant municipal commissions and departments, district Party committees and governments, partner universities and institutions, enterprises and public institutions, and research institutes, as well as all BUA's current and former university leaders, alumni representatives, faculty and student representatives, and members of the media. The conference was presided over by Qing Zhaoshen, secretary of the CPC Committee of BUA.

The conference officially opened at 10 a.m. with the playing of China's national anthem.

Qing Zhaoshen delivered a speech on behalf of the university. She extended a warm welcome to all the leaders, experts, and guests attending the conference, expressed her sincere appreciation to Party committees and governments at all levels and friends from all sectors for their longstanding care and support for BUA's development, and conveyed her heartfelt greetings to all BUA alumni at home and abroad. She also paid the highest tribute to the faculty and staff working tirelessly in teaching and research, retired faculty and staff, and the vibrant students of BUA. Qing noted that Yin Li, secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, had recently visited BUA to learn about its development. The visit recognized the university's educational achievements, demonstrated the municipal leadership's care for its faculty and students, and provided direction for its future development. It had greatly encouraged and inspired the entire university community. Looking ahead from the milestone of its 70th anniversary, BUA will thoroughly implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important statements on education and on work related to agriculture, rural areas, and farmers, and act on the guidance provided by Yin Li during his visit. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and the People's Government of Beijing Municipality, the university will align its development closely with national strategies and the needs of the capital, uphold fostering virtue through education as its fundamental mission, and remain committed to strengthening agriculture and promoting agricultural development. BUA will make every effort to build the Jingnong Pioneer Party Building Brand and serve as a leading force in five areas: advancing rural revitalization through concrete action; supporting Beijing's development as a garden city through green development; tackling key challenges in building Agricultural Zhongguancun and establishing Beijing as a center for the seed industry; safeguarding the safety of agricultural products; and educating a new generation of professionals who understand and are committed to agriculture. With confidence, determination, and a strong sense of shared purpose, BUA will continue to improve the quality of its education and services, contributing to Beijing's efforts to become a model for building a leading country in education and to serve as the capital's gateway to China's path toward becoming an agricultural powerhouse.

Gan Jingzhong, secretary of the CPC Changping District Committee, delivered a speech on behalf of Beijing's agriculture-related districts. On behalf of the district's Party committee and government, he extended warm congratulations to BUA on its 70th anniversary. Gan noted that over the past 70 years, BUA had remained true to its founding commitment to serving agriculture, pursued innovation, and made substantial progress in developing a high-level applied university and supporting agriculture, rural areas, and farmers in the capital. As one of the earliest universities to establish a presence in Changping, BUA has grown alongside the district, providing scientific and technological support and talent for the development of urban modern agriculture and the synthetic biology manufacturing industry. Its contributions have helped advance regional high-quality development and rural revitalization. Gan added that Changping would fully support the university's future campus development, help advance initiatives such as the National University Science Park and industry-education integration training bases, and accelerate the development of Phase IV of the Shahe Higher Education Park. These efforts would help provide a favorable environment for BUA's faculty and students to work and live.

Duan Liusheng, president of the university, delivered a report on its high-quality development titled Seven Decades Rooted in Beijing: Strengthening Agriculture and Building a Stronger Nation on a New Journey. Duan noted that over the past 70 years, BUA had upheld the Party's overall leadership and the socialist direction of education, aligning its development closely with the modernization of agriculture and rural areas nationwide and Beijing's role as a national center for political affairs, cultural development, international exchanges, and scientific and technological innovation. The university has remained committed to educating students, made fostering virtue through education its fundamental mission, and cultivated a new generation of professionals with a strong commitment to agriculture. Rooted in Beijing, it has driven progress through scientific and technological innovation and demonstrated its sense of responsibility through practical work serving agriculture, rural areas, and farmers. By upholding fundamental principles while pursuing innovation and placing Party building at the center of its efforts, BUA has fostered broad support for high-quality development through openness and inclusiveness. Over the decades, the university has achieved significant advances in the scale, level, and quality of its educational provision, becoming an important contributor to innovation and development in agriculture and rural areas. At this new milestone, BUA will respond to the evolving needs of integrated urban-rural development in the capital. Guided by high-quality Party building, it will strengthen the Jingnong Pioneer Party Building brand, enhance the leadership of its key disciplines, improve its talent development system, expand international cooperation, and establish the Jinghua Rural Revitalization Institute. It will also continue to strengthen its capacity for scientific and technological innovation and social services, build a highly qualified and professionally capable faculty, and further develop its five-campus system. These efforts will support BUA's goal of becoming a leading applied university in China with international recognition and distinctive strengths in urban agriculture and forestry. The university will strive to make new and greater contributions to comprehensive rural revitalization and the development of a strong country.

To support Beijing's role as a center for political affairs, cultural development, international exchanges, and scientific and technological innovation, advance comprehensive rural revitalization, and help create rural communities that are livable, economically vibrant, and harmonious, BUA joined forces with the Education Commission of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and the Agricultural Work Committee of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee to establish the Jinghua Rural Revitalization Institute. The initiative, launched to mark the university's 70th anniversary, aims to encourage faculty and students to apply their research to real-world needs across Beijing's rural communities. At the conference, representatives of the two municipal committees, BUA, and 13 agriculture-related districts jointly unveiled the institute. Building on a long-term development vision, BUA will strengthen its distinctive disciplines and help rural communities develop industries, build stronger villages, and improve livelihoods, opening a new chapter in its contribution to rural revitalization in the capital.

Chen Wei, president of CAU and academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, delivered remarks on behalf of BUA's partner universities and extended warm congratulations on its 70th anniversary. Chen noted that since its founding, BUA had remained committed to educating people for the Party and cultivating talent for the country. With a focus on urban modern agriculture, the university has trained generations of outstanding professionals who understand and are committed to agriculture and are prepared to work at the grassroots level. It has established a distinctive identity in urban agricultural and forestry education and demonstrated how local agricultural universities can contribute to national development. CAU and BUA share the same roots, operate in the same region, and pursue the same educational goals. The two universities have always supported and worked together to build a comprehensive, in-depth partnership encompassing joint talent development, collaborative research, and resource sharing. Looking ahead, CAU will continue this tradition of mutual support and collaboration, deepen its comprehensive partnership with BUA, and work with the university to establish a model of collaborative innovation and service to rural revitalization among agricultural and forestry universities in the capital. Together, the two institutions will contribute their expertise and resources to China's efforts to build a stronger nation.

Ken Sloan, professor and vice-chancellor and chief executive officer of Harper Adams University in the United Kingdom, spoke on behalf of BUA's overseas partner institutions and extended his sincere congratulations on the university's 70th anniversary. Sloan reviewed the practical achievements of the two universities over more than two decades of cooperation in student education and research. Through their partnership, the universities have cultivated successive generations of agricultural professionals with strong disciplinary expertise, a global perspective, and a commitment to agriculture. He expressed his hope that the two institutions would continue to deepen their collaboration and work together to advance sustainable agriculture worldwide.

Zhao Jiuran, researcher at the Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences and alumnus representative, fondly recalled his years at BUA. He said the university's four-year educational experience, which emphasized perseverance, lifelong learning, and continuous innovation, had benefited him throughout his career. After graduation, Zhao remained committed to applying scientific research to agricultural production. He established the world's largest standard DNA fingerprint database for maize and led his team in developing more than 300 maize varieties approved at the national level. Zhao described BUA as the spiritual home and a source of strength for its alumni. He expressed his sincere hope that the university would build on its achievements and continue to make progress at this new stage of its development. He also encouraged current students to devote themselves to agriculture and rural development and contribute their youthful energy to comprehensive rural revitalization and the modernization of agriculture and rural areas.

Li Demei, professor at the College of Food Science and Engineering and director of the Department of Winemaking Engineering at BUA, spoke as a faculty representative about his more than three decades of teaching, research, and service to society at the university. Reflecting on his career, he emphasized that a teacher's professional growth should go hand in hand with the university's development. He noted that faculty members at agricultural and forestry universities should respond to the needs of their industries and cultivate a new generation of professionals committed to serving agriculture, rural areas, and farmers. Research should extend beyond the laboratory to address challenges in the field, with findings translated into practical benefits for farmers. As BUA embarks on its next chapter, Li pledged to work alongside his colleagues, deepen their expertise, remain committed to practical work, and align their professional aspirations with the university's broader development goals. He also emphasized the importance of mentoring and supporting younger faculty members as they grow, helping the university achieve further progress.

At the conference, student representatives delivered a collective pledge. Their rousing words expressed their determination to devote their youth to meaningful endeavors, pursue their ambitions with resolve, commit themselves to agriculture and rural development, and serve their country. The pledge showcased the energy, ambition, and determination of BUA students to make the most of their opportunities and contribute to the times in which they live.

The conference concluded in a warm and celebratory atmosphere.