HNU College of Civil Engineering held a grand ceremony to mark its 120th anniversary on October 2, 2023.

HNU President Duan Xianzhong attended and delivered a speech.

Experts and professionals present at the ceremony included: academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) Zhou Fulin, Ma Kejian, Zhou Xuhong, Nie Jianguo, Chen Zhengqing, Zhang Jianmin, Xu Jian, and Du Xiuli; Chinese engineering investigation masters Wang Yongzhong, Hu Jianhua, and Huang Xiaojia; and, Chinese project management master Li Ming'an.

HNU Vice President Chen Renpeng presided over the ceremony.

Personnel from other universities andcooperative institutions, persons in charge of HNU alumni associations nationwide, overseas alumni representatives, and representatives of retired staff, teachers and students participated in the event.

President Duan, on behalf of HNU, sent congratulations to the faculty, students, and domestic and overseas alumni of the College of Civil Engineering, and extended sincere gratitude to the friends and universities who demonstrate care and support for the development of the college as well as HNU. He mentioned that, over the past 120 years, the College of Civil Engineering has kept up with the times, dared to be pioneer, and forged ahead with determination, making all-out efforts in contributing to national development and rejuvenation. It has scored remarkable achievements in college development, and meanwhile gained a high reputation for HNU among the society. It is a backbone force for building HNU into a world-class university. He expected the college to demonstrate a renewed sense of responsibility and renew its glory with the 120th anniversary as a new starting point, consolidate determination in building world-class disciplines, further advancing cultivation of professional leaders in the new era, setting a benchmark for high-quality teaching team, and making new progress in high-quality innovations. He encouraged the college to pace up to build itself into a global top-tier center for talent cultivation and sci-tech research in civil engineering, and make greater contributions to the development of both HNU and the country.

CAE Academician Chen Zhengqing delivered a speech. He encouraged experienced researchers to support young talents. For instance, he and his team members have scored notable achievements in extending the use of wind-resistance technology from traditional bridge building to new energy fields such as wind turbine and solar power. These outcomes would offer broader space for the research of young faculty.

Li Ming'an, secretary general of the China Civil Engineering Society (CCES), extended congratulations to the collage for its 120th anniversary on behalf of CCES. He spoke highly of HNU's prominent contributions to China's large-scale, highly-efficient, and high-quality infrastructure construction, and expected it to play an even more significant role in the new infrastructure construction.

Deng Lu, dean of HNU College of Civil Engineering, made a presentation of the college's discipline development covering its history, state of the art, and future prospects.

Zhou Ying, dean of College of Civil Engineering of Tongji University, congratulated the faculty and students as well as domestic and overseas alumni of HNU College of Civil Engineering. She hoped to advance cooperation between the two colleges in such aspects of talent cultivation, discipline construction, research, and social service, to make concerted efforts to the sustainable development of the nation.

Ma Kejian and Zhou Fulin, both CAE academicians and respectively alumnus of the college in grade 1954 and 1958, addressed the ceremony.

The ceremony also featured several events, including commendation of the teachers for their dedication in education for fifty years; publication of a book documenting the 120-year history of HNU College of Civil Engineering; launch of an alumni-donated fund; and, announcement of the establishment of a national key laboratory.

A "Looking Back and Forward" themed forum was held at the Yifu Building lecture hall on that afternoon. Academicians, professors, and experts in civil engineering from across the country discussed high-quality development of civil engineering discipline and specialty.

Beyond that, a range of activities were organized such as fun sports games, mountain climbing, taking group photos for classmates, a nostalgic campus tour, and a celebratory party.

HNU President Duan Xianzhong addresses the ceremony.

CAE Academician Chen Zhengqing delivers a speech.

Li Ming'an, secretary general of the China Civil Engineering Society, addresses the ceremony.

HNU Vice President Chen Renpeng presides over the ceremony.

Deng Lu, dean of HNU College of Civil Engineering, delivers a speech.

Zhou Ying, dean of College of Civil Engineering of Tongji University, delivers a speech.

CAE Academician and HNU alumnus Ma Kejian makes a statement.

CAE Academician and HNU alumnus Zhou Fulin makes a statement.

Alumnus Li Zhiping speaks.

At the ceremony.

The ceremony to honor the teachers for their dedication in education for fifty years.

A book documenting the 120-year history of HNU College of Civil Engineering is published.

An alumni-donated fund is launched.

A national key laboratory is unveiled.

An electronic screen shows "Celebrating the 120th Anniversary of College of Civil Engineering of Hunan University" at Times Square in New York. This event was organized by the Grade-1997 alumni in North America.

Towering buildings along the Xiangjiang River, Changsha, are lit up to mark the 120th Anniversary of HNU College of Civil Engineering.

CAE Academician Zhou Xuhong gives a keynote lecture.

A forum on civil engineering discipline innovation and development in the new era.

Various celebratory activities are held.