As the new year begins and splendid chapters unfold daily, we extend our sincere greetings and best wishes to all faculty and staff working diligently on the front lines, to the students of the School of Traffic and Transportation Engineering who are dedicated to learning and strive for progress, to our retired colleagues and alumni at home and abroad who remain connected to their alma mater and serve society, and to all departments and sectors of society who have long cared for and supported the development of the School.

The year 2024 marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and is a crucial year for achieving the goals and tasks of the 14th Five-Year Plan. This year has been splendid and steadfast for us. Together, the faculty and students of the School have written a chapter interwoven with struggle and harvest, taking solid steps and achieving fruitful results in Party building, talent cultivation, discipline development, scientific research and innovation, social services, and international exchanges, demonstrating the uplifting and united spirit of the School’s community.

This year, Party building has gathered strength. The School’s Party Committee has adhered to Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as the fundamental guide, effectively promoting the connotative and high-quality development of the School. This year, the Faculty Party Branch of the High-Speed Train Research Center was selected for the national university “Double Leaders” Teacher Party Branch Secretary “Strong Nation Action” special project team. The Rail Transit Aerodynamics and Collision Safety Technology Innovation Team was awarded the “Railway Youth May Fourth Medal Collective.” Professor Gao Guangjun received the “Locomotive Medal” from the All-China Federation of Railway Workers’ Unions.

This year, practical action and responsibility have driven development. The School has strived to write a new chapter in first-class discipline construction, with its overall strength and international reputation steadily improving. This year, the Transportation Engineering discipline rose to 16th place in the global ranking of world-class disciplines by ShanghaiRanking. The School’s research funding reached 181 million yuan, ranking first in per capita research funding within the university. It led five key projects under the High-Speed Rail Joint Fund and secured 13 general and youth projects from the National Natural Science Foundation of China. The “Fuxing High-Speed Train” project, in which Professor Liang Xifeng and Professor Yao Shuguang participated, was awarded the National Special Prize for Science and Technology Progress. Professor Liu Hui received the World Internet Conference Leading Technology Award. Students won two first prizes in the National College Student Transportation Science and Technology Competition and one silver award in the “Challenge Cup” Qin Chuangyuan China College Student Entrepreneurship Plan Competition. The School signed an agreement with Yuelu High-Tech Zone to jointly establish the “Central South University Intelligent Transportation Research Center” and hosted the Transportation Engineering sub-forum of the fourth “International Young Scholars Xiangjiang Forum.”

This year, solidarity has brought warmth. The School has actively built platforms for the growth of faculty and students, continuously strengthened the sense of collective honor, and enhanced the cohesion of the School. It organized the first Faculty and Staff Fun Sports Meet, the first Autumn Hiking Festival, the first Table Tennis Exchange Tournament, the ninth Faculty-Student Badminton Tournament, and student activities such as the “Celebrating the Anniversary with Red Songs” themed chorus competition. It also solemnly held the founding conference of the Central South University School of Traffic and Transportation Engineering Alumni Association and the 30th Anniversary Development Seminar of the High-Speed Train Research Center.

“With favorable winds and timely currents, we should set sail and break the waves; with heavy responsibilities and a long journey ahead, we still need to spur the horse and wield the whip.” Standing at the beginning of the new year and looking to the future, let us move forward with determination toward hope, embrace the brand new year of 2025 together, appreciate the scenery of distant horizons hand in hand, and jointly compose an even more brilliant and splendid chapter.

We sincerely wish everyone a happy New Year, good health, success in all endeavors, and happiness for your families.

Yuan Shiping, Party Committee Secretary, School of Traffic and Transportation Engineering, Central South University

Huang Helai, Dean, School of Traffic and Transportation Engineering, Central South University