On the afternoon of November 22, SCMU held a mobilization meeting for the 2025 National Social Science Fund applications. The meeting was attended by Liu Yi, Deputy Party Secretary and President, and Fang Debin, Member of the Standing Committee and Vice President, who both delivered speeches. Over 300 participants, including members of the Institute for Scientific Research Development, deans and vice deans responsible for research from humanities and social sciences schools, as well as faculty, attended the meeting. The session was chaired by Cai Canwu, Vice Dean of the Institute for Scientific Research Development.
Liu Yi emphasized that this meeting was not only a work deployment but also a collective effort to enhance the university’s research innovation capabilities and overall strength. He acknowledged the achievements in philosophy and social sciences research since the 14th Five-Year Plan and outlined four key requirements for promoting high-quality development in these fields: first, to elevate political awareness and serve national strategic needs; second, to focus on accumulating results and building a broad humanities perspective; third, to strengthen the training of young faculty and solidify the research talent pipeline; and fourth, to conduct organized research to ensure both the quantity and quality of National Social Science Fund applications improve.
At the meeting venue. Photo by Lin Libin
Fang Debin highlighted the university’s commitment to the application process for the National Social Science Fund and introduced a plan for its sustained prosperity. This plan aims to consolidate the university’s leading position in philosophy and social sciences research and enhance its social influence. He suggested that to implement this plan, the university should strengthen top-level design, increase support, and further liberate research productivity. Additionally, there should be enhanced coordination with departments such as organization, personnel, and the graduate school to introduce supportive policies, and a deepening of reforms in the research system to stimulate research vitality. He urged all schools to prioritize the application process and encouraged faculty to increase their enthusiasm and initiative in applying.
Cai Canwu provided a comprehensive overview of the university’s recent application and approval status for National Social Science Fund projects and outlined the plans for the 2025 application process. Professor Zhai Huayun, Dean of the School of Management, shared specific experiences and practices from their work with the National Social Science Fund.
During the specialized guidance sessions, Professor Huang Baiquan from Hubei University delivered a report on Project Selection and Argumentation. Wu Xin, Manager of the Funresearch Global Research Project Database, presented a report on Using Databases to Support National Social Science Fund Applications.
