On November 20th, a new plaque to establish the School of Public Health at Yangzhou University was inaugurated. Li liming, director of the Education Instruction Committee of Public Health and Preventive Medicine of the Ministry of Education, Zhou Minghao, deputy director of Jiangsu Provincial Commission of Health, Yu Ting, vice mayor of Yangzhou Municipal People's Government, Hu Zhibin, president of Nanjing Medical University, Wang Hua, president of Jiangsu Preventive Medicine Association, Wu Ming, director of Jiangsu CDC, Jiao Xin'an, president of Yangzhou University, jointly unveiled the plaque. The unveiling ceremony was presided over by Liu Qiaoquan, vice president of Yangzhou University.

In his speech, President Jiao Xin'an reviewed the development of medical education at Yangzhou University. “Academic public health and public health practice, in China and globally, are in a dramatic period of renewal, which creates an outstanding opportunity and obligation for Yangzhou University. The University has a strong foundation from which to launch a School of Public Health. The existing Medical College, College of Veterinary Medicine, School of Nursing, and the Affiliated Hospital, as leading academic public health resources can serve as a dynamic base for the extensive public health scholarship found in many academic units across the University. The University will further integrate resources and make every effort to develop academic public health with the needs of public health practice at the regional, provincial, national and global level. The overarching aim of the School is to encourage students and researchers to experience a plethora of programs of interdisciplinary nature and relevance.” said Jiao. “Within a decade, we anticipate that the School will be recognized widely for its research, its contributions to public health – at regional, national and international levels, and its preparation of public health practitioners, scholars and leaders.” President Jiao added.

Yu Ting, vice mayor of Yangzhou noted that the establishment of the School could not have been better timed, as the epidemic prevention and control might require the concerted efforts of all research institutions. He encouraged the School could promote the public health system and management level by assisting in the development of think tanks, national policies formulation and training of civil servants and government officials.

Hu Zhibin, president of Nanjing Medical University said in his speech that Yangzhou University’s decision to establish the School of

Public Health reflected its commitment to meet China’s major strategic needs and address global public health issues. The thematic research model proposed for the School, supported by disciplinary pillars sufficient to merit national accreditation, was felt to embrace the complex challenges in modern public health and capture national momentum.

At the end of the ceremony, the Summit Forum on Public Health and Preventive Medicine was held. Experts and scholars at home and abroad focused on the historical opportunities for the development of public health education, the improvement of public health management system, the prevention and control of COVID-19 in Jiangsu Province, and the construction of public health and preventive medicine disciplines.