The exhibition “The First Sino-Japanese War Alarm Bell - Building a People’s Defense Line for National Security” and the co-construction of “One Museum and Two Universities” kicked off at the Dagukou Fort Ruins Museum on November 21. The event was sponsored by the Publicity Department of the Tianjin Binhai New Area Party Committee, the District Culture and Tourism Bureau and the Liugongdao Administrative Committee, and organized by the Museum of Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 and the Dagukou Fort Ruins Museum. Prof. Yu Xinzhong, Dean of the Faculty of History of Nankai University, and Associate Professor Peng Hechao, a teacher of the course “Service Learning: History and Society”, were invited to attend the event.
The co-construction event was presided over by Li Chunnian, Deputy Director General of the Binhai New Area Culture and Tourism Bureau. Wang Huichen, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Culture and Tourism Bureau, delivered a welcome speech. Xu Heng, a member of the Standing Committee of the District Party Committee and Director of the Publicity Department, declared the “The First Sino-Japanese War Alarm Bell” exhibition open. Ma Junjie, a chief expert at the Museum of Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895; Yu Xinzhong, Dean of the Faculty of History of Nankai University; and Zhang Naihe, Dean of the School of History and Culture of Tianjin Normal University, delivered speeches regarding the exhibition and university-museum collaborative education activities. Subsequently, He Shurong, Director General of the District Culture and Tourism Bureau, and Yu Xinzhong jointly inaugurated the “Nankai University Service Learning Social Practice Base” and “Nankai University Faculty of History Practice Teaching Base”.
In his speech, Yu Xinzhong thanked the Dagukou Fort Ruins Museum for its long-term support and assistance to Nankai University regarding the history service-learning courses, and emphasized the importance of service-learning courses in the discipline building and talent training at the Faculty of History. He then reviewed the development characteristics and importance of modern Tianjin city from the perspective of history, saying that there are rich historical connotations for “Tianjin as an Epitome of China in the Past Hundred Years”, and that abundant historical resources and CPC-related resources in Tianjin are worthy of joint exploitation and utilization by universities and museums. At the same time, he said that Nankai University is a well-known place in the country for conducting historical research. Over a century of development, it has developed the academic tradition of “pursuit of what is true and new, and application of knowledge”, the disciplinary characteristics of “flexible use of ancient and modern knowledge, and fusion of Chinese and foreign cultures”, and the goal of “producing first-class academic results and cultivating outstanding talents”. It has the advantages and consensus for educating students and serving society through cooperation with Tianjin cultural organizations and museums. Finally, he said that the inauguration of the service-learning base is a new starting point for university-museum cooperation. Starting with the “Service-learning: History and Society” course, the parties can carry out in-depth cooperation in virtual simulation teaching, research on revolution-related cultural relics, patriotism education and other areas, so as to help build first-class discipline and train outstanding talents.
It is learned that “Service Learning: History and Society” is a general education course run by the Faculty of History as part of the 2023 undergraduate education and teaching reform project by Nankai University. Nankai University has built service learning bases in collaboration with over ten cultural and museum organizations such as Dagukou Fort Ruins Museum, Zhou Gong Temple, Xiaozhan Rice Farming Museum, Xiaozhan Troop Training Park, Boxer Movement Memorial Hall, Liang Qichao Memorial Hall, Juewu Society, Zhangyuan Garden, Post Museum, Santiaoshi History Museum, and Tianjin Museum, as well as communities such as Wende Garden in Haitang Sub-district, and Tingshang Home in Xinzhuang Town. It will run diversified practical classes at the bases, and work to find a historical practice education paradigm with Nankai characteristics.