On June 16, 2019, the legal seminar on the “Rule of Law Guarantee for Fair and Quality Education in the New Era cum the Academic Seminar on the Revision of the Degree Regulations”revised by the Southeast University Law School and the Education Research Base of Southeast University was held in Southeast University. Invited to participate in this meeting, Wang Daquan, deputy director of the Policy and Regulation Department of the Ministry of Education, deputy director of the Academic Affairs Office of the State Council, Xu Zhongbo, deputy director of the Department of Education for Degree Management of the Ministry of Education, and Director of the Department of Education of the State Council, Yang Dayan, and the Ministry of Education Deputy Director of the Department of Planning, Zhai Gangxue, Director of the Jiangsu Provincial Degree Office, Yang Shubing, Vice President of Southeast University, Distinguished Professor of the Changjiang Scholars Award Program of the Ministry of Education, Professor Zhou Youyong, Director of the Education Research Base of Southeast University, Professor Qin Huimin, Dean of the School of International Education, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Professor Zhan Zhongle, Director of Education Research Base of Peking University, Dean of Shandong University (Weihai) Law School, Professor Xiao Jinming, Director of Shandong University Education Legislation Research Base, Professor Shen Suping, Associate Dean of School of Education, Renmin University of China, Education Law of East China University of Political Science and Law Professor Zou Rong, Director of the Research Base, Secretary Mao Huixi of Southeast University Law School, and more than 70 practical experts and university scholars from various departments.

The opening ceremony of the conference was presided over by Professor Meng Hongzhi,doctoral tutor at Southeast University Law School and deputy director of the Education Research Base of Southeast University.

Vice President of Southeast University, Distinguished Professor of the Yangtze River Scholars Award Program of the Ministry of Education, Professor Zhou Youyong, Director of the Education and Law Research Base of Southeast University, Deputy Director of the Policy and Regulation Department of the Ministry of Education, Wang Daquan, Deputy Director of the Academic Affairs Office of the State Council, Degree Management and Postgraduate Education of the Ministry of Education Deputy Director Xu Zhongbo, Dean Qin Huimin from the School of International Education of Beijing Foreign Studies University delivered speeches respectively.

Vice President Zhou Youyong, on behalf of Southeast University, extended a warm welcome to the distinguished guests. Professor Zhou Youyong pointed out that the new era neededhigh-quality education fairness and that the revision of the Degree Regulations was an important part of achieving fair and quality education. Through the preliminary research, the Education Research Base of the Ministry of Education of Southeast Universityhad reached consensus on adhering to the national degree system, respecting university autonomy, and the three-level degree management system. However, Professor Zhou added that there were still many theoretical disputes and institutional design issues to be resolved and hoped that the guests would discuss the controversial issues in depth.

Deputy Director Xu Zhongbo briefly introduced the revision background of the Degree Regulations and affirmed the importance of the revision of the Degree Regulations.

Deputy Director Wang Daquan pointed out that the current Degree Regulations had a strong normative and guiding role in the practice and operation and that  Regulations was a “hard law”. Therefore, he added that its modification was of great significance.

On the basis of rethinking the practice of the current Regulations, Dean Qin Huimin pointed out that the revision of the Regulations Ordinance should focus on enhancing the rights protection function of the Regulations Ordinance, further enriching the provisions of the Regulations on human rights protection, and appropriately expanding the autonomy of running a university and other aspects.

In the following chapters on the revision of the Regulations and the seminars, the experts and scholars who participated in the conference made wonderful speeches and discussions on the revision of the Regulationsand the issues related to the right to education in the new era.

The closing ceremony of the conference was presided over by Associate Professor Wang Lusheng, Researcher and Associate Dean of Southeast University Law School. Professor Meng Hongzhi, deputy director of the Education and Research Base of the Ministry of Education and Professor of Law School of Southeast University, summarized the meeting. Professor Meng Hongzhi pointed out that it was of great significance for Southeast University to hold this event, which was based on the rule of law guarantee for fair and quality education and the revision of the degree regulations. At the same time, he added that there were still many problems in the field of education in the new era and thatit was necessary to continue to unite the wisdom of all parties and jointly contribute to the revision of the Degree Regulations. At last, Professor Meng looked forward to welcoming guests to Southeast University.