Social Investigation

Social Practice of Undergraduates

Over the past three decades, the DME has consistently focused on the prevailing trend of contemporary development. It has embraced the concept of practical education supported by students’ social practice and centered on the “five combinations” as its guiding principle. The department continuously innovates in practice methodologies, diversifies the content of practical experiences, broadens participation, and guides mechanical engineering students toward education, talent cultivation, and meaningful contributions within the dynamic context of social practice.

The department is dedicated to integrating social practice with students’ ideological development, professional learning, class building, social service, and career choices. Each summer, it organizes over 20 practical teams for fieldwork and research across the country. Furthermore, the department pioneers department/school-level practice initiatives across the entire university. The highly successful “Power of Mechanical Engineering” program, held six times since 2013, earned prestigious recognition. The teams of the third and sixth phases were awarded the title of “Tsinghua University Student Social Practice Gold Award Team”, establishing a distinguished brand for mechanical engineering practice within the university.

“Power of Mechanical Engineering” Phase I: Chinese Dream

“Power of Mechanical Engineering” Phase II: Agricultural Machinery in China

“Power of Mechanical Engineering” Phase III: Made in China 2025

“Power of Mechanical Engineering” Phase V: China’s 3D Printing Technology

In the summer of 2018, the Youth League Committee of the DME, aligning with the discipline’s professional background and the contemporary ethos of “staying true to our original aspiration and founding mission”, initiated the sixth phase of the “Power of Mechanical Engineering” department/school-level practice program. Themed under “China’s manufacturing industry in the past 40 years”, the sixth phase focused on industry exploration, professional knowledge, and career guidance, aiming to develop the most expansive second classroom within the department. Guided by instructors, 122 Tsinghua students, organized into 8 domestic and 3 overseas practice teams, visited over 60 enterprises and organizations across various countries and cities. They conducted interviews with professionals in the manufacturing industry, gaining firsthand experience of the dynamic “power of mechanical engineering” in China.

“Power of Mechanical Engineering” Phase VI: China’s Manufacturing Industry in the Past 40 Years

Team of the “Power of Mechanical Engineering” Program (Phase VIII) in 2020 visiting Yankuang Group in Shandong Province

In the special year of 2020, amid the all-out fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, the entire Chinese population united in a collective effort during this exceptional period, working towards the goal of building a moderately prosperous society. Against this backdrop, the “Power of Mechanical Engineering” program (Phase VIII) creatively adopted online and offline forms of social practice. It organized students from the department to utilize the summer vacation for nationwide visits, exploring how enterprises navigated challenges during Covid-19 and understanding the unique challenges and opportunities facing the manufacturing industry during this unique period. This initiative aimed to reflect on China’s transformative 70-year development journey since its founding, with a particular emphasis on the pivotal role played by the manufacturing industry in the nation’s economic growth. Despite the challenges of this period, the DME students steadfastly upheld the ideals of mechanical professionals, demonstrating their commitment to being rooted in the motherland and displaying a deep sense of patriotism in their own ways.

The year 2021 marked the start of China’s 14th Five-Year Plan period. During the winter vacation, the ninth phase of the “Power of Mechanical Engineering” program centered on the theme of “Breakthroughs in Sophisticated Technology in China’s Manufacturing Industry”. In response to the objectives of the 14th Five-Year Plan and the long-term goals for 2035, the program aimed to gain knowledge of the nation’s needs. With 8 teams, it embarked on a professional social practice driven by the mission of the times. Building on the individual practice experiences of students in 2020, the department introduced the second phase of “Education and Dream Building” as a departmental brand program for the first time. It is planned to establish an “Education and Dream Building Workstation” in Yunxiao County, Zhangzhou City, Fujian Province.

“Power of Mechanical Engineering” Phase IX Team visited Shenzhen during the 2021 winter vacation

Social Practice of Graduates

Social Practice: Vision and Dream

To foster students’ comprehensive qualities and leverage a value-oriented, employment-centric approach, the DME has implemented diverse and distinctive practical activities. During summer vacation, with the aim of experiencing China’s development and changes over the past decade and translating General Secretary Xi Jinping’s guidance into the service for the general public, teams of social practice visited places like Cangzhou in Hebei, Xiamen and Nanjing in Fujian, and Suzhou in Jiangsu. To provide employment guidance, several teams visited AVIC Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan, and aerospace enterprises in Beijing for research, respectively. During winter vacation, to contribute to rural revitalization and promote high-quality development, several teams went to Habahe in Xinjiang, Chongzhou in Sichuan, Minqing in Fujian, Suzhou in Jiangsu, and Zanhuang in Hebei for practical research. Additionally, based on the characteristics of the mechanical engineering major, a special team named “Pillars of a Great Power” was established. This team conducted research in Chengdu in Sichuan, Yichang in Hubei, and Guangzhou and Shenzhen in Guangdong, exploring the stories behind Chengdu J-20, the Three Gorges Dam, and the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge. In the assessment of summer vacation social practice, two teams, namely, the “Study Group of the Spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress” and “Following the Footsteps of General Secretary for Discussing Northeast Revitalization”, were recognized as the “2022 Tsinghua University Graduate Gold Award Team”. Particularly noteworthy is the achievement of the “Study Group of the Spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress”, which received the prestigious title of the “2022 Tsinghua University Student Social Practice Gold Award Team”. In the evaluation of winter vacation social practice, the “Study Group of Ongoing Rural Revitalization” won the title of the “2023 Tsinghua University Graduate Winter Vacation Social Practice Gold Award Team” while the team “Helping Forge the Pillars of a Great Power” was recognized as the “2023 Tsinghua University Graduate Winter Vacation Social Practice Silver Award Team”. Both teams have been recommended for the “2023 Tsinghua University Student Winter Vacation Social Practice First Prize Team” and the “Second Prize Team”, respectively. Li Pengfei, a graduate student from the Class of 2021, and Zhang Zhenrui, a bachelor-straight-to-doctorate student from the Class of 2021, were honored with the title of the “2023 Tsinghua University Graduate Winter Vacation Social Practice Gold Award for Individuals”. Furthermore, Li Pengfei received a commendation for the “2023 Tsinghua University Student Winter Vacation Social Practice Gold Award for Outstanding Individuals”.