On November 30, the results of Nankai University’s 10th “Good Teacher and Helpful Friend” selection were announced. After extensive nominations by students, presentation of mentors’ deeds, voting by student representatives, and review and announcement, Professor Li Quan of our college was finally awarded the Top Ten “Good Teacher and Helpful Friend” Award in the 10th  session. 

Dedicate thyself wholeheartedly to finance

Education and cultivation of peach and plum orchards 

Li Quan, male, born in September 1976. In 2004, he graduated from the School of Economics of Nankai University with a doctorate degree. From 2004 to 2007, he engaged in the postdoctoral research at the Institute of Fiscal Sciences of the Ministry of Finance. In the following 7 years, he served as an associate researcher at the Institute of Fiscal Sciences of the Ministry of Finance. From December 2013 to July 2017, he worked as a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Fiscal Sciences. He has been employed as a professor at the School of Finance of Nankai University since August 2017, and later as a doctoral supervisor; at the same time, he serves as a distinguished professor and doctoral supervisor of the Chinese Academy of Fiscal Sciences. He concurrently serves also as the Executive Secretary-General of the Performance Management Committee of the China Finance Society, the Deputy Secretary-General of the Investment and Financing Committee of the China Finance Society, the Executive Committee of the China Micro-Finance Forum of 50, a member of the China Internet Finance Forum of 30, the Academic Member of the Zhongguancun Internet Finance Research Institute, the National Circular Economy Committee, and expert committee member and specially appointed expert of small and medium-sized enterprises by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Professor Li mainly engaged in research and teaching in policy finance and small and micro finance. He has been invited to give lectures at the People’s Bank of China, the China Securities Regulatory Commission, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, the National Accounting Institute, etc. for many times; he has been invited to be a guest or lecturer at the Central Party School, Tsinghua University, Renmin University of China, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics and other institutions. 

Professor Li has led or participated in a number of national or provincial and ministerial level projects, some of which eventually contributed to policies and had good social impact. He has been published in journals such as “Economic Research”, “Political Economics Review”, “Fiscal Research”, “Nankai Economic Research”, “World Economic Transactions”, “China Finance”, “China Audit”, “China Financial Information Materials”, etc. He has published dozens of articles and more than 100 theoretical comments in newspapers such as “Economic Daily”, “Financial Times”, “China Financial Times”, and “China Business News”. He has been interviewed multiple times by media outlets such as CCTV News, China News, Central People’s Radio News, and China Economic News, and has made independent comments on hot economic and financial issues.

Character Charm 

Professor Li Quan delivered a speech to the the Class of 2023 at the commencement of the School of Finance 

Whoever meet Professor Li for the first time will definitely be attracted by his character of gentleness and elegance. The teacher’s demeanor of “Without learning etiquette, one cannot stand firm” is inadvertently revealed in his every move. Professor Li’s instructive guidance and exquisite explanations in class make even difficult and obscure knowledge “approachable”. Being approachable is exactly what Professor Li brings to students whether in the classroom or in their lives. 

Professor Li in the eyes of students

 The long race of life, progress step by step 

“To be a good person, one must be filial to parents, take care of classmates, and be kind to the people around them.” Professor Li said earnestly in the first class of the school year. Many students’ understanding of Professor Li began here. 

Gradually, the students discovered that Professor Li had a saying that he often brought up, “Life is a long-distance race.” The students looked at the hard work and perseverance of the “long-distance runner” in front of them, and quietly engraved those words into their hearts. “Don’t worry about temporary gains and losses, take a long-term view and move forward unswervingly towards your goals.” “As long as the general direction of life is correct and the goals you pursue are right, don’t be afraid of the problems you may encounter in the process. They are not stopping you from moving forward, but teaching you how to move forward better.” These words, full of warmth and energy, have become an inexhaustible motivation for every personal growth runner to overcome difficulties and move forward firmly. 

Professor Li’s expectations for students are imprinted in his words and deeds. In the scheduled lectures, Professor Li was the first to arrive at the venue before 500 students. The slogan of “stay punctual, prepare early, and consider in advance” fell into every action of Professor Li, and also fell into the eyes of every student. “Let me know whenever you have any questions” and a friendly smiling emoji are Professor Li’s frequently used WeChat phrases. Many students said that the moment they saw the reply, their nervousness and worries disappeared, and the teacher’s kindness and gentleness blows their faces. The attitude of “putting yourself in others’ shoes, being generous and willing to help others”, as well as the equal communications, ignited the warm torch in every student’s heart. 

Build a solid foundation in theory and foster a spirit of practice 

Professor Li’s educational philosophy is most vividly demonstrated in the interaction between teachers and students. He prepares lessons carefully and lays a solid theoretical foundation for students. He encouraged students to study theory comprehensively and deeply, without being affected by biases, and to maintain an objective and fair attitude. His consistent advice is to read more, write more and think more. “Gentleman’s abdomen is filled with poetic and scholarly energy”, Professor Li has never stopped reading and thinking. He also often recommends books that he has recently benefited from to his classmates to broaden their horizon of learning. At the same time, Professor Li will wholeheartedly provide help for any confusion that students encounter in their study and life. 

Professor Li guides students to participate in the innovation and entrepreneurship training program for college students 

Practice is an important criterion for testing a theory. During the teaching process, Professor Li always emphasizes that theory and practice should not be separated, and encourages every student to actively participate in internships and social practice during holidays, put theory into practice, and thus deepen their theoretical understanding and accumulate their practical experience. “Plan early and be down-to-earth”, “learn pragmatically in school and practice conscientiously in society” are Professor Li’s long-standing expectations and requirements for his students. In terms of career planning, in addition to providing daily guidance to students, he also provides each student with personalized suggestions and targeted guidance, ranging from job skills preparation, resume revision, interview skills, to analysis of the development status of various industries. When students feel confused about their career planning, Professor Li will help to analyze the students’ personalities and capacities, and combine the analysis with his profound and unique understanding of work intensity, stability and development prospects in various directions to recommend the best option for them. 

“No worries. I will always be there for you.” 

Loving his students as his children is the best inheritance of the educational spirit. The students always receive meticulous care from Professor Li, but as everyone knows, that “love” comes originally from Professor Li’s mentor. Professor Li often said, “My mentor, Professor Liu Xin, treats me like his own child, tolerant, loving and encouraging.” Professor Li also passed on this love to his students, not only providing them guidance and help in study, but also caring and supporting in life. He established a “Reading Fund” to solve the problem of students’ purchasing and printing study materials. He paid great attention to students’ physical and mental health, urging students to maintain a healthful routine of going to bed early and getting up early, and reminded students to keep doing physical exercise. If a student is feeling unwell with a cold, Professor Li will pay special attention to him/her and keep this in mind. He will also teach the students his “little secrets” for treating colds. Professor Li used practical actions to explain the true meaning of “loving thy students as thy children”. 

“Hitchhiking and dinner invitations” are the “perks” that Professor Li gives to the students. Every time after class, he always asks if anyone needs a ride. This not only helps students save money and time, but more importantly, it allows for more detailed communication with students on the way to answer their questions about their recent studies, internships and life. If someone asks about the writing of paper, Professor Li will patiently put forward his own ideas and revision suggestions. During the conversation, they would sometimes grab a quick snack, and the teacher will remind everyone to “remember to eat on time even when you are busy”. Professor Li is always willing to walk with students all the way. 

Knowing that some students put too much pressure on themselves and are under great mental pressure, Professor Li often tell students that “life should not be only one-dimensional, but should be diversified,” and don’t put too much pressure on themselves and balance their studies with life, trying to release stress and relax. Regarding the “frequent problem” of the single graduate students, he courage them to treat emotional problems with a positive, serious and optimistic attitude. When students meet someone who is suitable but cannot make up their mind, they can always talk to him, and Professor Li will help them to figure it out. He said, “If necessary, I can treat your friend to a meal and help you check things out.” At this time, Professor Li is like a “life” mentor for the students, enabling students to care about their own lives and develop in an all-round way while learning and progressing. 

Professor Li is not only an encouraging and tolerant academic mentor, but also a life tutor who cares about the all-round development of students. He is never afraid of students making mistakes, but teaches them how to face their mistakes, learn from them, and make continuous progress. Every word and every action of Professor Li makes students feel his care and support, which becomes their motivation to overcome difficulties and regain their confidence. 

Professor Li is not only an excellent educator, but also a guide who leads students to grow. His educational philosophy runs through every moment of interaction between teachers and students, organically combining the transfer of knowledge with the cultivation of moral character. His kindness and sincerity inspires students not only to achieve academic achievements, but also to improve their moral character and attitude towards life. Under the tender loving care of Professor Li, the students are no longer lonely individuals, but a warm group, supporting each other and growing together. This is Professor Li’s education method, leading by example, passing kindness and sincerity to every student, and guiding them towards a bright future. Students couldn’t help but sigh: How lucky I am to meet you in my studies! How lucky I am to meet you in my life! 

Let us express our heartfelt thanks and congratulations to Professor Li!