Mission and Vision
Wen Xuan - A replica from Ma'anshan Museum
OUR MISSION
To prepare future global talents for all-round development to serve the needs of our nation, to advance social progress, and to promote heart-to-heart communcation between China and the rest of the world.
OUR VISION
To be acknowledged as a world-class university for global and area studies.
OUR SLOGAN
The slogan of the University is ‘诠释世界 成就未来’ (quan shi shi jie, cheng jiu wei lai). The slogan in English is ‘Interpret the World, Translate the Future’.
OUR MOTTO
The motto of the University is ‘格高志远 学贯中外’ (ge gao zhi yuan, xue guan zhong wai). The motto in English is ‘Integrity, Vision and Academic Excellence’.
The motto in Chinese consists of two phrases of four characters each.
The first phrase, ‘格高志远’, meaning that one should have integrity and vision, originates from The Book of Rites, a core text of the Confucian canon, in which the Master says, ‘Those who talk honestly and act with integrity will live with vision and die with a clean reputation.’ Another source is found in Wen Xuan, or Selections of Refined Literature, edited by Xiao Tong of Southern Liang Dynasty (502-557): ‘With integrity and vision, one seems invincible.’
The second phrase, ‘学贯中外’, meaning that one should achieve academic excellence that brings together China and the rest of the world, signifies SISU’s commitment to embracing the diversity of cultures and its mission to introduce the world to China and present China globally.
ALMA MATER - UNIVERSITY ANTHEM
Ode to SISU was officially adopted as the song of SISU by the University Administration Committee on March 27th, 1989 after being trial sung and evaluated by experts including Lu Zaiyi from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. It was written by Zhuang Kairen, a former PhD candidate from the University’s English Department, with the music composed by Wang Zhihui, a 1985 undergraduate student in International Trade. In 2009 when the University celebrated its 60th anniversary, the lyrics were revised in line with the new motto.
The Book of Rites
LOGO
The SISU logo is the central visual device within the SISU graphic identity. It is composed of three lines of lettering surrounded by two olive branches and an open book which signify, respectively, the longing for peace and friendship and the quest for knowledge and truth.
The lettering reads, from top to bottom, 上外, which is the abbreviation for the University’s Chinese name, SISU, and 1949, the year of its founding.
The logo is designed to represent SISU’s commitment to promoting China’s international exchange, with its graduates left their footprints all over the world.
LOGOTYPE
The SISU Chinese logotype is made of Lu Xun’s calligraphy taken from the published manuscript of Lu Xun’s Diary, and has been used ever since the University was renamed Shanghai Foreign Language Institute in 1956.
Supporting Graphics
COLOR
The SISU color is SISU Blue (sea blue), representing the spirit of embracing the world in the way the sea embraces rivers.
Primary Palette: The primary color is Pantone (PMS) 2945 / CMYK (100, 50, 0, 10).