Retired teachers from Shandong University are supporting education in western regions of the country as part of the National Silver-Age Teacher Action Plan.

"I am very delighted to return to the classroom and continue working in my beloved teaching and education sector," said Qiu Hongze, a retired professor from Shandong University at a recent send-off meeting. Qiu, who took part in the plan, previously served at Kashgar University in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

The plan, launched in 2018, aims to make up for a shortage of teachers in primary and secondary schools. In 2020, the plan was expanded to higher education institutions, especially newly-established universities in less-developed western areas.

Shandong University joined the plan in 2021, with Qinghai Normal University and Kashgar University as its partner institutions.

Over the past three years, Shandong University has deployed 31 teachers in various disciplines such as medicine, mathematics, computer science, journalism and communication, art design, and English to support education in western regions.

The initiative is of great significance for higher education in western regions, said Ren Youqun, Party secretary of Shandong University. He emphasized that retired teachers not only excel in classroom teaching but also play essential roles in project research and mentoring young local educators.