Speech at the Opening Ceremony of the 40th Anniversary Commemorative Exhibition of the Founding of Grey System Theory

Leaders, guests, teachers and students,

good afternoon!

Today is a good day. We are here to hold a grand opening ceremony for the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Grey System Theory, to review the process of the creation, innovation, development, popularization and promotion of a Chinese original theory throughout the country, and then gradually spread to the world, with a significant impact. This important event will leave a permanent memory for all participants online and offline. We are all witnesses to the history of the development of grey system theory.

We are in the information age, and everyone can not do without information processing and data analysis methods. To study a practical system, first of all, it is necessary to identify its influencing factors, and then obtain data through experiments and observations, establish mathematical models, describe the system operation rules, and analyze the relationship between system variables and predict the system evolution trend. In 1982, Professor Julong Deng of Huazhong University of Science and Technology founded the grey system theory, which is a powerful tool for the research and analysis of the poor information uncertainty system.

According to the data provided in the memorial book, all the double-top construction universities in China and many project teams undertaking major national science and technology projects, the 973, 863, the National Science and Technology Support Plan, and the key and major projects of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, have published a large number of papers on the applications of grey system models and methods to solve practical problems in various fields, and have achieved important results. These data fully show that the grey system theory has played an important role in the cultivation of high-level talents and the innovation and development of science and technology in China.

In 2000, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics introduced Professor Sifeng Liu , a scholar of grey system theory. In the same year, as the chief discipline leader, he applied for and was approved by the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council to grant the doctorate degree in the first-level discipline of management science and engineering. Later, the National Postdoctoral Management Office approved NUAA to establish the post-doctoral research station for management science and engineering. Bringing the management discipline of NUAA to a new level. The great changes that have taken place in the economics and management discipline of NUAA have been widely spread in the economics and management academia of Jiangsu Province. Over the past 20 years, the management discipline of NUAA has been widely recognized for its distinctive characteristics and unique advantages represented by the study of grey system theory. Become a successful case of a university introducing a scholar and driving a discipline to achieve leapfrog development.

The grey system research team of NUAA, led by Professor Sifeng Liu, was selected as the "outstanding subject echelon of the Cyan-blue program" of Jiangsu Province in 2002, the first five "innovation groups" supported by NUAA in 2005, the first batch of "excellent scientific and technological innovation teams" of universities in Jiangsu Province in 2007, and the key research base of philosophy and social sciences of universities in Jiangsu Province, the "excellent teaching team of Jiangsu Province" and the "national excellent teaching team" in 2010, In 2021, it was selected into the first batch of "Top 100 Innovation Teams" of Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Professor Sifeng Liu was selected into the long-term project of the National Major Talent Plan and the Marie Curie International Incoming Fellowship of the European Union, and won the honorary titles of the National Famous Professors of "Ten Thousand Talents Plan" , and the national middle-aged and young experts with outstanding contributions.

While focusing on the grey system theory and the research on the development and management of major aerospace equipment, the Institute for Grey System Studies  actively serves the social, economic and technological development of Jiangsu Province and has made important contributions. They have undertaken dozens of research projects on development planning and policies of the development and reform commission, the economic and information commission, the science and technology department, the finance department of Jiangsu Province and Nanjing Municipal Government, and many research achievements have entered the government's decision-making, which has produced significant social and economic benefits. In 2005, the Provincial Development and Reform Commission signed a cooperation agreement with NUAA, approving the establishment of the "Jiangsu Post Evaluation Research Center", with Professor Sifeng Liu as the director of the center. They have successively completed the post-evaluation of a number of major construction projects such as the Second Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge, Lianxu Expressway, Ningjingyan Expressway, and the second phase of Nanjing Lukou International Airport, which has promoted the scientific decision-making of the government's major project construction management. Many achievements have won the first prize of Jiangsu Provincial Science and Technology Award and the first prize of outstanding achievements in philosophy and social science.

The grey system research team has made outstanding achievements in the construction of teaching resources and the cultivation of high-level talents. They have built 18 national quality, first-class courses, national quality and planned teaching materials. In 2018, "the construction of curriculum group and teaching reform of management quantitative methods led by Chinese original theory" won the second prize of national teaching achievements. More than 100 doctoral and post-doctoral students have been awarded the titles of national, provincial and ministerial talents.

A small teaching and research team has been focusing on "a unique persuit" for decades, and has made remarkable achievements in teaching, scientific research, social services, cultural heritage and development, which has set a flag for the team construction of colleges and universities.

I wish the grey system theory will continue to carry forward! I wish the Institute for Grey System Studies at NUAA to continue to make new contributions to the development of the national aerospace industry and the social, economic and technological undertakings of Jiangsu Province!

Thank you!

Professor Xiaochang Ding

President of Jiangsu Higher Education Association, former Deputy Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education