Abstract:        Dali University has been implementing the trimester system reform since 2009. Over the past eight years, through  continuous summary and improvement, we have achieved significant reform effects in the respects of renovating ideas, carrying forward   the comprehensive teaching reform, promoting teachers' comprehensive abilities and upgrading discipline construction, and have  formed certain unique characteristics in teaching. The exploration and practice in Dali University prove that the trimester system  reform needs renewed concepts, and has to fix the problems in making systematic, coordinated, adaptive, targeted and characteristic  development.

Key words: Dali University, trimester system, teaching reform, characteristic development