Tsinghua University held an opening ceremony to welcome its incoming graduates on September 2. More than 9,000 graduates embark on a new journey at the University in 2023.
Tsinghua University leaders Qiu Yong, Wang Xiqin, Yang Bin, Guo Yong, Zheng Li, Zhao Gang, Peng Gang, Zeng Rong, Xu Qinghong, Wang Hongwei and Li Luming attended the ceremony. Vice-President Jiang Peixue moderated the ceremony.
Qiu Yong, secretary of the CPC Tsinghua University Committee, pinned a Tsinghua badge on the graduate student representative.
In his remarks, Tsinghua University President Wang Xiqin extended his heartfelt congratulations and warm welcome to all incoming graduates on behalf of teachers, students, and staff members.
Wang said that as students are about to embark on a new academic journey, they should have a new understanding of "study" and "career". "Study" means to deeply understand the knowledge structure and form of their learning field, continuously improve cognitive ability, and pass on and create knowledge. "Career" means to skillfully apply knowledge to solve problems in their specialty, continuously improve practical ability, and serve the nation and society with intelligence and wisdom. Accurately grasping "study" and "career" is crucial for students to correctly understand and handle relationships between inheritance and innovation, independence and cooperation, theory and application.
In this regard, Wang put forward three requirements for the students.
First, to "study" one must strive for self-improvement, focusing on creating knowledge and pursuing truth. Students need to balance the relationship between self-creation and learning from others and predecessors, and gradually form their own knowledge system. They must continually break their own prejudices and achieve self-revolution. "I hope you will continue to strive for self-improvement and seek ceaselessly, treat science with a scientific attitude and pursue truth with a spirit dedicated to truth, and work hard to broaden and deepen your cognitive abilities and expand the boundaries of human knowledge," said Wang.
Second, to establish a "career" one must cultivate virtue, focusing on solving problems and serving the people. They should have a people-oriented mindset, putting the country first and the people above all else. They should be broad-minded and unite with others to overcome difficulties and achieve greater accomplishments. I hope you will cultivate virtue to bear great responsibilities, unleash youthful passion in united efforts, chase youthful dreams, pave the way and build bridges for the revitalization of the Chinese nation, and contribute to building a great modern socialist country in all respects," said Wang.
Third, for both "study" and "career", one must be versatile, focusing on drawing from multiple sources to refine and apply knowledge broadly. Building a career requires gathering knowledge from multiple disciplines. To study, one must collect practical data from multiple fields, know how to refine and apply it broadly, and return to the industry for verification. Career is based on study, and study yields career outcomes. "I hope you will widely explore various fields, integrate knowledge comprehensively, and keenly grasp opportunities for disciplinary transformation while genuinely solving real problems, and strive to produce original achievements," said Wang.
Wang encouraged the students, standing at a new starting point in life, to strive for self-improvement in study, cultivate virtue in career building, and promote the school spirit of "Actions Speak Louder Than Words" and the essence of "humanities are ever-changing". Take on responsibilities courageously and forge ahead in the great journey of building a great modern socialist country in all respects and rejuvenating the nation.
Professor Xue Lan from the Schwarzman College, representing teachers, delivered a speech. He said, "You are about to enter a new era filled with challenges and hope. As graduate students, you will embark on a journey of deeper academic research, broader knowledge domains, and more diverse social interactions. This is not only a period of learning but also a crucial stage for self-discovery and personal growth." He shared some suggestions: strive for excellence and become climbers of scientific peaks; let actions speak louder than words, be diligent cultivators; embrace collaboration and sharing, be fellow travelers on the path of progress; and, uphold simplicity and truth, be inheritors of the University spirit.
Chen Xing'an, PhD student from the Department of Hydraulic Engineering and president of the Graduate Student Union, stated that in the face of change, one should find unwavering belief through self-discipline; maintain steadfastness through repeated setbacks; demonstrate unwavering commitment through choices that transcend the self. “Whether confronted with opportunities or challenges, I hope that we attain the breadth of mind and courage to move from excellence to even greater excellence in the pursuit of serving the nation and contributing to society."
A new PhD student Wu Jiajun from the Department of Engineering Physics, encouraged her peers to explore the unknown, to be filled with curiosity, and to innovate while facing challenges head-on. “I am immensely looking forward to my time at Tsinghua, where I can continue to tackle scientific challenges and scale academic heights, grow through the hardships of learning, and achieve meaningful progress. To explore the unknown, we must have unwavering belief and stay dedicated to the right path. Our homeland needs our talents, our passion, and our perseverance. May we carry the desire to explore the unknown and seek true knowledge, set our aspirations high, remain resolute, and work relentlessly on this long journey of innovation and continuous progress."
The opening ceremony was held both online and offline, with the main venue located in the University Gymnasium and two other sub-venues. It was also broadcast simultaneously through the Rain Classroom platform.
Editors: John Paul, Li Han
