Nanjing University held an opening ceremony for this year’s new undergraduates in Xianlin’s gymnasium on the afternoon of September 1, 2018.
Attending the ceremony were university leaders, academicians, senior professors of the humanities and social sciences, heads of departments and schools, alumni representatives, and all the new undergraduates.
The ceremony was presided over by Liu Hongjian, vice chancellor of Nanjing University and secretary of the CPC committee’s disciplinary inspection commission.
A glance at the opening ceremony (photographed by She Zhijun)
Amid the solemn National Anthem, all at the ceremony rose and sang along, and the meeting formally began.
Singing the National Anthem (photographed by She Zhijun)
President Lyu Jian, a member of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), delivered a welcome speech to the new students on behalf of the university’s faculty and staff.
He jokingly referred to the new students as “little blue whales” (which is homophonic with “Nanjingese”) and hoped they will all enjoy exploring their university life as freely as whales in the sea.
Lyu used different buildings on campus to introduce the history of the university’s growth and explained the meaning behind the university’s anthem and emblem.
Nanjing University is a vast ocean of knowledge, a tranquil home for the mind, a cradle for superior talents, and a melting pot for one’s growth, pointed out president Lyu.
President Lyu Jian is talking to the audience (photographed by She Zhijun)
In response to the students’ puzzles about what the university can offer, what they can do, and how they should learn, President Lyu clarified that the greatest task of Nanjing University is the education of the students and that the university always acts upon the educational principle of “integrating knowledge with practice.”
In fact, he said, Nanjing University is well-known in the country and even in the world for its model of student education and talent cultivation, the “Double-Three System” (three educational stages and three development paths), with the integration of the four disciplinary areas of arts, sciences, engineering, and medicine.
This system enables students to acquire solid interdisciplinary knowledge and develop comprehensive talents with diversified qualifications and a broad, far-sighted world outlook.
Nanjing University boasts a large pool of quality courses, a unique teaching system geared towards innovation and career development, internationalized research and study programs, rich extracurricular activities, and plenty of off-campus practicum platforms, said Lyu.
The new students, Lyu pointed out, will soon experience the university’s culture that is “people-oriented, reason-revering, humanistic, open and inclusive,” will be immersed in an academic environment which features the qualities of being “rigorous, realistic, diligent, and creative,” and will carry forward the university’s fine tradition of “sincerity with aspiration, perseverance with integrity.”
With their own effort, the students will become fine NJU talents who are “sincere, simple, erudite, responsible, and brilliant.”
As a teacher, Lyu Jian made three suggestions to the new students. First, they should complete the transition from high school to university. That is, they should be independent in character, sound in body and mind, active in study, and sociable in life.
Second, they should complete the transition from ordinary university students to Nanjing University students. That is, they should take full advantage of the broad space provided by the Double-Three System in the coming four years of study, acquire both broad knowledge through the interdisciplinary general education and in-depth knowledge in their disciplines, and develop the ability for critical-thinking-based innovation and the ability for adaptation in shifting situations.
Third, they should complete the transition from students to leaders of our time. That is, they should bear in mind the words of General Secretary Xi Jinping: “Being patriotic and inspirational, seeking truth, and putting to practice lofty ideas,” shoulder the historical responsibility of rejuvenating China, carry forward China’s brilliant culture, lead the future development of the world, and be trailblazers of this great era.
At the end of his speech, Lyu Jian expressed his wish for the new students by referring to the willful dream in Chuang Tzu’s Wandering Where You Will and said, “I wish you make all the way through to a splendid life with the four-year study at Nanjing University!”
Presenting university badges and copies of Selected Classic Works for NJUers and Study Guide for New Students (photographed by She Zhijun)
After the president’s speech, university leaders, distinguished guests, academicians, and senior professors in humanities and social sciences helped representatives of the new students put on the university badges and presented them the books of Selected Classic Works for NJUers and Study Guide for New Students.
Presenting letters of appointment (photographed by She Zhijun)
Last year witnessed a coordinated reform in admissions and placement of students in general disciplinary areas. In order to strengthen ethical education and carry out educational reform, the university organized teachers, student advisers, teaching staff and students and appointed them new students’ academic mentors, career planning mentors, teaching affairs mentors, and peer mentors. These four kinds of mentors each in their own ways play an important role in helping new students fit into university life, learning about disciplines, selecting majors, and ensuring healthy growth.
At the opening ceremony, chancellor of the university Zhang Yibin presented the letters of appointment to the new students’ mentors and encouraged them to give good guidance and good care to the students.
Li Lin is speaking (photographed by She Zhijun)
On behalf of the alumni, Li Lin gave a humorous talk to the new students and showed his care and high expectations on them. Li entered Nanjing University in 1979 and is now an academician of both CAS and Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences.
Li advised the students to cherish the time in school, to follow their interest in choosing majors, to stick to their goals, and to learn to think wisely and tell the right from wrong. He also encouraged them to participate in various school activities, seize the day and pursue their dreams courageously.
“You will be the pride of NJU,” he said in the end.
Shi Yong is speaking (photographed by She Zhijun)
Professor Shi Yong, a scholar of the “Global Young Experts Program” from the School of Astronomy and Space Sciences, spoke on behalf of the faculty. He first congratulated new students on being finally admitted to this well-known centery-old university. He shared with them his expectations that all will “work hard, live earnestly, and meet challenges head on” and wished them living a happy and healthy life and having a successful academic career in the coming four years.
Student Ma Yihang is speaking (photographed by She Zhijun)
On behalf of the new students, Ma Yihang, from the economic management experimental class, delivered a speech.
“NJU is the best place for undergraduate education,” she said. “The ‘Double-Three Program’ enables us to chase our dreams. This is just what other new students feel in their hearts.”
As a youth of this new era, she was full of hope for the future. Ma expressed her deep feelings for the university, her expectations for school life, and her determination to study hard.
On the scene (photographed by She Zhijun)
Led by Ji Enwei, of the science experimental class (chemistry and life sciences), all the new students took the oath to begin their university life.
Liu Hongjian presides over the opening ceremony (photographed by She Zhijun)
Other university leaders and experts present at the opening ceremony included:
Yang Zhong,executive vice chancellor of the university;
Fu Congbin, CAS academician;
Gong Changde, CAS academician;
Du Youwei, CAS academician;
Wu Peiheng, CAS academician;
Lai Yonghai, senior professor of the humanities and social sciences;
Wang Zhilin, member of the standing committee of NJU’s CPC committee and vice president of the university;
Wang Zhenlin, member of the standing committee of NJU’s CPC committee and vice president of the university;
Wang Mingsheng, member of the standing committee and head of the publicity department, of NJU’s CPC committee;
Guo Suiping, member of the standing committee and head of the organization department, of NJU’s CPC committee;
Wang Yunjun, member of the standing committee, director of the office, and head of the united front work department, of NJU’s CPC committee;
Pu Lijie, assistant to university president; and
Chen Jianqun, assistant to university president.
(Source: News Center by Li Ling Xiao and Luo Jing)
