The Opening Convocation was held on September 12, to greet the university's newest group of students. 5,235 undergraduate students, 1,374 master's students, and 32 doctoral students gathered at the West Stadium of Xiasha Campus, where the official start of their unique intellectual journey full of longings and hopes was marked.
Members of ZUFE's leading body, including Li Jinchang, Wei Jiang, Huang Jianxin, Wang Kuiquan, Sun Xudong, Li Zhanrong, Xu Xiaodong, Dong Jincai, Shen Tuli, Lou Danqun, heads of departments, major leaders and the representatives of faculty of secondary colleges, all class advisers and counselors of the new students, and all new undergraduate, graduate, and international students, attended the Opening Convocation. The ceremony was presided over by Xu Xiaodong, deputy secretary of the Party Committee.
The ceremony kicked off as all the teachers and students stood up and sang the national anthem with enthusiasm.
Li Jinchang, secretary of ZUFE's Party Committee, and representatives of new students from secondary colleges lit the Torch of ZUFE jointly. The blazing flames of youth and dreams soared in the heart of every Zufer, illuminating their way forward in pursuing dreams.
Wei Jiang, deputy secretary of the university's Party Committee and vice president (in charge of administration), delivered a speech titled "Upholding the Aspiration of Innovation with a Clear and Steadfast Heart". On behalf of the university, he extended a warm welcome and heartfelt congratulations to every new student who joined the ZUFE family. "From today on, we, the new Zufers, have the privilege to write our best youth on this best campus. Rooted in the most fertile soil of knowledge, we will write a new and magnificent chapter at ZUFE." He had in-depth exchanges with the new students on four questions, i.e. What is university? Why study in university? How to study in university? And how to serve the society after graduation?
Wei Jiang interpreted "what is university" from the perspective of the Greek word of "university". He explained that "uni" represented unity and commonality, "versal" represented the universe, which was the vastness of human thought, and "ty" represented a realm, a property, and a state. Combining these three affixes and roots, we found that "University" embodied the spirit of a university. "We must follow a common law since we are university students now. We stand at the top of the universe, unleashing our thoughts and showcasing our talents. We will soar over the top of the universe with our ethereal hearts and free thoughts to pursue the meaning of life. This is "university". Wei Jiang stated that the purpose of university education was not to cultivate as many experts as possible, but to develop leaders who were loyal, resolute, and capable of taking on major responsibilities.
Wei Jiang said that the universal of a university was not about majors or employment, but rather about life. University meant to learn how to live, how to live a meaningful life and how to live a noble life. University meant the mastery of the "useless truth". Only by forgetting the "usefulness" of the moment could we focus on the "truth" of the long term, and gain the wisdom of understanding future changes in human and world patterns, thus embracing happiness. University was about learning how to truly find the methods and significance of lifelong learning. It was about learning a spirit and to be responsible. Only by turning learning into a way of life could our hearts be free from loneliness, our future free from confusion, our spirit free from emptiness, and our soul free from dying.
"Why are my eyes always brimming with tears? Because I love this land so deeply."
Wei Jiang called on, affectionately. "Students, light up a lamp for the future of ZUFE with your shining names, bright eyes, and brilliant talents. We should serve our country with the courage of 'If not me, who?' and advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation in Chinese modernization." His insightful speech won many warm and lasting rounds of applause.
Zhao Yuheng, a teacher representative and third prize winner of the Third National College Teacher Teaching Innovation Competition, and professor of the School of Accounting, hoped that students, in addition to classroom learning, should further their study in grassroots and companies to see the real world outside of books. By actively participating in various academic competitions and reading extensively, students should develop their ability to think independently and have true pictures of themselves.
Students should also align their individual development with the needs of the country. Only by achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation can we have the vast sky to fly in and sea to sail on.
Xie Rudong, a representative of alumnus, chairman and CEO of Hangzhou Yowant Technology, torchbearer of the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou, the only Zhejiang merchant born in the 1980s who led the live streaming e-commerce industry to be shortlisted for the first time in Top 10 Zhejiang Merchants 2022, and 2005 graduate of computer majors of the School of Information Management and Artificial Intelligence, shared his experience and insights: to cherish life in the university. Besides having a good command of professional knowledge, students should also learn to establish correct values, so as to serve the society with a higher pattern and stronger sense of responsibility.
Zhang Yixin, a representative of freshmen and student of the School of Public Administration, and Sun Yuqian, a representative of graduate students and doctoral student of the School of Data Sciences, called on students to focus on the country’s top priorities and establish lofty aspirations. Students should keep the spirit of "forging ahead" to boost their spiritual temperament, practice holistic education to lay a solid foundation, embrace dreams and pursue a life with goals, be down-to-earth and strive to achieve stability and progress, as well as take root in fertile soil and adhere to the unity of knowledge and action.
The university's leaders wore the university emblem for the new student representatives. Signifying the beginning of a new identity, the university emblem shone with ZUFE's motto of "pursuing virtue and academic excellence, and keeping pace with the times", carrying the ZUFE dream of every new student.
More than a solemn ceremony, the Opening Convocation had its entertaining side. The lively opening dance "Grand Ceremony", as well as song and street dance performances warmed up the ceremony. Along with the melody, thousands of participants celebrated these memorable moments of youth.
The Opening Convocation was held both on-line and off-line. Live streamed through channels like ZUFE's official video account, official WeChat account and official Weibo, the ceremony received tens of thousands of views, attracting a large number of faculties, students, their relatives, and friends, as well as the public.
The ceremony concluded with the ZUFE song of Sail Far with You. The song lingered over the entire field and flowed into the heart of every Zufer. "Holding a pen of dream to write about the wonders, the sun breaks through the clouds to shine thousands of miles in red." The 2023 new student will devote themselves to their studies and work with a hundred times their enthusiasm and spirit, striving together for their better future. At a new starting point, new students will embark on the next brilliant journey together; On the new journey, they will unfold a magnificent chapter.
(Reported by Zhao Lei and photographed by Hu Danni, Li Ning, Wu Yawei, Teng Xihe, Wang Yiyushan, Chen Kehao)
