Golden September brings starry nights and youthful vigour. On the evening of September 25, the West Stadium of ZUFE Xiasha Campus was bathed in brilliant lights. The Opening Ceremony for 2025 Freshmen was held in an atmosphere of solemnity and youthful spirit. More than 7,116 new ZUFERs gathered on campus with dreams and hopes, ready to embark on a new chapter of life.
The ceremony was attended by all members of the university’s leadership team, namely Wei Jiang, Zheng Yali, Sun Xudong, Xu Xiaodong, Dong Jincai, Cheng Shuang, He Xianjie and Shentu Li. Cao Guoxiong, an alumni representative, a 1994 Accounting graduate and Chairman of Puhua Capital, attended the event. Other participants included heads of functional departments, primary and other designated leaders of all schools, faculty representatives, as well as all class teachers and counselors, and the entire incoming Class of 2025.
The ceremony kicked off with the playing of the majestic national anthem. All attendees stood in solemn silence as the anthem resounded across the venue and the Five-star Red Flag rose gradually. With firm gazes and surging emotions, the freshmen ushered in their first university lesson with profound ceremonial solemnity.
“Entering university marks a brand-new chapter of your life. For the first time, you may manage your own time, choose to persist or let go, and explore the meaning of life on your own. Congratulations on embarking on a new journey to become an independent individual.” Wei Jiang, Secretary of the University Party Committee and President of ZUFE, delivered the inaugural freshman lesson titled Cultivating Backbone Talents for the Future, bringing a lesson full of philosophical reflection and warm sentiments for the new ZUFE students. By focusing on three core questions: “What is a university? What kind of university is ZUFE? How should you spend your university years?”, he systematically elaborated on ZUFE’s educational philosophy of fostering people-oriented education and nurturing students with humanistic refinement.
President Wei stressed that a university is a spiritual sanctuary that enlightens the mind, pursues truth, integrates education with research, and is embedded in society. Chinese universities not only carry forward the spirit of traditional higher education, but also shoulder the important mission of cultivating builders and successors for national rejuvenation. He emphasized that the fundamental mission of university education is not training for employment, but educating to foster whole persons. He further differentiated between “Education for Human” and “Education for Human Being”, noting that education should go beyond instrumental rationality and attach greater importance to people’s dynamism, interpersonal bonds and capacity for self-creation. In the AI era, he firmly asserted, “Technology can never replace the warmth of humanity, nor can algorithms replace the value of emotions.” He called for renewed emphasis on humanistic cultivation to foster well-rounded individuals who can hold the reins of their own lives. According to President Wei, ZUFE’s soul resides in its motto “Pursuing virtue and academic excellence, and keeping pace with the times” and its core spirit “Upholding Morality and Diligence, Embracing Simplicity and Integrity, Pursuing Pragmatism and Innovation, and Serving the Country and Society”. The year 2025 has been designated as the University’s “Mission and Culture Year”. Adopting the “K+MAQ”-oriented talent development model and the personalized training framework of “One World for Each Student, One Customized Plan for Each Life”, ZUFE strives to cultivate well-rounded individuals who can still master their life choices two decades from now.
Elaborating on how students can maximize their university experience, President Wei stressed the need to broaden their minds and pursue all-round development through physical exercise and spiritual cultivation. First, all students should grow into ZUFERs with a strong sense of heritage and social responsibility. The identity of a ZUFER is more than a mere title; it carries forward a timeless spiritual legacy. Students shall draw strength from the university’s history and initiatives centered on “Serving the Country with Finance and Economics”. They should internalize the core spirit of the university motto “Pursuing virtue and academic excellence”, pursue rigorous academic advancement, uphold rigorous moral standards, and enrich their lives with sincere dedication to the nation and society. Second, they shall become proactive learners and innovative thinkers. Students shall learn with an open mind, build a solid foundation for life values, cross disciplinary boundaries, and strike a balance between reading practical books and works for spiritual enlightenment. Third, they shall cultivate sound physical fitness and humanistic warmth. Students are encouraged to maintain regular physical exercise, participate in general education courses on literature, history and philosophy, and engage in grassroots social practices nationwide. Only with healthy bodies and enriched inner worlds can individuals pursue steady and long-term progress throughout their lives.
President Wei joined representatives of 2025 undergraduate, master’s, doctoral and international students in lighting up ZUFE’s official motto. As music played and cheers rang out, cold fireworks lit up the sky. Images of the university motto and emblem were projected onto the exterior wall of Lichao Building, bringing the event to a climax. This symbolic scene marks the deep rooting and continued inheritance of ZUFE’s spirit among the new cohort of students.
A highlight of the ceremony came when university leaders pinned school badges on freshman representatives. Engraved with the university motto “Pursuing virtue and academic excellence, and keeping pace with the times”, the badges were fastened to the chests of new students, marking their official enrollment as members of the ZUFE community.
Huang Li, a faculty representative from the School of Public Administration, addressed the new students with encouraging remarks. She urged them to uphold the university motto and stay true to the founding commitment of “Pursuing virtue and academic excellence”, growing steadily through academic learning and moral refinement. She also called on students to carry forward the university’s spirit, live up to the mission of “keeping pace with the times”, and embrace the trends of the digital economy and artificial intelligence. She encouraged everyone to press ahead and make the most of their youth through diligence, honing their abilities in libraries, laboratories and social practice activities. In addition, she reminded students to foster a strong devotion to the country, take on the responsibility for national rejuvenation, and align personal growth with the great cause of national revitalization. Ms. Huang pledged that she would accompany and support students with passion and dedication during their college years, helping them fulfill their dreams.
Cao Guoxiong, an alumni representative, a 1994 graduate of the Accounting Program and Chairman of Puhua Capital, returned to his alma mater. He fondly recalled his college years spent in single-storey classrooms at Wenhua Campus, where farmland winds acted as natural ventilation. He pointed out that “Pursuing Pragmatism and Innovation” lies at the core of ZUFE’s spirit. He encouraged current schoolmates to stay grounded and pragmatic, while daring to break conventional mindsets and embrace new changes. A university is a fertile ground brimming with endless opportunities, and also a melting pot that forges strong character. From now on, the students will forge an enduring bond with this university with profound heritage. He shared three pieces of advice: Stay passionate and chase your dreams fearlessly; Hold awe in your heart and keep your feet on the ground; Stay true to your original aspiration, and you will reach your goal. “No matter how far you travel in life, never forget where you began,” he added.
Xu Xiaodong, Vice Secretary of the CPC Committee of ZUFE, presiding over the ceremony
Amid the solemn yet heartwarming ceremony, freshmen held lights in their hands. A total of 7,116 hand-up lights were arranged to form a series of illuminated patterns: “1974-2025”, the university emblem, the motto “Pursuing virtue and academic excellence, and keeping pace with the times”, “Hello, ZUFER” and “Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics”. The whole venue became a golden sea, resembling a stream of stars that lit the path ahead.
All eyes were fixed on the stage as the melodious school motto-themed song West Lake Sunshine and Rain, Blossoms Come and Go filled the air. Eighteen 2025 freshman representatives from different schools formed a flag escort and marched in with steady, purposeful steps. Upright and solemn, they escorted the university flag, which embodies ZUFE’s spirit. The flag carries forward the profound cultural heritage shared by all ZUFERs. It also stands for ZUFE’s academic vision as vast as the ocean and its commitment to embracing the world and the future.
Li Yixuan, Grade 6, Tingtao Primary School Affiliated to ZUFE
Qi Jiaqi, Grade 8, Xuezheng Middle School Affiliated to ZUFE
Zheng Yingjun, Grade 11, High School of Quality Student Source Base of ZUFE
Jiang Peiyue, Undergraduate of Class 2025, School of Humanities and Communication, ZUFE
Zhang Zhanzhan, Master’s student of Class 2025, School of Economics, ZUFE
Chen Shuyue, Doctoral student of Class 2025, School of Accounting, ZUFE
Smirnova Daria, Representative of international freshmen, Class 2025, ZUFE
A wonderful youth dialogue themed The Relay of Faith was staged. Student representatives from Tingtao Primary School and Xuezheng Middle School affiliated to ZUFE, as well as Qiantang Campus of Hangzhou High School, the university’s key feeder high school, took the stage in turn, together with newly enrolled undergraduates, master’s students, doctoral candidates and international students of the university. Focusing on personal growth journeys, the poetic recitation featured a series of chapters: “Red Scarves and the Oil Lamp in Bajiao Building”, “Sports Meet Baton and the Power of Faith”, “South Lake Red Boat and the Dissemination of Truth”, “Finance and Economics Majors for People’s Wellbeing”, “Rural Revitalization and Thesis Implementation”, “Development of an Autonomous Knowledge System” and “Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind”. The performance formed a relay across time and space. Like a baton, faith was passed on, kindled and spread among students from different academic stages and diverse nationalities.
The opening ceremony was conducted in a hybrid online and offline mode, with live coverage broadcast across the university’s official WeChat Video Channel, WeChat official account, and Weibo account. The event won warm acclaim from faculty, students, family members and alumni. Likes and real-time comments in the live stream kept pouring in, lifting the atmosphere to new heights. Amid melodious music and dynamic dance performances, faculty, students and alumni revisited and grasped the true essence of the university motto, “Pursuing virtue and academic excellence, and keeping pace with the times”.
“From today on, I am officially a ZUFER!” Class of 2025 freshmen posted photos of the event on their WeChat Moments. The comment section was full of heartfelt messages. Former high school classmates wrote, “Take me on a tour of ZUFE when I visit you.” Parents living in other provinces sent thumbs-up emojis, while senior students reached out, inviting newcomers to grind for GPAs and join volunteer work as part of the big ZUFE family. Many freshmen also shared the line, “As the Qiantang tide surges, I look forward to the next four years ahead.” The ceremony came to an end, marking the start of a new journey. The passion of all participants online and offline made this grand occasion a complete success. To the sound of melodious music, a new chapter has just opened for the Class of 2025 at ZUFE.
(Editor: Che Peng)
