Time flies by when PKU renews itself. On August 31, as the hot summer is graduallytaken over by the fresh autumn, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School (PKUSZ) held its opening ceremony for academic year 2023-2024. A group of new students joined this big community “born and raised” in Shenzhen, a city that recently celebrated its 43rdbirthday as the Special Economic Zone and the trailblazer of China’s Reform and Opening-up policy.
The Opening Ceremony
YangJin, Director of University Town of Shenzhen (UTSZ) Management and Service Center, Zhang Jin, Standing Member of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Peking University Committee, Vice President of PKU and Chancellor of PKUSZ, Hai Wen, Vice Chairman of PKU Counciland Founding Dean of PKU HSBC Business School (PHBS), Yang Zhen,Executive Vice Chancellor of PKUSZ, Niu Hongwei and Pan Feng, Vice Chancellor of PKUSZ, An Xiaopeng, Qi Guowei and Zou Yuexian, Deputy Secretary of the CPC PKUSZ Committee, and leaders from schools at PKUSZ were present at the ceremony. Tan Wenchang, Secretary of the CPC PKUSZ Committee, presided over the ceremony.
Poetry is the embodiment of feelings and faith, and thepoem recitation programYouthperformed at the warm-up session of the ceremony showed PKU students’ unswervingaspirationtobuildthe country.PKUSZArtTroupe, Choirand top-ten singers then brought the audienceperformances that demonstrated PKUSZ students’ capability to innovate on the old and to adapt to the new.
Student Performances
The ceremony officially started as the audience rose for the anthem of the People’s Republic of China. Students at different schools were dressed in the respective colors, showing theireagerness to start the new life with theirheart-stirring school cheers.
Schools Cheers
Then the welcoming video introduced all new students to the upcoming new life at PKUSZ, walking them through every corner of the campus,leading them into the various school activities on the campus, and showing them the “fruits” they will harvest at the end of their graduate study from the campus.
Liu Shiqi, a second-year graduate school at the School of Environment and Energy (SEE), delivered a speech.He shared three points with the new students, drawing on his one-year experience in conducting research and working at student organizations. First is to know that by sticking to the original aspiration, one has been making progress already. Second is to realize that by helping others, one has been benefiting themselves already. Third to understand that by learning the history, one has been predicting the future already. He sent out his best wishes that all new students may eventually find their answers no matter what challenges lie ahead.
Liu Shiqi Delivering Speech
Li Zigang, faculty representative from the School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology (SCBB), then gave his speech on how to live a meaningful life as PKUSZ graduate students. He believed that first is to devote oneself into academic studies, second is to attach importance to interdisciplinary cooperation, third is to participate in public service and entrepreneurialactivities, and fourth is to stay resilient and passionate as always. He welcomed new students to join PKUSZ, a big family that is vibrant, diversified, and international.
Li Zigang Giving Specch
Ma Siyi, a first-year student from HSBC Business School (PHBS), was once an undergraduate at PKU in Beijing. She now fulfilled the transformation from an undergraduate to a graduate student, and by moving from the north to the south, she was amazed by the abundant creativity that the young city Shenzhen was able to deliver. Looking forward into the future, she, on behalf of all new students, was ready to shoulder the responsibility and write down her own answer for the new era.
Ma Siyi Giving Speech
Zhang Jin, Standing Member of the CPC PKU Committee, PKU Vice President and PKUSZ Chancellor, then sent his warm welcome to all new students. He, drawing on “mountain-climbing” as the metaphor, shared three suggestions. First is to have the ambition and determination to “never stop until reaching the top”. To “seek happiness for the Chinese people and realize the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” has always been the reason why generations of PKUers “climbed”. Second is to focus on the “present step no matter how high the mountains are”. All the past achievements by PKUers could not have been done without countless days and nights. He stressed the need to lay a solid foundation and improve step by step. Third is to equip the bravery and vision to “see the magnificent sceneryat distance”. He highlighted the importance to innovate when hardening one’s aspiration and working hard.
Zhang Jin Delivering Speech
Trees can grow up to a thousand feet because they have a solid foundation, and it is the same for PKUSZ students. On the occasion of the upcoming 39thTeachers’ Day, new student representatives presented flowers to the professors, faculties and staff at PKUSZ, sending their deep gratitude and respect to those who work behind the scenes.
Student Rep. Presenting Flowers
The PKU emblem carries the university spirt that was passed down from generation to generation. With senior students and their schoolmates as the witness, new students put on the emblem, officially recognizing themselves as PKUers.Theceremony then came to a successful conclusion in the songYanyuan Qingthat shares the common feelings and memories of all PKUers.
New Students Putting on Emblems
TheYanyuan QingSong
Prior to the ceremony, Chancellor Zhang Jin, along with his delegate team, visited new students at their dormitories. He learned about the supply of furniture, water and electricity, and discussed with students on their new life and study here at PKUSZ.
Zhang Jin’s Visit of New Students
Whilethe faces are different, students put on similar smiles and they all have the same expectations. The opening ceremony is bound to serve as a good starting point, leading all new students totheir meaningful graduate studies here at PKUSZ.
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Translate by YAN Yuchen
Edit by WANG Shunlun
Reviewed by MA Xiye
