The 2023 Welcome Ceremony was held in the Auditorium on the International Campus, Zhejiang University on September 17, 2023. Chinese and foreign undergraduate, master and doctoral students commenced their new journey.
Prof. He Lianzhen, Vice President of ZJU and Prof. John Coleman, UIUC Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost delivered welcome speeches. Prof. Li Hanying, Dean of International Campus, ZJU, Prof. Qu Lijuan, Vice Dean of International Campus, Prof. Wu Jian, Vice Dean of International Campus, Prof. Zhao Peng, Coordinators and Vice Dean of the School of Mechanical Engineering, Prof. Duan Yuanfeng, Coordinators and Vice Dean of the College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, and representatives of relevant colleges in ZJU, as well as heads in the relevant departments of the campus attended the ceremony. Prof. Rashid Bashir, Dean of the Grainger College of Engineering, Prof. Philippe Geubelle, Executive Associate Dean of the Grainger College of Engineering, and Prof. Umberto Ravaioli, Director of Academic Affairs for the ZJU-UIUC Program of the Grainger College of Engineering attended the ceremony. Prof. Rashid Bashir and Prof. Philippe Geubelle spoke. Prof. Lee Der-Horng, Dean of ZJUI, Prof. Jin Jianming, Executive Dean of ZJUI, Prof. MA Hao, Vice Dean of ZJUI, Prof. WANG Hongwei, Vice Dean of ZJUI, attended the ceremony online and offline. Representatives of ZJUI faculty members and students’ parents attended the ceremony.
First, Prof. He Lianzhen extended a warm welcome to all the first-year students, and expressed gratitude and greetings to our partners at UIUC and to parents. She expressed hopes that students will clear their mind with explicit goals, dare to explore and engage in in-depth research, and think great thoughts with unwavering devotion to their shared future. She encouraged students to strive to be the trendsetters in the new era, make full use of the platform and opportunities provided by the two universities. She encouraged students to practice the mission and responsibility of youth, to build a community of shared future for mankind, to draw a magnificent picture of human social progress with the essence of eastern and western education, and to contribute wisdom to meet global challenges.
Prof. John Coleman stated that ZJUI is truly a peer partnership bringing together two well matched universities;- two of the best in the world with an equal and strong commitment to excellence in engineering education. He stated that the number of new students demonstrate that the two universities share a great deal of history together. He stated that he hoped that students will immerse themselves in this unique and outstanding platform and beinspired to achieve brilliance.
Prof. Rashid Bashir welcomed the new students and their parents. He pointed out that our times have undergone profound changes, and universities no longer tell students what to do, but constantly guide and inspire students. He stated that he hoped that all students will act with understanding empathy and kindness towards everyone around the world and create harmony amongst humanity. Prof. Philippe Geubelle introduced the faculty, research, curriculum, and student development of the Grainger College of Engineering, encouraging students to strive for excellence and create a better world through engineering innovation.
Prof. Lee Der-Horng indicated that the international campus has been guided by the mission to empower future international leaders and citizens with skills, passion, ambition, resourcefulness, and knowledge (SPARK) to enable them to change their world, and ZJUI embodies “educating innovators in engineering and leaders of tomorrow” as its foundation. He stated that ZJUI has always been committed to addressing global challenges through engineering innovation and stated that he hoped that students will embrace the unknown with a thirst for knowledge while experiencing university life. He expressed his hopes that students would set their sights high and strive for excellence in academic research, and dare to try - allowing for mistakes, actively contributing, and caring for the greatness of the nation. He stressed that students should strive to stay at the forefront of innovation for a better future.
The representative of undergraduate student, Lin Haoxiang, introduced the importance of taking responsibility by citing President Co-ching Chu's resounding two questions, expressing his determination to view the world as his own responsibility and the truth as his goal. Graduate student representative Pan Yanling joined ZJUI with a desire for an international perspective and interdisciplinary abilities. She stated that she will bravely take responsibility, contribute, and strive to become an engineering elite while adhering to the spirit of seeking truth and pursuing innovation, and become a leader with global competitiveness. International student representative Aren Mkhitarya stated that students from all over the world come together with diverse backgrounds and diverse cultures shining brightly, which will also illuminate the path towards personal growth and global citizenship, and they will contribute their own efforts to building a community with a shared future for mankind. Parent representative Chang Xuan's father Chang Junliang expressed congratulations to all the first-year students, emphasized the importance of teamwork, advocated for students to fully enjoy colorful campus life, and looked forward to students growing into first-class compound elites with national identity, international vision, global competitiveness and global responsibility.
An exciting and colorful talent show was prepared by the first-year students. A program expressing thanks to parents for wearing badges for parents’ representatives was greeted with enthusiasm by the audience.
After the introduction of the faculty members in the fall semester of 2023, all the attending guests released the paper airplanes with notes full of dreams. As the Chinese old saying goes, “being fond of learning is akin to knowledge and practicing with vigor is akin to benevolence.” The journey of self-discovery, self-exploration, self-transcendence, and self-realization for students at ZJUI begins here.
