On the evening of September 3, 2021, the opening ceremony for the commencement of the new academic year at the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) was held at the Green Pine Stadium.

Fengliang LI, University Council Chairperson, Qikun XUE, President of SUSTech, members of the University’s leadership team, department heads, and staff attended the ceremony. SUSTech’s 2021 freshmen, faculty members, and representatives of alumni also attended the event. Dongxiao ZHANG, Vice President and Provost of SUSTech, presided over the ceremony.

For the upcoming academic year, SUSTech welcomes 1,160 new undergraduates and 1,735 postgraduate students. This also included 22 international students. Due to the ongoing epidemic situation globally, the new international students observed the opening ceremony via an online link.

The ceremony was simultaneously broadcasted live online in both Chinese and English, where parents and other guests could experience the event.

The ceremony kicked off with everyone standing and observing the national flag raising and singing of the national anthem. President Qikun XUE gave a speech at the event. He gave a warm welcome to the newcomers on behalf of everyone at the University.

He officially announced SUSTech’s new motto, “Virtue, Truth, Advance.” He explained in detail the philosophical meaning behind the motto and how it embodies the values of the University. It sets a standard for faculty members and students to strive for.

He added that the motto is the soul of the University. He cited multiple examples and pointed out that SUSTech has practiced the motto in education and research in its ten years of existence. He made suggestions to the new students as they embark on a new chapter of their lives with SUSTech. He asked them to discover a better version of themselves, build on their knowledge, discover their true passion, and maintain their curiosity and imagination.

He hopes that they will be guided by the University’s motto of “Virtue, Truth, Advance” by continuously seeking to improve themselves and make significant contributions to the country’s future development.

Mingjie ZHANG, Dean of the School of Life Sciences, shared his thoughts with the new students. He hopes that the students would choose their major based on what they are passionate about instead of choosing one that may be considered more popular.

He hopes that after choosing their major, they will study hard, become more knowledgeable, develop their ability to think independently, and handle challenges. He finished by saying that they should learn to respect themselves and everyone around them and have the courage to challenge the unknown.

Siyi MIN, a 2016 alumnus from the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Zhiren College, spoke on behalf of the alumni. She shared her journey and growth with SUSTech and said it’s a place to explore, open up, and move forward.

The essence of scientific research lies in exploring, and she hopes the students will use their abilities to think independently and be resilient to solve problems. She said to cherish the friendship with your classmates and not be afraid to take on the world.

Jiahang LUO, a 2021 undergraduate student of Zhixin College, gave a speech on behalf of the freshmen. She shared her experience with SUSTech, stating that the freshmen should strive to grow into innovative people and build a better future for tomorrow.

Cheng XU, a 2021 doctoral student from the Department of Mechanics and Aerospace Engineering, spoke on behalf of the postgraduate students. He said that he would continue to remain enthusiastic for the unknown, be ambitious, and continue to absorb knowledge to make breakthroughs in science and technology. He hopes that all the postgraduates will share a similar experience and make significant contributions to society in the future.

The ceremony was held in strict accordance with the epidemic prevention and control measures in place on campus. The location was sanitized in advance, and all attending guests had to present a negative nucleic acid test and show their green codes before entering the venue.