Shaping the future with wisdom and courage

X J T L U

SHAPING THE FUTURE WITH WISDOM AND COURAGE

Executive President’s Speech 

At the 2024 XJTLU Opening Ceremony

Dear students, colleagues, parents and friends:

First, let's extend a warm welcome to Professor Jun Hong, Vice President and Member of the Party Committee's Standing Committee at Xi'an Jiaotong University, and Professor Richard Black, Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Liverpool, for joining us at XJTLU to witness our 2024 opening ceremony!

Eighteen years ago, during the same early autumn season with late summer heat, 14 staff and 164 students gathered in the Foundation Building to celebrate XJTLU’s very first opening ceremony. Today, in Suzhou’s largest event venue, the Suzhou Olympic Sports Centre, over 2,300 staff members and more than 10,000 family members and friends are gathered here and online, for our approximately 7,500 new students, to celebrate their impressive achievements in the previous chapter of their lives and to cheer them on to the new chapter that is about to open. Welcome to the XJTLU community. From today, you can proudly call XJTLU “my university”^[1]!

On this occasion, I would like to discuss the potential “chemical reactions” that might occur between you and XJTLU.

 XJTLU is an exploration

Here, you will have the opportunity to discover yourself, seek the unknown, and explore the world. As a pioneer, leader, and influencer in future education, XJTLU has implemented three future-oriented educational models, providing you with the freedom to chart your path, discover your true interests, and focus deeply. Diverse learning paths such as 4+x, 2+2+x, visiting programmes at Xi’an Jiaotong University and exchange programmes with international institutions can enrich your exploration with multicultural experiences, helping you to perceive, understand, embrace, and integrate into the world.

The first step in exploration is learning to be independent, stepping out from under your parents’ protection and taking responsibility for yourself. I hope you quickly transition from being a “child” – as you may be in your parents’ eyes – to the young adult you are. I also hope that through exploration, you grow into a global citizen with an international perspective and a sense of responsibility to society.

The second step in exploration is learning to learn, thinking independently, engaging actively, expressing yourself boldly, and researching effectively. I encourage you to abandon the well-practiced passive learning mode, to question, confront confusion, and to engage in active, research-led learning.

Understanding yourself, perceiving the world, and envisioning the future is the third step in exploration. I hope you find your true passion, build your dreams, and plan your life with purpose, no longer wandering aimlessly, but driven by your interests to develop the wings to pursue your dreams.

Exploration inevitably comes with unexpected bumps, such as challenges in learning, bottlenecks in research, or setbacks in relationships. At such times, do not fear or retreat, for it is precisely the process of overcoming these bumps that aids your growth. Moreover, at XJTLU, you are not exploring alone. You can gain experience with your peers and mentors, unlock new university experiences with your development advisers, tackle tough problems with your academic advisers, engage in career planning with your external mentors, or even customise AI mentors to further support your development. Of course, advancing your relationship with your parents and family is also crucial – transforming the “constraints” of love into an “accelerator” for your growth.

 XJTLU is also a platform

The size of this platform depends on how much you can “see”. If you continue to rely on your teachers and parents to arrange everything for you, if you always wait for information input and task instructions, then XJTLU will only be worth as much as the few pieces of paper that constitute your degree. However, if you dare to break free from habitual thinking and use XJTLU’s Star-shaped Education Model to train your critical thinking, innovative spirit, initiative-taking attitude, solid foundation, international perspective, and outstanding capabilities, you will “see” much more. You will discover the advanced physical resources across XJTLU’s multi-campus environment, the high-quality, borderless digital assets available in the XJTLU Learning Mall, the vibrant network of partners, and the unlimited opportunities that XJTLU connects you with. By using the interactions and collaborations among XJTLU’s three educational models, you can achieve interdisciplinary exploration and research. By integrating yourself into the innovation ecosystem at XJTLU that integrates industry, academia, research, government, and society, you will experience a future-oriented model of societal development, enhance your “HeXie Mindset” ^[2] for navigating the world, and acquire the “Syntegrative Wisdom”^[3] to master the future.

As our alumni often say, at XJTLU, as long as you dare to dream, there are abundant resources; as long as you dare to act, there is infinite space.

The competitive logic of the future is to stand tall in the world by combining your unique value with the power of the platform. I hope you can make the most of this vast XJTLU platform, turning it into a solid step towards your future. When your wings are fully grown, you will soar high and navigate the world with confidence. This is the essence of XJTLU’s motto, “Light and Wings”: may you forge your wings with the light of wisdom and take flight in the world.

 XJTLU, at its core, is a belief

You have probably visited the Plaza of Honour on our South Campus, but many may not know the story and meaning behind it. Some even jokingly say that one of the statues resembles me. In fact, these statues do not represent any specific individuals; rather, they symbolise a group of educators from around the world who – with trust in XJTLU, a vision for future education, and a mission for educational innovation – are making history here. Their wisdom and contributions uphold XJTLU’s honour. We have customised exclusive nameplates for outstanding members of our community, embedded in the flowerbeds of the square. These ever-increasing nameplates resemble the solid footprints in XJTLU’s journey towards the future.

XJTLU moves forward with determination and strength because we are driven by the unwavering belief in providing solutions for future education, influencing, and leading the field. This belief combined with the passionate attention and strong support from alumni, parents, government, and society at large allows our university to remain true to its principles and “be independent”^[4].

I hope that in your studies, research, and life you will elevate your views on life, values, and the world, forming a firm belief and direction for the future and pursuing them with focus and dedication. With a clear direction, you will find that your journey of exploration becomes broader under the guidance of a “lighthouse”. With steadfast belief, you can pursue your interests, soar in your career, and realise your dreams with the support of the XJTLU platform.

XJTLU means more than just exploration, a platform, and belief to you and to us – there are many other roles and meanings waiting for you to discover.

The culture of XJTLU is Diversity, Regulation, Freedom, Innovation and Trust (Dr Fit). We believe in the diversity of success, encourage the uniqueness of development, and hope that XJTLU’s diverse culture nurtures your international perspective, fosters your unique ability to adhere to rules while embracing differences, cultivates your exploratory spirit to challenge yourself and innovate continuously, and supports your collaborative journey with mutual trust.

As you raise your phone to capture this grand scene, why not flip the camera to record yourself at this moment? When you graduate, look back and see if there is more confidence, calm, and determination in your eyes!

Exploration is a journey of the soul, a leap of thought;

A platform is the starting point of dreams, the cradle of creativity;

Belief is an eternal spark, a driving force to move forward. 

（Generated by AI）

Go for it, dear 2024 entry undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students. The stage curtain on your XJTLU journey of learning and life has been lifted. May your exploration be unique and wonderful!

Executive President of Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool

Professor Youmin Xi

[1] A publication titled My University, My Way was released on XJTLU's 10th anniversary.

[2] XJTLU has always utilized HeXie management theory to enhance students' mindset.

[3] XJTLU continuously strives to cultivate Syntegrative Wisdom by drawing on both Eastern and Western cultures and insights in response to future trends and needs.

[4] In my book, "Be Independent: The Road of HeXie Education," I summarised XJTLU’s pursuits and exploration.

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