2024 opening ceremony: bringing dreams within reach

X J T L U

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) welcomed approximately 7,500 new undergraduate, master’s and PhD students at the 2024 opening ceremony held 1 September at the Suzhou Olympic Sports Centre.  

They included more than 570 new students from 66 countries and regions outside the Chinese mainland.

Exploration, discovery, belief

Professor Youmin Xi, Executive President of XJTLU, said in an opening speech that XJTLU enables self-discovery, seeking the unknown, and exploring 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.”

Professor Xi encouraged students to use XJTLU’s Star-shaped Education Model to refine attributes like critical thinking, innovation, initiative-taking and international perspective. Students will then be able to see all that is available to them at XJTLU, he said.

“You will discover the advanced physical resources across XJTLU’s multicampus 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,” he said.

He said XJTLU moves forward with determination and strength because it is driven by the unwavering belief in providing solutions for future education, influencing, and leading the field. Likewise, he said he hopes students will form a belief that will guide their future.

“With steadfast belief, you can pursue your interests, soar in your career, and realise your dreams with the support of the XJTLU platform,” he said. 

Partnering for success

Professor Wenquan Tao, President of XJTLU, congratulated the students on entering XJTLU, where more than 42% of those earning undergraduate degrees in 2024 received offers from the world’s top 10 universities and students with graduate degrees received offers from “Big Four” accountancy firms and state-owned banks. 

“This is a place of high efficiency, where programmes are closely related to world economic development,” Professor Tao said. “Our curriculums are designed to absorb the best of our two parent universities, as well as the best of the higher education systems in both China and Britain.”

The University welcomed representatives from both parent universities to speak at the opening ceremony.

Professor Richard Black, Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Liverpool, advised new students to take advantage of this unique time in their lives.

“Through XJTLU and the partnership with the University of Liverpool, you will have the opportunity to develop your skills in leadership, team working, debating, problem solving, entrepreneurship and much more – all of which will be essential as you head towards the next stage of your lives,” Professor Black said.

He also noted the opportunities XJTLU students have to study at the University of Liverpool through various study schemes. 

“Our current Liverpool-based XJTLU students are tremendous ambassadors for China and make a wonderful contribution to life at the University and to the city as a whole,” Professor Black said. “In return, they are gaining invaluable international study and life experience, setting them apart in the crowded graduate employment marketplace; learning in a Russell Group environment with world-leading researchers; and developing additional skills such as flexibility, curiosity, cross-cultural awareness and, of course, dramatically improving their confidence and their English language ability.”

Professor Jun Hong, Vice-President and Member of the Party Committee’s Standing Committee at Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU), quoted Kang Peng, the previous President of XJTU, encouraging new students to be proactive: “First, we expect our students to be active in their thinking, to be daring and innovative. Secondly, we hope that students will study actively and diligently, and continue to exercise their talents.  Thirdly, we hope that students will live an active life, be positive in their university life, and create a new landscape at XJTLU.”

Staff and faculty representative Professor Angelos Stefanidis said that XJTLU values the diversity that each new student brings. 

“You come from different cities, countries, and backgrounds, each with your own story to tell and dreams to pursue,” Professor Stefanidis said. “It is this diversity that makes our university so vibrant and dynamic, and it is what will enrich your experience here. Embrace it. Learn from it. Let it challenge your perspectives and broaden your horizons.”

New beginnings

XJTLU master’s student and international student representative Florence Anabel Kandinata encouraged students new to graduate study to approach it with enthusiasm and resilience. 

“The transition from undergraduate to graduate studies can be overwhelming, but it is also invigorating,” she said. “This is a time when we are not just learners but active contributors to a broader academic community. Here, we aim to enrich our knowledge, challenge our perspectives, and engage in meaningful research and discussions.”

XJTLU undergraduate student representative Zixu Xu talked about how his dream became reality through joining XJTLU. 

“I always believed that ‘vision shapes our world,’” Xu said. “I dreamed of studying in an institution that not only imparts knowledge but also broadens my horizons and prepares me for a diverse and interconnected world. Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, with its diverse international student body and global outlook, brings that dream within reach.”

By Tamara Kaup

Edited by Patricia Pieterse

Social Media Editor: Minmin Zhao and Yajun Ma

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