On the morning of September 8, the Opening Ceremony for the Class of 2025 was held at the East Sports Ground of the Songjiang Campus, bringing together all freshmen to begin a new chapter of their youth.
The event was attended by Li Jiang, Secretary of the CPC SUES Committee; Lou Yongqi, President of SUES; Zhu Xiaoqing and Meng Xing, Deputy Secretaries; Xu Yang, Wang Yansong, Xia Chunming, and Xu Kaiyu, Vice Presidents; Shi Jianyong and other SUES leaders; as well as heads of relevant administrative offices, deans of various schools, alumni representatives, faculty representatives, and the entire Class of 2025. The ceremony was presided over by Vice President Xu Yang.
The ceremony opened with the solemn National Anthem.
Secretary Li Jiang joined a student representative to launch the “Dreams Take Flight” initiative, inspiring students to set sail toward a broader future. He encouraged them to uphold the spirit of innovation, remain true to their aspirations and responsibilities, and live up to the expectations of the times. He urged the freshmen to be bold and resilient on their journey of pursuing dreams, aiming to contribute their vibrant youth to the great cause of national rejuvenation.
In his keynote address titled “Unfurl Your Life’s ‘Three Wings’ with SUES”, President Lou Yongqi presented the Class of 2025 with a special “welcome gift”— three guiding principles for life and study:1. Why attending university? In the age of artificial intelligence, the most essential task of university is to learn how to engage with the world. Students should come to better understand themselves, others, and the society; to cherish life, self, and community; and to accept imperfection in themselves and the world around them. 2.How to learn? Experiences matter more than results. Students are encouraged to actively embrace the university’s “3-wings” development strategy, and to accumulate valuable life experience through a learning approach that combines thinking and speaking, engaging with heart and passion, and learning by doing. 3.How to break personal limits? Students are encouraged to dream big, step out of their comfort zones, expand their social circles, and never live according to others’ expectations. By taking initiative and collaborating with others, they can realize their unique and irreplaceable potential.
Dr. Joseph Press, Distinguished Professor at International Institute of Creative Design, expressed his honor and excitement at joining SUES. He looked forward to working with students and faculty to transform curiosity into knowledge, knowledge into solutions, and innovation into action.
Cao Chilun, Class of 1995 alumnus, shared his academic and entrepreneurial journey, encouraging students to build a solid foundation, engage in practice, and enhance interdisciplinary collaboration, so that their professional expertise may light the way to the future.
Speaking as a faculty representative, Professor Li Cheng, Dean of School of Air Transportation (School of Flying), used the symbolism of the “four stripes” on a pilot’s epaulet to inspire students to sharpen their ability to identify and solve unknown problems, striving for excellence in their personal growth.
As a senior student representative, Liao Yaohong, President of the Student Union of School of Textile and Fashion and a 2022 student majoring in Fashion Design and Engineering, shared his reflections on “thoughtfulness,” “responsibility,” and “service,” encouraging new students to stay true to their aspirations and pursue steady, meaningful progress.
Representing the Class of 2025, Liu Jiazhi, a PhD candidate in Mechanical Engineering from School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, pledged to shoulder the responsibilities of being among the university’s first doctoral students, grounding his research in the needs of the country and advancing national rejuvenation through research.
The ceremony concluded with a vibrant showcase that integrated cutting-edge technology and cultural experiences. Fixed-wing aircraft models, multi-rotor drones, racing drones, Baja and Formula racing cars took turns on display, creating a high-energy celebration that highlighted SUES’ educational mission, innovative spirit, and youthful vitality.