On the morning of September 17, the Opening Ceremony 2023 of Sun Yat-sen University & the“First Lecture at University”was simultaneously held on five campuses in the three cities of Guangzhou, Zhuhai and Shenzhen. The new undergraduate and postgraduate students of 2023 gathered in the main venue of the Gymnasium on Guangzhou South Campus as well as several sub-veneues, embarking on a new journey at SYSU.
The Opening Ceremony 2023 of Sun Yat-sen University in the Gymnasium on Guangzhou South Campus
New Starting Point
On the early morning of September 17, everything has been well prepared in the Gymnasium on Guangzhou South Campus. The new students arrived at the venue one after another, wearing smiles on their faces.
At 9:15, instructed by doctor Zheng Ziyu, the emergency medical team from the First Affiliated Hospital of SYSU demonstrated the emergency evacuation procedure for all the teachers and students, in order to ensure their safety during the ceremony.
The freshmen sang the university anthem, led by the two teachers Zhang Xiqiu and Wang Yiting from the School of Art.
Several new students delivered a recitation to share their stories about SYSU, including one who was a student of the volunteer teachers from SYSU, one whose hometown receives medical assistance from doctors of SYSU, one who comes from the Greater Bay Area, and one who is attracted by the openness and inclusiveness of SYSU. Gathering on Guangzhou South Campus, the new students move forward to a better future.
The SYSU Accordion Orchestra and SYSU Symphony Orchestra played the classic piece“Tango”.
The SYSU Street Dance Association performed a dance named“Growth”. The teachers and students from the School of Art and the SYSU Art Association performed a mashup of songs, igniting the whole audience.
Attendees of the ceremony included the university leaders, academicians, and leaders of SYSU's schools, departments and affiliated hospitals. The ceremony was moderated by Executive Vice President Xiao Haipeng.
The ceremony started with all participants standing up and singing the national anthem.
Sincere Wishes to New Students
Sun Yat-sen University is an institution of higher education with extraordinary history and sound academic foundation. From the date of birth, SYSU has always upheld the aspirations of revitalizing China and building the motherland, and shared its destiny with the nation. SYSU has gathered numerous top teachers and scholars, and cultivated a large number of talents with great ability and tremendous potential.
Secretary Chen Chunsheng motivated the new students through the centenary history of SYSU, and expressed his expectations for them: keep in mind the top priorities of the country, and align the small dream with the big mission; build ability and resilience, and strive to achieve self-fulfillment; focus on national needs and make contributions to building China into a strong country.
Lately, Professor Wang Meng from the School of Physics and his team have discovered high-temperature superconductivity in a nickel oxide material, marking a breakthrough in the basic research. As the teacher representative, he shared with the new students his understandings of what is a university, and expressed sincere wishes and suggestions to them: connect their aspirations with the future of the country and the fate of mankind; keep learning, lay a solid foundation, cultivate skepticism and rigorous logic, and establish the habit of self-learning and life-long learning; free their minds, have the courage and ability to challenge, dare to explore, and strive to be pioneering and surpass predecessors.
The continuing undergraduate student representative Liu Hang, who was enrolled in 2018 in the Department of Philosophy, shared his life at SYSU and experience in the army. When he was serving in the army, he worked hard and achieved several honors. He encouraged the new students to read extensively, innovate, take actions and let their youth bloom in full splendor.
The new undergraduate student representative Lin Zhining from Zhongshan School of Medicine, expressed her determination to strive. She said she will improve capability and skills in expertise, have firm ideals and conviction, and take an initiative to shoulder responsibilities.
Huang Junrou, a PhD candidate from the School of Marine Science, delivered an impressive speech as the continuing postgraduate student representative. During postgraduate study, she published 7 SCI papers in total, and broke the technical barrier of breeding sparus latus by applying genomic selection, making an effort to promote rural vitalization. She motivated the new students to be pioneering, adhere to firm convictions and achieve intended goals as planned.
The new postgraduate student representative Xiao Yongran is a MS-PhD student from the School of Electronics and Communication Engineering. He encouraged the new students to set high aspirations, shoulder responsibilities and forge ahead into the future.
Solemn Oath-taking
Led by Vice President Liu Jike, the new students took the solemn oath as new members of the SYSU community, expressing that they will remember the university motto, shoulder the mission of the times, advocate science and reason, study diligently, seek truth and innovate.
Led by Deputy Secretary Yu Minbin, the new medical students took the solemn oath: "Health related, life entrusted. The moment I step into the hallowed medical institution, I pledge solemnly -- I will volunteer myself to medicine with love for my motherland and loyalty to the people. I will scrupulously abide by the medical ethics, respect my teachers and discipline myself. I will strive diligently for the perfection of technology and for all-round development of myself. I am determined to strive diligently to eliminate man's suffering, enhance man's health conditions and uphold the chasteness and honor of medicine. I will heal the wounded and rescue the dying, regardless of the hardships. I will always be in earnest pursuit of better achievement. I will work all my life for the development of the nation's medical enterprise as well as mankind's physical and mental health."
Study and Research
President Gao Song delivered a speech at the end of the ceremony. He put forward three expectations to the new students: look into the future, take the initiative and improve learning capability; cultivate innovation capacity and the spirit of science through academic practice; aspire for the high and grand while planting feet firmly on the ground, strive for excellence and serve the country.
He hoped that both undergraduate and postgraduate students should uphold the unity of learning, thinking and acting. Instead of“l(fā)ying flat”or“slacking off”, the youth should devote themselves to the great practice on the Chinese path to modernization.
The ceremony and the“first lecture”ended in the familiar university anthem, and the new students will start a new chapter in their life.
（Photos by: Yu Ting, Xiao Yao, Wang Jiahong, Fang Dongni, Liang Chen, Gao Haihao, Wang Ruiyuan, Li Yunxu, Zhu Jiahao）
