On January 13, 2017, Tianjin University (TJU) held the first Graduate Student Graduation Ceremony and Degree Awarding Ceremony for 2017 at the Weijin Road Campus. 191 doctoral students and 2,757 master’s students received their degree certificates from the leaders of TJU as well as TJU’s schools and colleges and representatives of the Academic Degrees Committee. Nearly 3,000 people attended the ceremony.  

At the ceremony, Zhong Denghua, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and the president of TJU gave a speech titled “Cultivating the spirit of patriotism; adhering to the character of TJU”. 

In his speech, Zhong Denghua stressed that the love for home and the motherland is a deep sentiment a person cherishes towards his country and its people; it is the pursuit of the ideal of national prosperity and the well-being of the people; it is a persistent belief in independence and morality, of serving the country and a responsibility of caring about the whole world. 

Since its foundation, TJU has shouldered its responsibility of strengthening the nation by developing education, carrying the love for home and the motherland of Chinese intellectuals, who have been “concerned about the country and the people before anything else” for thousands of years. “Being aware of this responsibility is the beginning of being a decent person and carrying it out”, Zhong Denghua exhorted the graduates: “Undertaking responsibilities is the essence of the love for home and the motherland. In the future, whether you continue scientific researches or not, I hope you will care about the entire world and take seriously your responsibilities to the nation, to the civilization of the world and the advancement of humankind.”   

He also expressed his best wishes to the graduates. He hoped they would create and realize their goals in life through persistence of independence and morality, the pursuit of serving the country, the responsibility of caring about the whole world, the inspiration by the love for home and the motherland, and the adherence to the character of TJU. 

Wang Shuxin, an outstanding alumnus of TJU and the chairman of the Alfa Health Products Co. Ltd. shared his entrepreneurship experiences with the students. In 1988, after graduating from the organic chemistry major at TJU, he landed a job in the technological development zone of Tianjin. From 2000, he was the president of the board of directors of Tianjin TEDA Biomedical Engineering Co. Ltd. for nearly fifteen years. In July, 2012, he held the post of chairman of the Alfa Health Products Co. Ltd. and rose to be the general manager in August, 2013. Now, together with his team, he wishes to develop the company into the best brand of China’s sugar-free health food on the basis of a sugar-control management platform. 

Wang Shuxin encouraged the students to use their initiative to choose their own life paths: “Look up at the stars, plant your feet on solid ground, serve society, the people and the nation with brilliant accomplishments as the mainstay of the nation .” 

Zhao Liming, one of the top ten outstanding teachers of Tianjin and a professor in the College of Management and Economics, expressed his wishes in his speech on behalf of the supervisors: “I hope you can keep an optimistic attitude towards life, a magnanimous mind, a tireless dedication to work and a noble pursuit of life. In the face of a complex environment, I hope you can maintain a sober and discerning mind and constant creative spirit, thus achieving self-advancement, self-optimization and self-transcendence and contribute to the great rejuvenation of China.” 

Other supervisors expressed their best wishes and concern for the students through an video interview made by the Publicity Department of TJU. Chen Yushu, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a professor of TJU said in his interview: “Congratulations on your graduation. You are embarking on a new phase of life, some taking a job, some further study. I hope in your new phase, you can respect the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship and relentlessly pursue progress. Now our country is in an innovation-driven period. Under such circumstances, I hope you can achieve great accomplishments.” 

Ming Dong, a professor of the School of Precision Instrument and Opto-electronics Engineering said, “You are in a great era, in which the rapid development of China has presented to us multiple opportunities and challenges. In the days to come, I hope you can be grateful and responsible, cherish your dreams and passions, be happy and successful in your career.” 

Zhou Jingwen, a graduate of the School of Materials Science and Technology, made a speech as a representative of the graduates. He expressed his gratitude to his Alma Malta, who taught them to look up at the skies from a solid foundation, to have ambitious dreams, to challenge themselves, to develop comprehensively, to learn with noble purpose and to shoulder their responsibilities. He said, “It is the ardent anticipation of TJU that every student cherish the spirit of patriotism and take an international view, to cultivate an innovative spirit and to enhance practical ability.” At the time to saying farewell, his reluctance to depart is hard to conceal. He hoped that each graduate, bearing in mind the motto of “seeking truth from facts” and having faith in preciseness and efficiency, can advance courageously and obtain great achievements. 

Others who attended included leaders of TJU: Li Jiajun, Zhong Denghua, Shu Gequn, Feng Yaqing, Liu Dongzhi, Sun Guangping, Hu Wenping and Lei Ming; Zhang Lixin and Liu Ning, assistants to the President; Gu Yao, the General Accountant; Ma Chunyou, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC and head of the Organization Department. The ceremony was chaired by Lei Ming.