On the afternoon of September 17th, 2019, SUFE’s opening ceremony was held in the gymnasium. During the ceremony, over 4000 new students learned the history of SUFE and made a vow to be a Sufer. Attending the ceremony were SUFE leaders: Xu Tao, Jiang Chuanhai, Xu Fei, Chen Hong, Liu Lanjuan, Yao Lingzhen, Zhu Mingxiong; the president’s assistant Zhen Shaohua and Li Zengquan; the alumnus of class 1995, the CEO of Alibaba Group, Zhang Yong; and representatives of the school staff.
The ceremony began with the national anthem.
The education theme of the ceremony was patriotism, love of SUFE and hard work, following three main chapters: learning about SUFE’s history, belief building, and inspiring hard work.
Chapter 1: Learn history to inherit SUFE’s spirit
At the beginning, volunteers performed a short show to present the history of SUFE. They vividly described how SUFE, as the first business college in Chinese history, spared no effort to become a world-class university. All the years that SUFE went through are exactly the time when modern Chinese higher education of finance and economics gradually integrated into the modern world, and became internationalized and globalized.
On behalf of the school staff and students, President Jiang Chuanhai, addressed a welcome speech. He wished that new students could hold great dreams and keep their feet on the ground to be practical as well. He stated that the road for SUFE used to be filled with thorns, and that the development of SUFE went through ups and downs. Moreover, internationalization is in accordance with SUFE’s goals. SUFE has insisted on the right direction, emphasizing morality cultivation, world-class quality, connotative development and pursuing excellence. He encouraged the new Sufers to work hard to be professionally excellent talents, but more importantly, learn to be legitimate and virtuous citizens.
Chapter 2: Be a doer to lead the age
In this section, the CEO of Alibaba Group, Zhang Yong, as an alumnus of the class of 1995, shared his own story in SUFE with new students. He said that students should seize the time as a student to learn more knowledge in different aspects, such as changes in society, science, technology and economy. He pointed out that a dream cannot be realized by thinking. It can only be realized by practice. During college, students should focus on learning ability. One thing that drives people to consistently learn new things is curiosity, which generates creativity and creation. He hopes that after their graduation from SUFE, students can improve themselves and make contribution to our society and our country in the future.
The next process was the exciting vowing and school badge wearing. With the school anthem, all the new students made a vow in front of the school flag, which asked that students would work diligently to contribute to our nation. Leaders from different departments helped students’ representatives to wear school badges, while other students put on the badge by themselves.
Chapter 3: Set ambitious goals and be a striver
In this section, Chairperson of the University Council, Xu Tao, delivered a speech with the theme of caring for our country and being a striver in this new era. He started his lecture with interviews of the outstanding teachers and students: Mr. Huang Tianhua, who has written a 5 million word History of China's Financial System in 31 years; Mr. Lu Pinyan, who has given up the preferential treatment of Microsoft Asia Research Institute to become a teacher in SUFE – he led a scientific research team, and won the ICCM Medal of Mathematics; Zhou Yuechen, who is keen to participate in public welfare activities and care for the visually impaired; and Xiang Yubo, who participated in the teaching of Yuxi Middle School in Daozhen County, Guizhou Province, and is a graduate student with excellent performance. His lecture aimed to guide the students to think about what is youth and what can you do for your family and country.
Being youths, he said, students should show their care of our country. He wished that new students could hold firm beliefs and set ambitious goals. While on the way to realize their dreams, they could persevere with them and work with diligence. Moreover, they could show their patriotism by their actions and take their responsibility as a Chinese citizen in the process of realizing the Chinese dream.
The orchestra stared to play Jasmine and then My Country and Me. Students gradually took out their little national flags while dancers started dancing and singers started singing. All the teachers and students on spot showed their love for our country by singing along with the song.
The opening ceremony ended in the chorus. By an interesting and vivid pre-college education, SUFE is trying to cultivate students’ patriotism as well as build identity and strengthen their sense of belonging to make them feel honored to be a Sufer and eventually, encourage students to take responsibility of this era and work hard.
Translated by Xu Mengdi
Proofread by Dominic Graham
（From Department of Students Affairs）
