On September 2^nd, the 2023 Opening Ceremony for undergraduate freshmen was held at USTB Symposium. Mr. WU Guilong, Chancellor of USTB; Prof. YANG Renshu, President of USTB; Prof. YU Chengwen and Prof. SUN Jinghong, Vice Chancellors of USTB; Prof. ZHANG Dalin, Vice Chancellor and Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Committee of USTB, Prof. ZHANG Weidong, Prof. YAN Xiangbin, Prof. WANG Luning, and Prof. HUANG Wunan, Vice Presidents of USTB, and relevant personnel from different functional departments or offices and schools attended the ceremony. A total number of 3,473 undergraduate freshmen and some of their parents took part in the ceremony. The ceremony was broadcast live online simultaneously. Prof. YU Chengwen presided over the ceremony.

The site of the ceremony

Prof. YU Chengwen presided over the ceremony

Flag-conferring ceremony

USTB attaches great importance to the educational function of the ceremony. It fully excavates the educational connotation of the ceremony culture, gathering wisdom and designing carefully to integrate the elements of encouragement, gratitude, and school culture so as to standardize students and educate them through the ceremony. In the warm-up session before the ceremony, the freshmen representatives presented flowers to representatives of parents and middle school teachers to thank them for their companionship and cultivation. Fourteen college deans put on the school badge for the freshmen representatives and conferred the flags to them. The atmosphere was pushed to a climax when the entrant representatives waved the flags bearing the weight of glory, which marked that the 2023 undergraduates will inherit and carry forward the spirit of the school motto, “Seeking Truth and Promoting Innovation,” and shoulder the responsibility and mission to make a career in the new era with the spirit of that as steel and iron.

GAO Leipeng delivered a speech on behalf of the enrolled students

The opening ceremony began with the solemn national anthem. GAO Leipeng, Presiding Chairman of the USTB Students’ Union and representative of the enrolled students, delivered a speech. He encouraged all the entrants to learn and ask, be diligent in study, be on guard against conceit and impetuosity, and be willing to pursue, keep the mission in mind, and have the courage to take responsibility so as to write their unforgettable stories at USTB in the next four years.

WANG Xi made a speech on behalf of the new students

WANG Xi, a freshly enrolled student from the School of Mechanical Engineering, delivered a speech on behalf of the new students. She called on the students to try hard in their youthfulness, with which they would carry forward the spirit of “Seeking Truth and Promoting Innovation,” inherit the quality as steel and iron, and practice the mission of “patriotism and devotion” so as to play the magnificent chapter of “We’ll make China stronger with our youthfulness” in USTB.

Prof. YANG Xu spoke on behalf of undergraduate supervisors at USTB

Prof. YANG Xu from the School of Automation and Electrical Engineering delivered a speech on behalf of the undergraduate tutors. With his over 20 years of experience studying and working at USTB, he encouraged all the entrants to set goals and life plans, fulfill the role transition from a passive learner to an active one, be courageous in front of difficulties, and dare to challenge them, so as to inherit the new era USTB spirit of “pursuing excellence and being courageous to strive to the first”; cultivate virtue and behavior and unite knowing and doing, exploring truthfulness in “knowing” and growing up in “doing.”

Ms. Tsengel Jargal delivered a speech on behalf of the alumni community

Ms. Tsengel Jargal, an alumna studying in USTB from 1998 to 2005, one of the Representatives of the 20^th CPC National Congress, and Chief Expert of the Shougang Group Technology Research Institute, gave a speech full of deep feelings. She looked back upon her studies and life in USTB and her 18 year of first-line work experience at Shougang Group Technology Research Institute and expressed her sincere wishes to all the entrants. She hoped that they would exercise and show themselves cherish the time so as to spend their most beautiful youth life on the beautiful campus of USTB.

Prof. YANG Renshu delivered a speech

Prof. YANG Renshu delivered an enthusiastic speech. He detailed the development process and excellent achievements of USTB. He proposed three expectations for the entrants: To firmly uphold the patriotic sentiment of “striving for the rise of China,” to cultivate pragmatism of “all the things in life should be done by ourselves.” and to cherish the campus relationships and try hard in their youthfulness. Finally, the President hoped that all the entrants spread their youth enthusiasm on the USTB campus, cultivate the quality as steel and iron with wisdom and sweat, embrace dreams, do solid work, dare to think and do, be good at doing things, and pursue excellence and have the courage to be the first, running at a fast speed in their youthfulness under the background of building China into a strong country and realizing the rejuvenation of the nation.

At the end of the ceremony, 2023 undergraduate freshmen sang the “Splendid Chapter of USTB” together. The inspiring anthem marked the successful conclusion of the ceremony.

Draft: SHI Jingwen

Revision: CHENG Mingyuan