On the afternoon of 9 September, the 2023 opening ceremony of Global Institute of Future Technology (hereafter GIFT) at Shanghai Jiaotong University (hereafter SJTU) was held in Yue-Kong Pao Library Lecture Hall. Zong Wa, Deputy Secretary General of China Education Association for International Exchange, Ning Guang, President of Ruijin Hospital affiliated to SJTU Medical School, Honorary Dean of GIFT and Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, Xu Hao, Director of Science and Technology Commission of Minhang District, Ge Min, Deputy Secretary of Xishan District Party Committee and Deputy Mayor of Xishan District Government, Chen Qun, President of United Imaging Central Research Institute, and other distinguished guests, Ding Kui Ling, President of SJTU and Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ni Jun, Dean of GIFT, Jin Sun, Vice Dean of Science and Technology Development Institute, Yang Ming, Party Secretary of Union College, all members of the leadership team, representatives of the institute faculty, and all the new students of the class of 2023 attended the ceremony. The ceremony was presided over by Yang Ming.
Ding Kuling pointed out in his speech that the construction of the Future Technology Institute is for higher education to respond to the future change in advance, actively respond to change, and take the initiative to seek change. He put forward three hopes for the future construction of the institute: first, to educate people, innovate the mode, make moral education as the institute’s key work, and cultivate Chinese masters of engineering field for the future. Second, to focus on the future, conduct interdisciplinary work, actively guide teachers and students to take the urgent needs of national development and long-term needs as the topic of scientific research, and strive to achieve breakthroughs in cutting-edge technology research. Thirdly, to be open and inclusive, adhere to the internationalisation of education, and continuously improve the level of education and innovation in international exchanges, so as to build the institute into an important node in the world’s higher education system.
Combining his many years of experience in internationalisation of education, Zongwa put forward some suggestions to the new students of GIFT from the perspective of global competency development. He said he hoped that students would be enthusiastic and persistent in exploring and solving common problems faced by human society such as future energy, future health and so on. Making full use of the international platform of SJTU and GIFT, students should continue to improve cross-cultural communication and global leadership, take the responsibility and be a creator of history, and strive to grow up to be a leading global figure in the world.
In his speech, Ning Guang sent a message to the students from the profound meaning of the word “Pu Yuan”. Pu stands for vastness and Yuan for deepness. He pointed out that in the foreseeable future, health and energy are the most important challenges faced by the earth and human beings. Both disciplines are profound and never-ending studies, which need to be pursued as a lifelong endeavour with hard work and endurance. He hoped that students would make full use of time at SJTU and the open and tolerant atmosphere of GIFT, seize the inspiration, advance forward in continuous trial and failure, find the key to push open the door of the future, and keep marching towards the breadth and depth of science and technology.
Ni Jun introduces the construction of GIFT. Over the past two years, GIFT has planned from a high starting point, addressed the problems at a deep level, formed the GIFT’s characteristic concepts of education, established GIFT paradigm cultivation system, built an excellent faculty, and formed a good ecology of school-enterprise interaction by promoting the deep integration of industry, academia and research. Dean Ni also shared his own experience of studying, serving the country, founding UM-SJTU Joint Institute and GIFT, and encouraged the new students to be curious about the world, expand their fields, adhere to the tradition of gratitude of SJTU, and change the world and create the future.
Xu Hao and Ni Jun unveiled the new building model of GIFT. The new building will form a “Twin Building” with the adjacent CATL Future Energy Research Institute building, which will work together to build a highland for education, science and technology and talents, and jointly serve the construction of Shanghai Science and Technology Innovation Centre. In the future, the “Twin Building” will become an important landmark in the “Grand Neo Bay”, leading the construction of the future technology innovation zone.
Ge Min and Ni Jun jointly released the mascot of the institute“GIFT Calf”. It is a symbol of diligence, dedication, progress, and strength in Chinese culture. Established in the lunar ox year, GIFT will carry forward the spirit of hard work, innovation and progress, and is committed to cultivating strategic international science and technology leaders who will lead the future development.
Wan Jiayu, associate professor of GIFT and class teacher of class 2023, spoke as a representative of teachers. He encouraged the students of GIFT to keep hope in their hearts on the road of exploring the unknown, and to grasp the opportunities of technological change, enhance the courage to face the challenges, maintain the constant innovation power and knowledge reserve, pursue the innovative research, and aspire to become the future leaders in the respective field.
Zhang Qingpeng, the representative of new undergraduates in Class 2304, expressed in her speech her expectation for the upcoming undergraduate life, the journey of GIFT, and her understanding of the GIFT motto. She said students of GIFT should take the initiative to explore the unknown, pursue dreams unremittingly, constantly broaden the breadth and depth of cognition, give full play to the spirit of innovation and strength, and become a GIFT talent who is patriotic, hard-working and capable of taking on responsibilities.
Ji Yaokun, a master student of class 2023, spoke as a representative of new graduate students. He used the key words “innovative” and “interdisciplinary”to describe GIFT. Combined with his own choice of health research direction, he said that he expected students from different backgrounds to find their own direction in the open and inclusive environment of GIFT, closely connecting their scientific pursuits and personal careers with the needs of the country and the development of mankind, and struggling continuously in the most creative youthful years.
The arrival of the first batch of new students is a milestone in the development of GIFT, and it also represents that GIFT will carry a new mission and responsibility. With the continuous support of all parties in the society and the joint efforts of all teachers and students, GIFT will surely live up to the times, live up to the good fortune, write history and create the future!
