In the afternoon of September 21st, the 2024 opening ceremony of GIFT was held in the Pao Yue-Kong Library Auditorium. Present at the ceremony were Ni Jun, Deputy Director of the University Affairs Committee and Dean of GIFT, Executive Dean Jin Sun, other institute leaders Wang Chong, Wang Jingchuan, and Li Mian, faculty representatives, as well as all undergraduate, master, and doctoral freshmen of the 2024 academic year. The ceremony was hosted by Wang Jingchuan.
He encouraged the students to: firstly, actively engage in learning and outperform themselves, constantly honing, challenging, and improving themselves through proactive and in-depth study; secondly, cultivate a resilient character and dialectical thinking, proactively stepping out of their comfort zones and embracing challenges with a spirit of seeking hardship; and thirdly, take root downwards and grow upwards, demonstrating the perseverance in their academic and research endeavors.
Zheng Shuangjia spoke on behalf of the faculty. He expressed that in the face of rapidly changing societal demands, diversified and interdisciplinary cooperation has become key to driving technological progress. In the educational philosophy of GIFT, breaking down disciplinary barriers, fostering innovative thinking through interdisciplinary collaboration, and prioritizing outcome-oriented, industry-academia integrated professional practice are always at the core. He hoped that the students would cherish the environment of diverse integration and innovative development provided by the institute, value their precious youth, and achieve personal breakthroughs with an attitude of diligence, rigor, truth-seeking, and innovation.
Gu Jiayu, an undergraduate student of the class of 2023 and a member of the Presidium of the Student Union, welcomed the new students on behalf of the senior students.Gu shared his experience of course work and extracurricular activities in his first year at GIFT.He said that the culture of GIFT is open, tolerant and innovative.The first year at GIFT is creating history every day, and he also hoped that the new students can create their own history.
Liu Jiale, speaking as the representative of the undergraduate freshmen, expressed that he was deeply attracted by the innovative educational philosophy of GIFT, which includes the academic mentor system, the integration of industry, academia, and research, and personalized curiculum. These all demonstrate GIFT’s courage to be a pioneer and stand at the forefront of the times. The undergraduate majors pioneered by GIFT in China also represent the future development trends. He hopes that through his diligent study, he can contribute his own strength to the development of human life and health in the future, as well as to the progress of the nation and society.
Zhong Jincheng, the representative of the graduate freshmen, expressed his excitement about joining GIFT. He stated that as students of GIFT, they should take the needs of the Nation as their own responsibility, aim to strengthen the nation through science and technology, stay true to their original aspirations, and face the future. On one hand, they must persist in their love and pursuit of scientific research, adhere to academic norms and beliefs; on the other hand, they should actively embrace new technologies, explore future technological fields, and become innovative talents with forward-thinking and interdisciplinary mindsets.
Dean Jun Ni, on behalf of GIFT, welcomed the students of “GIFT Phase II” and delivered the first lecture to the new students titled “Exploration and Practice of Integrated Innovation in Education, Technology, and Talent Development.” He stated that GIFT is committed to breaking down the boundaries of learning, disciplines, and schools, exploring the construction of an education system with global impact and Chinese characteristics that integrates industry and education, and aims to cultivate strategic, international science and technology leaders for future industries. GIFT has pioneered the establishment of two new undergraduate majors, Sustainable Energy and Health Science and Technology, at the national level, established a student-centered, excellence-oriented training system for undergraduate, master's, and doctoral programs, formed a world-class faculty team, and fostered a healthy ecosystem of school-enterprise interaction and collaborative education through the deep integration of industry, academia, and research. He looks forward to creative, passionate, and pioneering talented students joining GIFT to write history together.
In his report, Dean Ni shared his personal journey from being admitted to SJTU from Qinghai, studying abroad through the “Shi Xing Sheng” program, and then returning to his motherland to establish the SJTU-UM Joint Institute, the SCUT Wu Xianming Intelligent Engineering College, and GIFT. He encouraged the new students to adapt to the transition of university life, learn effective study methods, build a solid knowledge structure, explore their potential, and expand their capabilities. He believes in the principle of “talent accounting for 10%, opportunity accounting for 20%, and diligence accounting for 70%,” and always maintains a heart of gratitude. He urged the students to achieve “the greater self” through “the smaller self,” to change the world, and to shape the future.
