Source: SYSU News Center
Written by: SYSU News Center
Photo by: Jin Feng, Cai Shanshan, Wu Xiaoguang
Edited by: Wang Dongmei

On August 25, the Opening Ceremony 2014 of Sun Yat-sen University was held on Zhuhai Campus, East Campus, South Campus and North Campus. The university leadership including Xu Ningsheng, Chen Chunsheng, Yan Guangmei, Li Ping, Wei Minghai, Guo Yaping, Li Shanmin, Zhu Xiping and Yu Minbin; Academician Su Qiang; Assistant Presidents Li Wenjun and Ma Jun; heads of departments and affiliated hospitals; and over 8,000 undergraduates and 6,000 postgraduates who are newly enrolled attended the opening ceremony.

President Xu Ningsheng addressed the opening ceremony. He pointed out that new students at SYSU are standing at a new starting line, and many students are thinking about how to make a life plan at this new staring point. He hoped the students would become academic elites, industry leaders and social elites with international vision, humanistic care and leadership charisma. He said that the University is making efforts toward this goal and asking faculty and staff to provide good conditions and environment for the students. President Xu Ningsheng emphasized that new students should study the university motto written by Dr. Sun Yat-sen: “Study Extensively, Enquire Accurately, Reflect Carefully, Discriminate Clearly, Practice Earnestly”. The motto requires SYSU students to properly handle the relations between learning and shouldering social responsibilities. The University sticks to the motto and advocates “dedication to learning”, i.e., encouraging students to "devote to learning", "devote to academic studies", ensure all-round development and ultimately reach the essence of the motto.

President Xu Ningsheng hoped the new students would carry forward SYSU’s tradition, cherish the time at university, make full use of the advantages of the campuses, study science and culture, master professional skills, put emphasis on both theoretical research and social practice, and make great contributions to our motherland and the progress of mankind.

Prof. Ma Tianjun from Department of Philosophy, Prof. Yang Song from School of Environmental Science and Technology, Prof. Lu Tongbu from School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and Prof. Zhou Jiaguo from Zhongshan School of Medicine delivered a speech at the opening ceremony respectively. Prof. Ma Tianjun told the university students to get along well with others while pursuing independence, and freedom is accompanied by responsibility. Prof. Yang Song congratulated the students on their entering the beautiful campus, and hoped they will aim high and be optimistic. Prof. Lu Tongbu told the students to strive hard, keep interest in their studies and communicate sincerely. Prof. Zhou Jiaguo hoped the new medical students would learn academic and medical skills as well as social responsibilities, and contribute to the medical development.

At the ceremony, led by Vice President Yan Guangmei, the new students took the solemn oath: “I will remember Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s motto, shoulder the mission of the times; I will observe academic ethics, advocate science and reason; I will respect my teachers, honor truth, abide by the law, study diligently, seek truth and innovate.” Led by Vice President Yu Minbin, the new medical students took the solemn oath: “Health related, life entrusted. The moment I step into the hallowed medical institution, I pledge solemnly -- I will volunteer myself to medicine with love for my motherland and loyalty to the people. I will scrupulously abide by the medical ethics, respect my teachers and discipline myself. I will strive diligently for the perfection of technology and for all-round development of myself. I am determined to strive diligently to eliminate man’s suffering, enhance man’s health conditions and uphold the chasteness and honor of medicine. I will heal the wounded and rescue the dying, regardless of the hardships. I will always be in earnest pursuit of better achievement. I will work all my life for the development of the nation’s medical enterprise as well as mankind’s physical and mental health.”

It’s the first time for the German student Christian Royce Rommeswinkel from School of Chinese as a Second Language to attend the opening ceremony in China, and learning to sing the University Anthem was quite interesting. Four of the five children in his family studied or are studying at SYSU. “Out of all the countries in the world, my father chose China, and out of all the universities in China, my eldest sister chose Sun Yat-sen University.”