On July 2 and 3, 2024, Shenzhen University (SZU) held its graduation ceremonies at the Yuanping Stadium of Yuehai Campus and the Zhichang Gymnasium of Lihu Campus, respectively. The events were attended by distinguished figures including Li Qingquan, Secretary of the Party Committee of SZU and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering; Mao Junfa, President of SZU and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; academicians Wei Ziqing, Fan Dianyuan, Meng Jianmin, and Chen Xiangsheng from the academies; Wang Yuexing, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of SZU and Secretary of the Commission for Discipline Inspection; Wu Baoshui, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of SZU; and Vice Presidents Xu Chen, Li Yonghua, Wang Yongcheng, Zhang Xiaohong, and Zhou Hui. Also present were Ye Yujun, Director of Shenzhen Salubris Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (Hong Kong), General Manager of the First Priority Group, Board Member of Shenzhen University, and outstanding alumna from the Class of 1991 (those who will enter in 1987) with a major in Accounting; and Wu Qichao, Chairman of Guangdong Tianan New Material Co., Ltd., and one of Top 10 Guangdong Economic Influential Individuals, representing the Class of 1989 (those who will enter in 1985) alumni in Business Administration from SZU. The ceremonies at the Yuehai and Lihu campuses were presided over by Xu Chen and Li Yonghua respectively.
Liyuan, this fertile ground, has borne abundant fruits
Li Qingquan presented the commendation certificates to the representatives of outstanding graduates
Mao Junfa presided over the tassel turning ceremony and awarded the degree certificates to the recipients of bachelor’s, honorary bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees.
Wang Yuexing announced SZU’s decisions on commending outstanding graduates at the Yuehai campuses.
Wu Baoshui announced SZU’s decisions on commending outstanding graduates at the Lihu campuses.
Xu Chen officiate the graduation ceremony of Yuehai Campus
Li Yonghua officiate the graduation ceremony of Lihu Campus
Wang Yongcheng read out SZU’s decisions on conferring bachelor’s, honorary bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees.
Zhang Xiaohong introduced the Class of 2024 undergraduates and graduate students.
Zhou Hui introduced the Class of 2024 graduate students.
At the ceremony, Li Qingquan presented the commendation certificates to the representatives of outstanding graduates. Mao Junfa presided over the tassel turning ceremony and awarded the degree certificates to the recipients of bachelor’s, honorary bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. Wang Yuexing and Wu Baoshui announced SZU’s decisions on commending outstanding graduates at the Yuehai and Lihu campuses respectively. Wang Yongcheng read out SZU’s decisions on conferring bachelor’s, honorary bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. Zhang Xiaohong and Zhou Hui introduced the Class of 2024 undergraduates and graduate students respectively.
According to reports, in recent years, SZU has seen high-quality development in graduate education, enabling every student here to find their own stars in the realm of knowledge, shining with the utmost brilliance.
In 2024, SZU had a total of 4,154 graduate students, of which 75 are PhD students and 4,079 are master students. Among them, 163 graduate students were honored with the National Scholarship, 48 with the Pengcheng Scholarship and Tencent Founder Innovation Scholarship, 221 with the Outstanding Postgraduate Cadre Scholarship, and 340 with the title of Outstanding Graduate Student.
In terms of innovation ability, the Class of 2024 postgraduate students received 110 awards in various disciplinary competitions, including 61 international and national awards and 45 provincial awards. A total of 75 doctoral students published 198 academic papers as the first author, and applied for 34 patents.
Regarding employment and further studies, as of July 1, 1,866 graduate students had signed contracts with companies such as Tencent, BYD, and Foxconn; nearly 20% chose to work in public institutions; more than 200 graduate students will continue their studies at prestigious universities such as Peking University, Tsinghua University, and the University of Tokyo both domestically and abroad. Many more explorers have embarked on the path of entrepreneurship, using their own hands to forge their own destinies.
SZU sees a total of 6,570 full-time undergraduate graduates in 2024. By June 21, 4,866 full-time undergraduate students completed their professional studies as required by the curriculum, and obtained their graduation certificates as scheduled. They met the pertinent requirements of SZU’s regulations on the conferment of bachelor’s degrees, and were approved to receive the bachelor’s degree after consideration and approval by SZU’s Academic Degree Evaluation Committee. Among them, 201 students were awarded honorary bachelor’s degrees, 67 received bachelor’s degrees in minors, and 73 obtained certificates in minors.
This year, 385 undergraduate students qualified as entrance exam-exempted students. As of June 5, a total of 1,767 prospective graduates (excluding Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan) had been admitted to master’s degree programs at prestigious universities and research institutions at home and abroad, including Tsinghua University, Peking University, the University of Oxford, the University of California, Berkeley, and Columbia University, accounting for 27.48% of the total.
The Class of 2024 won a total of 1,185 awards in various academic competitions, including 37 international awards, 452 national awards, and 696 provincial and ministerial-level awards. A total of 330 students were named SZU’s 2024 Excellent Undergraduate Graduates, and 899 students joined the Communist Party of China (CPC) during their studies at SZU.
In addition, 2,422 students were awarded bachelor’s degrees in adult higher education.
“Venturing Far and Wide with Sword in Hand” - Speech by President Mao Junfa
“Today, we forgo mere platitudes and lamentations. As you embark upon the new chapter of your lives, I wish to inscribe upon it the gallant spirit of ‘Venturing Far and Wide with Sword in Hand’.” At the graduation ceremony, President Mao Junfa titled his address ‘Venturing Far and Wide with Sword in Hand’, likening the sword to a significant carrier of Chinese culture, embodying the spirit, sentiments, and pursuits of countless heroes and literati throughout history. Mao urged the soon-to-be graduates to temper, refine, and hone their own life swords for the journeys ahead.
Mao encouraged the Class of 2024, poised to venture far and wide, to pursue genuine solutions with passion, ensure effective problem-solving with competence, and bravely tackle real challenges. His vision is for them to soon shine on the grand stage of our era, achieving high-level technological self-sufficiency and contributing to the great rejuvenation of our nation.
“SZU embraces each of us, the brave adventurers”
At the Yuehai Campus, Zhu Zipeng, a graduate of the School of Media and Communication, delivered a speech as the representative of the graduates. “Years ago, we bravely chose Shenzhen University, and now she embraces each of us who have ventured courageously,” Zhu said. He praised the down-to-earth spirit of Liyuan, which has long permeated the adventurous journey for SZU students. As long as we continue on the path of “meaningful exploration”, Zhu believes we can contribute more to the development of our country and society through firsthand experiences, and provide distinct answers to the profound questions of our time.
At the Lihu Campus, Guo Yitong, a graduate of the Medical School, spoke as a student representative. Reflecting on her university years, Guo identified trial and error, introspection, and growth as the “keywords” of her life exploration. As she bid farewell, Guo once again expressed deep affection for her alma mater: “Shenzhen University, a place that forever encourages us to pursue dreams and grants us courage, is worthy of our lifelong nostalgia and love.”
At the Yuehai Campus, Huang Hui, Dean of the College of Computer Science and Software Engineering, spoke as a faculty representative under the theme “Fearless Valor, Beauty in Hope, and Eternal Love”, bringing encouragement to graduates embarking on new journeys.
At the Lihu Campus, Professor Cai Yuanqing from the Law School spoke as a faculty representative, wishing the graduates to forever hold onto their dreams and fearlessly forge ahead into the future. “May the spirit of ‘self-reliance, self-discipline, and self-improvement’ of Shenzhen University guide you, and may our alma mater’s blessings and support be with you every step of the way.”
At the Yuehai Campus, Ye Yujun spoke as a guest representative. Having achieved success in both employment and entrepreneurship across multiple industries after graduation, Ye shared her insights and encouraged younger graduates to face challenges head-on. Ye urged graduates to bravely pursue their dreams, noting that “the support of our 300,000 alumni is your solid foundation. Wherever you go, our alma mater will always be your warmest harbor”.
At the Lihu Campus, Wu Qichao spoke as a guest representative. As an entrepreneur, Wu recounted his company’s journey to successful listing and the acquisition and turnaround of a long-standing loss-making enterprise. Wu encouraged graduates to stay optimistic; to embrace lifelong learning and cultivate a critical mindset to adapt to today’s dynamic and ever-evolving world; and to befriend time. “On your journey ahead, you are never alone in the fight. Tens of thousands of Shenzhen University alumni stand behind you.”
