On the afternoon of September 22, the opening ceremony and inaugural class for the freshmen 2023 at Hertfordshire College was launched in the auditorium of the Culture and Art Center. The event unfolded with the distinguished presence of key figures such as Tang Zhenghua, Zhang Bing, Cang Yuquan, Felix Zhu and Yvonne Yan. In addition, administrative heads of Academic Affairs Office, Student Affairs Department (Office), Youth League Committee, School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering/Flight College and School of Electrical and Information Engineering were in attendance at the ceremony along with the faculty of Hertfordshire College and 224 freshmen. The ceremony was presided over by Wendy Wang, Dean of Hertfordshire College.
Amid the majestic national anthem, the ceremony kicked off. All participant teachers and students watched a short film recording the study and life of the freshmen since their enrollment, and 29 individuals and 6 units were commended for their outstanding performance in the English Summer Camp for the freshmen 2023.
In his address, President Zhang Bing extended a heartfelt welcome to the new students, offering words of encouragement and hope to the freshmen for their academic journey ahead. He emphasized the importance of leveraging the rich resources offered by both Chinese and British institutions, urging students to strive for excellence and embrace their roles as future contributors to the internationalization of Chinese enterprises. Furthermore, he encouraged them to broaden their horizons, engage in meaningful international exchanges, and become ambassadors of cross-cultural exchanges. He also inspired students to face challenges head-on, embracing the trials and tribulations of youth as they carve out their paths towards a brighter future.
Felix Zhu addressed the students, hoping that they would never cease to learn in the fields of science, engineering and technology, striving for application of their knowledge and skills into practice, and bring innovation and creativity to related industries, higher education and colleges.
Student representative Qiu Zijian, Chinese teacher Wayne Yao and British teacher Anna made speeches respectively. Qiu Zijian called on all freshmen to strive hard for a solid foundation, broaden their horizons, and develop their interests at the undergraduate stage. Wayne Yao encouraged students to shift passive learning into active exploration, stay bold to express their views in learning, and make learning more meaningful and rewarding. Starting with the example of opening up the Silk Road by Zhang Qian on his mission to the Western Regions, Anna encouraged students to learn in "English" instead of "learning" English. She urged them to use English as a tool to broaden their horizons and unfold a global perspective on the one hand, and to let the rest of the world see the rich cultural heritage of Chinese civilization on the other.
At the ceremony, Tang Zhenghua, Zhang Bing, Cang Yuquan and other administrative leaders put on the school badge for the freshman representatives, and presented books such as "Walden" and "Twelve Letters to Youth", officially signaling the start of the freshmen's academic journey. Against the warm backdrop where all the freshmen waved the national flags of China and Britain and chanted the slogans of their class, Tang Zhenghua solemnly awarded the flag of Hertfordshire College to Wendy Wang. In the days ahead, Hertfordshire College will be set on a new height of international education cooperation in CIT, and contribute more to Changzhou's commitment to a well-known international city of intelligent manufacturing.
After the ceremony, Wendy Wang and Yvonne Yan gave an inaugural lesson to the freshmen 2023 respectively as part of their orientation. Yvonne Yan introduced the history and achievements of the University of Hertfordshire, school facilities, teaching and student activities. Wendy Wang started the first lesson with an introduction to the development of CIT's Sino-foreign cooperative education, the running model of Hertfordshire College, and the shift to collegiate learning mode. Her address covered 4 topics, including "scientific planning of academic goals", "strengthening the awareness of autonomous learning", "scientific use of spare time" and "extensive dabbling in professional knowledge".
Before the ceremony, teachers and students signed on the signature wall, wrote down wishes and messages to the College and the future on the postcards, and solemnly put them in the mailbox emblematic of "sailing to the future".
(Text by Kim Jin from Hertfordshire College; Photo by Han Zhongde; Reviewed by Wendy Wang)
