On the morning of September 14, the School of Mechanical EngineeringZhejiang University held the opening ceremony for its 2025 cohort of postgraduate students in Mengminwei Building at the Zijingang Campus. The ceremony was attended by school leaders including ZhenyuLiu, Secretary of the Party Committee; Peng Zhao and YuanliuChen, Deputy Deans; and HuiTian, Deputy Party Secretary. Also present were Juanxia Jin, Secretary of the Youth League Committee; BingruiLiu, Deputy Secretary of the Youth League Committee; and faculty representative Wule Zhu. All new postgraduate students from the 2025 cohort gathered together to witness this memorable occasion. The ceremony was hosted by Deputy Party Secretary HUI Tian.
The ceremony began solemnly with the national anthem. Secretary Zhenyu Liu delivered a speech on behalf of the school, extending a warm welcome to all new students and reflecting on the school’s distinguished history as the cradle of modern mechanical engineering education in China. He encouraged the new students to uphold Zhejiang University’s motto of “Seeking Truth and Pursuing Innovation,” to diligently build a solid academic foundation, approach research with rigor, embrace the mission of innovation, strive courageously toward the frontiers of science and technology, and become pioneers who will lead the future of intelligent manufacturing in mechanical engineering.
Liu’s speech
Faculty representative and researcher Wule Zhu extended sincere congratulations to the students and shared three valuable pieces of advice:
First, make solid plans and adapt to this new stage. Graduate school is a critical period for developing research capabilities, and students should proactively plan both their academic and personal development.
Second, dare to innovate and tackle challenges head-on. Treat every exploration as an opportunity for growth and achieve self-breakthrough through trial and error.Third, strictly adhere to academic standards and uphold research integrity. He urged students to firmly uphold the fundamental principle of honesty in academic research.
Zhu’s speech
Zimo Cai, a representative of senior students and a 2022-level doctoral student, delivered a speech. Combining her practical experience in the fields of laser manufacturing and micro-nano sensing technology, she emphasized the importance of integrating personal ideals and pursuits into the development needs of the national cause. She encouraged the new students to maintain their passion for scientific research and the spirit of exploration, actively engage in the construction of "major national undertakings", and become capable and responsible mechanical talents in the new era.
Cai’s speech
TianchengLiu, a representative of new students and a 2025-level master's student, expressed his sense of pride in joining the School of Mechanical Engineering of Zhejiang University and his enthusiasm for knowledge in his speech. He called on his fellow students to, under the guidance of the school motto "Seeking Truth and Innovating", actively explore interdisciplinary frontier fields such as artificial intelligence, new materials, and biomedicine, address challenges with innovative thinking, take the initiative to serve the country's major strategic needs, and jointly write a chapter of academic pursuit in the new era.
Liu’s speech
Led by Tiancheng Liu, the representative of new students, all new students raised their right hands and took a solemn oath: "From today onwards, we will uphold the school motto of 'Seeking Truth and Innovating', study diligently and act with determination, explore and innovate, aim high, strive for self-improvement, and strive to become mechanical engineering students of Zhejiang University who are capable of shouldering the important responsibility of national rejuvenation!"
All took the oath and sang the school song together
After the oath-taking ceremony, teachers and students sang the school song together. The melody was melodious yet powerful, and every line of the lyrics embodied the spiritual heritage of Zhejiang University, a century-old institution of higher learning, as well as the firm belief in pursuing truth. It inspires everyone to integrate their personal ideals into the cause of national development and contribute to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
ZhenyuLiu gives the "First Lecture by the Secretary"
Secretary Zhenyu Liu gave a profound "First Lecture by the Secretary" to the new students. Starting from the "Mechanical Spirit" rooted in the university and college history, he emphasized the college's mission and responsibility of always keeping in step with national development. He encouraged the new students to focus on cutting-edge interdisciplinary fields such as artificial intelligence, new materials, and biomedicine, and to dare to innovate and make breakthroughs in the country's "bottleneck" technologies. He offered the new students the advice of "Maintaining tranquility to achieve long-term goals and seeking truth through continuous exploration", inspiring them to dedicate themselves to academic research, commit to innovation, make steady progress on the path of scientific research, and move from excellence to outstanding achievement. This lecture was not only a review of history but also a guide for the future, marking the official start of the new students' new journey of academic exploration.
The opening ceremony further deepened the 2025-level graduate students' understanding of the college and inspired their passion and ambition to engage in scientific research, enhance their innovative capabilities, and serve national needs. All new students will always be guided by the spirit of "Seeking Truth and Innovating", actively explore, courageously climb the peaks of knowledge, integrate their personal growth into the Chinese Dream of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and jointly write a new chapter in the high-quality development of the School of Mechanical Engineering of Zhejiang University.
Picture：Yao Yao
Word：Wanjie Zhang
