Fudan held its 2025 Opening Ceremony on the lawn in front of Guanghua Building yesterday. Over 17,000 new students from 96 countries and regions gathered to kick off their journey here.
President JIN Li likened universities to a “training ground” for life in his speech at the ceremony. He emphasized that the ability to make choices is crucial for personal growth and a skill that requires constant refinement. Choosing Fudan is a significant life decision, but it is just the beginning. Once at Fudan, students will face—and must face—even more choices. Only by learning to make choices can students truly learn, innovate, and shape their own futures.
Fudan is a fertile ground for students’ growth. Jin encouraged students to explore tirelessly, build their own knowledge frameworks, develop their expertise, and acquire the skills and methods to understand and change the world. He also urged them to embrace a non-utilitarian mindset, engage in meaningful endeavors, become valuable contributors, and ultimately achieve greatness. He called on students to learn to make choices, develop independently, and write their own legendary stories.
Faculty representative FENG Jianfeng, dean of the School of Data Science and the Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, shared his academic journey that led him to Fudan. He praised Fudan’s inclusiveness, which provides a stage for everyone to thrive regardless of their background.
Over the years, Feng’s team has made groundbreaking work, including building the world’s first 86-billion-neuron digital twin brain and developing a brain-spinal interface that enables paralyzed patients to walk again. As the first Chinese author to publish a paper at NeurIPS, he emphasized that the future of AI is not just about technology, but also about integrating humanities and ethics. He urged students to adopt an international perspective, engage with global leaders, and contribute to the common good.
“Medicine is a field that is always needed by society and is worth dedicating a lifetime to. It requires not only exquisite skills but also a deep sense of awe and enthusiasm for life,” said YANG Yuchen, a first-year medical undergraduate, in her speech. As a student about to enter the eight-year clinical medicine program, she is excited to join the Zhengyi Mingdao Program, where renowned teachers guide students not only in academia but also in life. “I look forward to early research and clinical practice, finding my direction under the guidance of my mentors,” she said.
At the ceremony, the first image of a black hole photo in human history, displayed on the screen, caught everyone’s attention. It confirmed the predictions of the general theory of relativity and marked a significant scientific milestone. JIN Yihan, a representative of graduate students and a Ph.D. student at the Department of Physics, shared that his mentor, YUAN Feng, was one of the five scientists on the team that published the groundbreaking paper.
“Every small discovery is an important step towards the unknown,” he said. During his four years as an undergraduate at Fudan, Yihan has laid a solid foundation for scientific research through advanced courses, lab rotations, and international exchanges. In the future, he hopes to explore the endless frontiers of knowledge driven by his love for science at Fudan.
Pablo Felipe Ernesto Carpanetti Anaiz, a first-year master’s student at Fudan International School of Finance, shared his journey from Chile, the first South American country to establish diplomatic relations with China.
One year ago, he came to Fudan to study Chinese. In class, the unique intonation and rhythm of the Chinese language captivated him. In his spare time, he picked up Chinese drumming and even took on the role of group leader. Now, as a student in the FMBA program at the Fudan International School of Finance, he sees every step of his journey as a move towards a richer future. “I hope to draw wisdom from Fudan’s classrooms, and grow through cultural integration, ” he said.
May all our new students embrace the vibrant new chapter with open hearts and boundless enthusiasm!
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Writer: WANG Mengqi
Editor: LI Yijie
