On the afternoon of September 8, the opening ceremony for the Class of 2026 at the School of Mathematical Sciences, Shenzhen University, was grandly held in Lecture Hall No. 1 of Huixing Building on the Yuehai Campus of Shenzhen University. The ceremony was attended by the school’s leadership team, department chairs, faculty representatives, freshman homeroom teachers, student advisors, and all incoming freshmen of the Class of 2026. The ceremony was presided over by Deputy Party Secretary Ye Xing.
At the start of the ceremony, everyone stood at attention as the national anthem was played and sung.
Vice Dean Hu Yaohua (in charge of administrative affairs) delivered an address. On behalf of the School, he extended a warm welcome to all incoming students and paid sincere tribute to the teachers who have nurtured them. He reviewed the more than 40-year development of the mathematics discipline at Shenzhen University, noting how generation after generation of mathematicians at the university have carried on the torch and forged ahead with determination. He offered three pieces of advice to the incoming students: First, lay a solid foundation and use basic research to address the questions of our time. Mathematics is the cornerstone of artificial intelligence and the “chip” at the heart of all hard technologies. He encouraged students to remain focused and patient, willingly enduring the “cold bench” to build a solid foundation in mathematics. Second, pursue excellence and scale the peaks of science with an innovative spirit. The School boasts robust academic platforms and an outstanding faculty. He urged everyone to uphold the spirit of the university motto—“Self-reliance, Self-discipline, and Self-improvement”—to dare to question established theories, boldly pose new questions, and conduct mathematical research that “reaches the heavens and grounds itself in reality.” Third, maintain a sense of national responsibility and use mathematical wisdom to serve societal needs. Located at the heart of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the School enjoys unique conditions for integrating industry, academia, and research. He encouraged students to integrate their personal aspirations into the broader context of national development and to use the power of mathematics to solve practical problems. He wished the students success in their diligent studies and intellectual exploration at Liyuan, urging them to embrace challenges with passion and compose brilliant chapters with rationality.
Vice Dean Han Yu presented an overview of the admissions results for the Class of 2026. This year, 216 undergraduate students were admitted, with the highest admission rank in Guangdong Province standing at 7,588. The proportion of students admitted as their first-choice applicants was high; all students admitted to the Mathematics and Applied Mathematics (Excellence Class) program were first-choice applicants, and the quality of the student body has shown steady improvement. A total of 86 graduate students were admitted, including 42 students admitted through the recommendation-exemption program and 11 doctoral candidates. The proportion of students from key universities has increased, and the student body’s composition continues to improve. He urged the new graduate students to cherish their youth, study diligently, and think critically, growing steadily and constantly breaking new ground in the realm of mathematics.
Vice Dean Lu Jian provided a systematic overview of the school’s overall research landscape, covering research platforms, innovation teams, key research areas, and research outputs. He noted that the school’s disciplinary rankings have continued to rise, with breakthroughs achieved in both the quality of research papers and the capacity to secure research projects. Finally, he encouraged the new students to thoroughly master their major courses, actively integrate into research teams, hone their innovative thinking through practical experience, and lay a solid foundation for their long-term academic careers.
Vice Dean Zhao Yi introduced the School’s faculty and internationalization efforts. The School boasts a strong faculty, including numerous high-level talents recognized at the national, provincial, and municipal levels, with diverse research interests. With a high level of internationalization, the School annually funds students to study abroad, continuously bringing together high-quality resources from home and abroad to build better platforms for student growth and provide more development opportunities. He urged the new students to broaden their international horizons, draw on the strengths of others, and strive to become well-rounded professionals who combine professional expertise with international competitiveness.
Professor Wan Jin Kui, representing the faculty, addressed the new students using three keywords: “Mathematics, Resilience, and Choice.” She noted that life is not a theorem with a predetermined answer, but rather a conjecture yet to be proven; mathematics teaches us to accept “not knowing” with equanimity, which is precisely the starting point of exploration. On the path to knowledge, one must cultivate resilience—the courage to start over and begin anew after encountering setbacks; when facing life’s choices, there is no need to rush to find the “optimal solution”; instead, one should choose a path to which one is willing to commit wholeheartedly. She wished the students success in the School of Mathematics in learning mathematics and embracing the unknown, in cultivating resilience and facing failure head-on, and in making choices and taking responsibility for them—all while courageously proving their own life conjectures.
Song Qiaotong, a representative of the Class of 2026 undergraduate freshmen, reflected on her twelve-year academic journey in her speech. She noted that Shenzhen University not only embodies the vibrant energy of the “City of Miracles” but also carries forward the spirit of “self-reliance, self-discipline, and self-improvement.” She emphasized that college is not a “rest stop” after the hard work of high school; rather, it is a time to bravely experiment and explore one’s own path. She called on her fellow students to stay true to their original aspirations through rigorous academic pursuit and to embark on a new journey with innovation and drive, writing the story of their youth at the School of Mathematics at Shenzhen University and letting their youthful brilliance shine in the realm of mathematics and physics.
Jin Wen, a representative of the Class of 2026 graduate students, noted in his speech that graduate studies involve a shift in learning approaches—moving from absorbing existing knowledge toward independent thinking and exploring unknown problems. He shared three pieces of advice with his fellow students: “Stay focused to build a solid foundation; be patient while maintaining your curiosity; and look up to see what lies beyond.” He expressed his hope that everyone would take each step ahead with care, maintain their interest in mathematics and curiosity about the unknown, and make the most of this youthful and precious time of academic pursuit.
Following this, led by Jin Wen, all incoming students recited the *Code of Conduct for Students in Higher Education Institutions* in unison. Their voices rang out with conviction, showcasing the fine spirit and demeanor of the School of Mathematics’ new students.
Secretary Wang Yu delivered the “First Lesson in Ideological and Political Education” to all freshmen of the Class of 2026. Taking the achievement of Chinese mathematicians Wang Hong and Deng Yu—who both won the Fields Medal—as her starting point, she pointed out that behind this historic breakthrough lies a century of resurgence and rise in Chinese mathematics. This monumental transformation spanning a century serves as a true testament to the nation’s journey from standing up, to growing prosperous, to becoming strong, highlighting the steady enhancement of the country’s comprehensive national strength and the far-reaching effectiveness of its basic research strategy. She encouraged the students to cherish their original aspirations for choosing to major in mathematics, to study their specialized knowledge diligently, and to solidly build a strong foundation of skills. She also expressed three expectations for the freshmen: First, to set the aspiration of serving the nation through mathematics and to build strong professional confidence. Mathematics is the foundation of key fields such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing; every formula you learn and every deduction you make is contributing to the nation’s scientific and technological innovation. Second, maintain a spirit of truth-seeking and pragmatism, and cultivate an excellent academic ethos. Discard a restless mindset, reject short-term gains, stay focused, persevere through the “cold bench,” and seek breakthroughs through repeated study and exploration. Third, shoulder the responsibility of national rejuvenation and demonstrate the sense of responsibility expected of the youth. Integrate your personal ideals into the broader context of national development; dare to confront difficult problems and bravely challenge the unknown; and respond to the call of the times through the struggles of your youth. She wished the students success in devoting themselves to their studies and honing their skills on the fertile ground of Liyuan, and in writing their own brilliant chapters in the grand journey of national rejuvenation.
With that, the opening ceremony for the Class of 2026 at the School of Mathematical Sciences, Shenzhen University, came to a successful close. Filled with hope and ambition, the freshmen of the Class of 2026 are about to set out on their journey. Through in-depth study in the classroom, hands-on exploration, and the exchange of ideas, they will discover the beauty of mathematics and write their own chapters of youth.
