On October 10, the opening ceremony for the 2025 cohort of international students was successfully held in the video conference room at Zhejiang Institute of Economics and Trade (ZJIET). President Chen Dequan attended the event, alongside leaders and teacher representatives from relevant departments including the Student Affairs Office, Academic Affairs Office, School of Public Education, and School of International Education, as well as the new international students and Chinese student representatives .
President Chen Dequan extended a warm welcome and sincere congratulations to all the international students who had traveled from afar. He delivered the "First Lesson" of the semester, titled "Hand in Hand at a New Starting Point, Creating the Future with Shared Goals." In his address, he shared three ardent expectations for the new students: first, to cherish their time and pursue excellence, delving deeply into their professional fields and achieving academic success through diligence; second, to experience China and embrace diversity, broadening their horizons through cultural mutual learning and enriching themselves via interaction; third, to act as bridges and enhance understanding, promoting dialogue among civilizations through action and contributing youthful energy to global development . He encouraged them to treasure their valuable time studying at ZJIET, live up to their youth, explore courageously, discover connections between personal growth and global transformation, and write their own youth chapters with passion and dedication .
"I will share the Chinese culture that I learn, experience, and love with more people who are as curious about the world as I am," said Lili, a 2025 international student from Russia, who spoke as the freshman representative. Aspiring to become a Chinese language teacher, she expressed her deep affection for the Chinese language and her hopes for the future .
Chen Yingying, a teacher from the School of International Education, spoke as the faculty representative. Drawing from her own professional learning experiences and using keywords like "setting clear goals, self-empowerment, and cultural immersion," she encouraged the new students to understand the profound connotations of language and culture, continuously broaden their international perspectives, and strive to become exchange ambassadors facilitating mutual learning between Chinese and foreign civilizations .
The event also featured thoughtful segments such as pinning the university badge on the new students, presenting souvenirs, and a "shared wish tree" planting ceremony. All attending teachers and students collectively witnessed the inauguration of the new international students' journey of "Studying at ZJIET" .
Moving forward, the School of International Education will systematically create platforms for multicultural blending to help international students integrate into campus life quickly. It will continue to deepen the connotation building in talent cultivation, focusing on developing high-quality international talents who possess both outstanding professional competence and profound cross-cultural understanding, along with a steadfast sentiment of "understanding, friendship, and affection for China" .
