In the golden autumn of September, the School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology ushered in the 2025 Freshmen Opening Ceremony. The ceremony was grandly held on the morning of September 10, 2025, in the Concert Hall of the University Town Campus of South China University of Technology.

Present at the opening ceremony were Zhu Nengwu, Secretary of the Party Committee of the School of Environment and Energy; Yan Keyou, Dean of the School; Hu Yun and Chen Yan, Vice Deans of the School; Wu Honghui, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the School; Qiu Guanglei, Vice Dean of the School; Chen Sili, Director of the Emergency Center of South China Institute (Emergency Institute) of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and an alumnus of the School; representatives of directors of teaching and research institutes of the School; professor representatives; head teachers of freshmen classes; all counselors; office teachers; and all undergraduate, master's and doctoral freshmen of the 2025 cohort. The opening ceremony was hosted by Wu Honghui, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the School.

Site of the Opening Ceremony

Yan Keyou, Dean of the School, delivered a speech and gave the first ideological and political course. Yan Keyou extended a warm welcome and sincere congratulations to the new students. He systematically introduced the School's development history, achievements in discipline construction, characteristic research directions and scientific research breakthroughs in the fields of environment and energy, and emphasized that the School will always be guided by innovation and take responsibility as its mission to support students' growth and development. He encouraged the freshmen to keep in mind the school motto, pursue erudition and careful thinking, and practice discernment and determined action on their academic journey. He urged them to not only lay a solid professional foundation in a down-to-earth manner, but also dare to break through the boundaries of innovation. He particularly pointed out that the School will provide students with all-round academic support and development platforms, helping every student realize their life value in the dual-carbon cause and grow into a new generation of talents who can undertake the important task of ecological civilization construction.

Yan Keyou, Dean of the School, Delivering a Speech and Giving the Dean's First Ideological and Political Course

In his speech as the representative of undergraduate freshmen, Hu Wanxin, combining the warm atmosphere of the university and the School as well as the exemplary role of outstanding teachers, expressed his determination to deepen his professional capabilities in the ocean of knowledge, expand his horizons through interdisciplinary exchanges, and consciously fulfill the responsibilities of young people through independent thinking. He aspired to closely integrate his youthful ideals with the national strategic needs.

Zhu Guanghui, representative of master's freshmen, started from his scientific research experience, shared his growth journey of participating in competitions and serving as monitor during his undergraduate studies. He proposed to integrate 'lofty integrity, vigorous vitality and firm resolve' into his academic life, and set a self-breakthrough goal of 'accepting new things, putting forward new viewpoints and solving new problems'.

Zhong Wenye, representative of senior students and a doctoral candidate, reviewed his eight-year academic journey at South China University of Technology and pointed out the key role of 'persistence' in learning and scientific research. He devoted himself to the investigation of rural water quality and established a 'Hundred-Thousand-Ten Thousand Project' commando team, demonstrating the responsibility of young people. As one of the 'Top 100 Graduate Student Party Members' in national universities, he led scientific research with Party building. His research project was selected into the strategic special project of Guangdong Province's 'Climbing Plan', and his team won the national gold medal in the China International College Students' Innovation Competition. He inspired the freshmen to deepen their research in the fields of environment and energy and write a green chapter with the wisdom of youth.

Hu Wanxin, Undergraduate Freshman Representative, Giving a Speech

Zhu Guanghui, Master's Freshman Representative, Giving a Speech

Zhong Wenye, Senior Student Representative and Doctoral Candidate, Giving a Speech

In his speech, Lu Guining, researcher and representative of freshmen head teachers, encouraged the freshmen to dare to delve into theories, endure hardships in practice, maintain a thirst for knowledge and the spirit of exploration. He emphasized that the university is a stage for all-round development, urging the students to dare to ask questions, work in teams, constantly broaden their horizons, and improve their professional capabilities and innovative thinking. He pointed out that the energy and environmental protection industry is a 'golden track' in the future, and encouraged the freshmen to integrate their personal ideals into the needs of the times, develop a strong sense of social responsibility, strive to become high-level professionals in the fields of environment and energy, and contribute to protecting the green mountains and clear waters of the motherland.

Lu Guining, Representative of Freshmen Head Teachers, Giving a Speech

Chen Sili, Director of the Ecological Environment Risk Management and Emergency Technology Research Center of South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and an outstanding alumna of the School (she graduated with a bachelor's degree in 2005, a master's degree in 2008 and a doctoral degree in 2022 from the School), as well as the winner of 'National March 8th Red-Banner Pacesetter' and 'Guangdong Provincial Model Worker', delivered a speech focusing on three core points: 'clarifying goals', 'studying hard' and 'adhering to aspirations'. She encouraged the freshmen to establish life ideals, continuously improve their professional capabilities and comprehensive quality, protect the green mountains and clear waters with their youthful strength, meet the call of the times with professional competence, and jointly contribute their youth and strength to the environmental protection cause.

Chen Sili, Representative of Outstanding Alumni, Giving a Speech

Coinciding with the 41st Teachers' Day, Zhu Nengwu, Secretary of the Party Committee of the School, awarded appointment letters to the freshmen counselors and head teachers. He hoped that they would bravely take on the important task of fostering virtue through education, cooperate with each other, and accompany the freshmen with care, opening a warm and powerful growth journey for them.

Zhu Nengwu, Secretary of the Party Committee of the School, Awarding Appointment Letters to Freshmen Counselors and Head Teachers

Leaders of the School awarded school badges to the representatives of freshmen. This school badge marks that the freshmen have officially stepped into the ocean of knowledge of the university and opened a new chapter in their lives. It also carries the School's great expectations for them, meaning that the freshmen will henceforth shoulder responsibilities and missions. The awarding of the school badge conveys a firm belief and earnest encouragement to the freshmen, inspiring them to pursue excellence with unswerving perseverance and explore the unknown with the spirit of pioneering and innovation in their future study and life.

School Leaders Awarding School Badges to Freshmen Representatives

Amid the passionate and inspiring melody of The Song of South China University of Technology, the opening ceremony came to a successful conclusion. The 2025 freshmen, with firm eyes, officially embarked on their journey of seeking knowledge at the School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology. It is believed that the freshmen will surely write a brilliant chapter of youth and achieve a bright future on this fertile soil, with hard work as their pen and sweat as their ink.

Chorus of The Song of South China University of Technology

Photos: Ye Yongfeng

Text & Editing: Huang Rimei

First Review: Lü Xiaoting

Second Review: Wu Honghui

Final Review: Zhu Nengwu, Yan Keyou