In the morning of October 20th, the UCASS Orientation Ceremony for 2023 International Postgraduate Students unveiled at the Auditorium of Diligence (Du Xue) at Liangxiang Campus. A grand gathering of academic dignitaries were present to celebrate the occasion. Wang Changlin, the Vice President of CASS, imparted his wisdom through a stirring speech. UCASS President Zhang Zhengwen delivered opening remarks, while Vice President Zhang Bo presided over the event.

Other notable figures include Du Yang, the Director-General of CASS Institute of Population and Labor Economics; Wang Xiaoming, the Deputy Director-General of CASS Institute of West-Asian and African Studies and the Vice President of China-Africa Institute; Gao Wenshu, the Vice President of UCASS; Zhang Xian, the Director of the Literature Department at the Social Sciences in China Press; and Wang Qin, the Deputy Director of CASS Center for Management, Innovation and Development, graced the ceremony as representatives of academic mentors. With the presence of university department heads, tutor representatives, and international students, over 40 individuals attended the ceremony in person, while some of the international studentes in the Chinese and English programs joined remotely through virtual platform.

At the commencement, President Zhang Zhengwen articulated a vision steeped in Xi Jinping Thought of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for the New era, emphasizing the pivotal role of UCASS in nurturing international postgraduate students and top-tier talent under the framework of Belt and Road Initiative. It is also part of the innovative efforts to advance educational globalization in the new era and implement the internationalization strategies envisioned in China’s Fourteenth Five-Year Plan.

Profoundly echoing this sentiment, Prof. Du Yang extolled the academic disciplines and pedagogical prowess of UCASS and urged students to go beyond basic theories and delve into China’s developmental praxis while fostering cross-cultural exchanges and mutual learning among diverse cohorts.

To shed light on their scholarly aspirations, Monday Semaya Kenneth Kumba, the Ambassador of South Sudan to China, spoke on behalf of the PhD candidates of the class of 2022, while Alpha Mohamed Jalloh, the Director of the China-Africa Institute at the University of Makeni in Sierra Leone, shared insights as a doctoral candidate of the class of 2023.

Vice President Wang Changlin addressed the audience with a clarion call, urging international students to amass expertise, elevate their academic and practical proficiency in order to excel in their studies at UCASS. He envisioned great roles to be taken on by the international postgraduates to share China’s stories, to foster international friendships and bridge inter-civilization exchanges.

Following the ceremonial proceedings, Wang Changlin delivered a captivating lecture titledCurrent Economic Landscape of China, delving into three key themes of continuous recovery with strengthening fundamentals, sustained growth with well-positioned capacities and high-quality development with robust momentum. This enlightening experience offered an in-depth exploration for international scholars to grasp the intricacies of Chinese economic dynamics and its developmental trajectory.