Peking University, September 5, 2025: Peking University (PKU) officially kicked off the 2025-26 academic year with an opening ceremony held this morning at the Wu-si Sports Center. The event brought together first-years, university leadership, faculty members, and alumni; it started with a lineup of vibrant performances by student dancers, singers, and the student and faculty choirs.

Keynote speakers included student and teacher representatives. They shared inspiring messages drawing on personal and professional experiences, encouraging students to dedicate themselves to pursuit of knowledge and service of the nation.

Wang Pai, a first-year undergraduate from the College of Engineering, reflected on how his passion for science and engineering was transformed by the realization that true value lies not only in technical mastery but also in service to society. “Technology’s meaning is not in the precision of instruments, but in the responsibility it carries,” he said, recalling his work on a fall detection device for elderly care. Reflecting on PKU’s motto of channeling knowledge toward higher ideals, Wang stressed that the pursuit of truth must be coupled with a commitment to the nation and its people.



Echoing the theme of responsibility and inquiry, Qiu Mengyuan, a Ph.D. student at Peking University Second School of Clinical Medicine, shared how her decision to continue her studies at Peking University was rooted in the spirit of questioning. “At the doctoral stage, what matters is not only solving problems but asking questions worth solving,” she explained. Drawing inspiration from medical pioneers such as Zhang Lizhu, Qiao Jie, Huang Xiaojun, etc., Qiu highlighted how relentless inquiry has led to breakthroughs in reproductive technology and leukemia treatment. “In questioning, we glimpse the light of a better future,” she concluded.



Yan Jirong, Dean of School of Government, reminded students that the most precious thing PKU can give is not the graduation certificate, but the life-long benefits of education, stressing that PKU has positioned itself to stay at the forefront of global transformation. Yan further stressed the significance of aligning personal aspirations with national development goals and directions, framing this alignment as a guiding principle for the students’ growth during their time at PKU and beyond.



Gong Qihuang, President of PKU, in his speech put forward three hopes for the students: be patriotic; be fastidious in pursuit of knowledge; and combine knowing and doing.



He then expounded on each point by citing specific examples of achievement by PKUers. They included Yang Xueting, a doctoral student from School of Physics who was recognized this year for her contribution to the discovery of CP violation in baryon decay; the NeuroVisionaries, a PKU student team awarded last year for their invention of an AI intracranial pressure monitoring and modulation system; and the PKU archaeologist Li Jiasheng, whose work underpinned the designation of “Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China” as a World Heritage.  

In conclusion, he encouraged the students to make the best of their youth by working hard for their own goal and that of China, crystalizing the message with a quote from Li Dazhao: “Civilizational progress lies in the youth, in their struggle against a constraining environment, in their pushing forward of historical trends, and in their practical self-improvement.”

Written by: An Bingjie, Tang Xiao Tong, Chris
Edited by: Chen Shizhuo
Photo by: Li Xianghua, Yan Linlin, Hu Xiaodong, Guo Mengjiao, Yu Qize, Xiang Tingyan, Huang Zhe, Ji Haoyu, Hu Chenyang, Wang Ziqian, Li Yijie, Zhang Lingxin, Zheng Tao, Zhao Xinmiao