Tsinghua University New Year Gala 2019
On the evening of December 31st, the Tsinghua University New Year Gala 2019 was held in the Sports Center. University leaders Qiu Yong, Chen Xu, Jiang Shengyao, Ji Junmin, Yang Bin, Li Yibing, You Zheng, Guo Yong, Zheng Li, Xiang Botao and more than 3,500 teachers and students celebrated New Year together.
As the New Year bell rang, President Qiu Yong and Secretary of the CPC Tsinghua University Committee Chen Xu delivered New Year’s speeches respectively.
On behalf of the university, President Qiu sent New Year's greetings to students, teachers and alumni present, saying that “the passing of 2018 has left us many beautiful memories". President Qiu reviewed the achievements and progress made by Tsinghua University in 2018: three teachers of Tsinghua university won first prize in the National Young Teachers' Teaching Competition; Tsinghua University Female Basketball Team won the championship of the National University Basketball Competition and the women’s title at the 3x3 FISU World University League – 2018 Finals; Tsinghua University Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Tsinghua University Center for Big Data and Institute for Aero Engine, Tsinghua University were established; Tsinghua Bamboo Slips have been collected for ten years and the eighth edition of research results on Tsinghua Bamboo Slips was released; the Future Laboratory successfully developed the technology of turning traditional images into touchable images; Tsinghua supercomputing team won the world's top three supercomputing competitions and successfully held the first International Forum on Engineering Education; the ground-breaking ceremony for the Tsinghua Southeast Asia Center (Tsinghua SEA) was held in Bali, Indonesia; the first Asian Higher Education Outlook report was released by the Asian Universities Alliance (AUA), which was established through the initiative of Tsinghua University; Tsinghua University Latin America Center inaugurated in Santiago, Chile; thus Tsinghua University reached new heights through the implementation of its global strategy.
President Qiu said that with these achievements, the university had become more firmly convinced that only in the historical process of serving the country could it ascend to the level of a world-class university, that self-reliant Tsinghua people have unlimited passion for innovation, and that the vision of running a university determines the vision of talents it cultivates.
“In 2018, we strove together. At this moment, we gather together to welcome 2019." Facing the future, President Qiu said: “I believe that Tsinghua people will always persevere. Let's forge ahead together and witness a more beautiful Tsinghua University, a more beautiful China, and a more beautiful world in 2019.”
Following the bell at midnight, Chen Xu also extended her New Year's greetings to all present. She stated that the new year brings forth new hope, expectations and imagination. For China, 2019 will be a very important year. We will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China following our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Reform and Opening up in 2018. For Tsinghua, 2019 will see a year of continued progress. We will put in all our efforts to push forward comprehensive reform, develop Tsinghua into a “double first-class” university and continue to strengthen the foundation of talent training and scientific research, serving the country's economic and social development, cultural inheritance and innovation, and international exchanges and cooperation to a higher level.
The year of 2019 should be a more rewarding year for all. Chen Xu also hoped that Tsinghua people would follow Chinese President Xi Jinping in his New Year Speech for 2019, start every day in 2019 with rock-solid confidence, and racing against time with unwavering determination, and make every effort for a better future. She sincerely wished all the teachers, students and alumni would make more achievements and greater contributions in 2019, promoting and supporting Tsinghua University as a symbol and benchmark of higher education in China.
At the gala, the 7th Students’ Most Loved Teachers Award Ceremony was also held and the “Students of the Year 2018” were announced.
The New Year Gala is a traditional activity at Tsinghua University. With the slogan “Tonight To Nine”, this year's gala continued the theme “I want to celebrate the New Year with you", with innovative designs developed in various aspects, expressing the beautiful vision of Tsinghua people from around the world gathering together to celebrate the new year.
Writers: Angela Hua, Wilson Khor
Editors: King Madeleine Rose, John Olbrich, Guo Lili
