A special countdown ceremony was held on February 26th to celebrate the 100-day countdown to SEU’s 120th anniversary at Sipailou Campus, the birthplace of SEU 120 years ago. School leaders, guests, alumni representatives, and over 300 faculties and students attended the ceremony in the renowned landmark building, SEU Auditorium. A series of celebrative activities were announced including unveiling of the countdown billboard, landmark lighting-up relay, online donation platform, volunteer recruitment, 100-day-countdown commemorative envelopes and postcards, and metaverse. The ceremony attracted over 30,000 audiences from BiliBili, Microblog, WeChat and other social media platforms.
Zuo Wei, Chairman of the University Council, Huang Ru, President of SEU, Chen Zhiquan, Party Committee Secretary and General Manager of China Post Jiangsu Branch, Mo Zhijian, Party Committee Secretary and General Manager of China Post, Nanjing Branch, Yuan Bing, Deputy General Manager of China Post, Nanjing Branch, Huang Dawei, Vice President of SEU, Wu Gang, Vice President of SEU, Liu Pan, Vice Secretary of the Southeast University CPC Committee, Zhong Wenqi, Vice President of SEU, Qiu Haibo, Vice President of SEU, Xing Jihong, Vice Secretary of CPC SEU Committee, Ren Zuping, President Assistant, together with leaders from schools and departments, alumni representatives, faculty representatives, and student representatives attended the ceremony. The ceremony was presided over by Vice President Wu Gang.
President Huang Ru delivered a speech with the theme of “To Celebrate the 120th Anniversary of SEU in the Flourishing Age and Shape the Future with Concerted Efforts”. Huang said that this year not only marks the 120th anniversary of SEU, but also is the historical milestone for China to usher into the new journey toward the second centennial goal, and a new starting point of realizing the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. As a result, this is an important opportunity for us to emerge from the past into the future. A review of the past can light the way forward. Looking back on the past 12 decades, SEU fought to save the nation from subjugation in the early 20th century when it was founded, to preserve China's cultural prosperity amid the War of Resistance against Japan, served the urgent need for industrial development in the early period of the People's Republic of China, and have forged ahead in constructing a world-class university since the reform and opening-up. Generations of SEUers stayed committed to the original missions, faced up to the responsibility of the times, and always put the country and people first, which embodied the university philosophy of “being renowned for sciences and serving the country with talents” and the motto of “striving for perfection”.
According to Huang Ru, organizing a series of dynamic, solemn and creative anniversary celebrative events that will go down in SEU history is a mission shared by all SEUers. To achieve this goal, Huang called for actions in two perspectives.
First, to understand the significance of the 120th anniversary from a more profound perspective. Huang urged that through this anniversary, a new talent cultivation pattern should be further established while persisting in the fundamental mission of “virtue fostering and talent cultivation through education”, to attract top scholars devoted to academic endeavors, and nurture leaders that care about their families and country, have international visions, set the direction for future development, and contribute to broader human welfare. Meanwhile, efforts should be made to strive for breakthroughs in prospective fundamental and cutting-edge research, tackle problems in core technological research that hinder the country's development， and establish the discipline system, academic system and speech system that feature Chinese and SEU characteristics. Through the persistent pursuit of excellence in serving the country and the society, SEU will surely leave an indelible mark on China’s new journey toward the second centennial goal.
Secondly, to accomplish the mission of the 120th anniversary with concerted efforts. Huang demanded that anniversary preparation should be incorporated with tasks such as talent recruitment, student cultivation, research innovation, discipline construction, and in-depth cooperation. The University should tell the SEU story well based on the summary of SEU history and SEU spirit, to further improve its domestic and international impact. In addition, Huang also expressed the expectation that alumni at home and abroad could reunite via online and offline gatherings, together with current teachers and students putting valuable insights into the University's future development. At the end of the speech, Huang Ru cordially invited all walks of life to join in the anniversary on June 6th, the special festival for SEUers, where they can share the joy, promote the University’s development, and jointly shape the future for SEU that echoes with the motto of strive for perfection.
After that, Zuo Wei, Chairman of the University Council, Liu Shuang, the alumni representative from the Class 2006, School of Energy and Environment, Song Aiguo, the teacher representative from School of Instrument Science and Engineering, Meng Hui, the student representative from the undergraduate Class 2021, School of Economics and Management, jointly unveiled the 100 days countdown billboard.
As the video featuring exciting scenarios of city landmarks' being lit up around the globe, Wu Gang, Vice President of SEU announced the launch of the “I love SEU” Lighting Up City Landmarks Relay Event organized by SEU Overseas Alumni Associations. With the first lighting-up activity was held in Nanjing on February 24th, more landmarks will be lit in succession in the next 100 days in the cities where SEU alumni are gathering.
Xing Jihong, Vice Secretary of the Southeast University CPC Committee, introduced details of the series of celebration events for the 120th anniversary. According to Xing, the events will be cultural , academic, dynamic, and harmonious, and hosted at its three major campuses in Nanjing, Sipailou Campus, Jiulonghu Campus and Dingjiaqiao Campus, respectively, and at Wuxi Campus and Suzhou Campus. In addition, SEU will also create a meta-universe mirroring campuses online, and organize a series of online activities for alumni to remotely visit the campuses, light up lanterns, send greetings and re-experience the classes. Through these colorful events, alumni could jointly celebrate the 120th birthday of SEU, revive their classmate friendships, and promote the development of their alma mater.
Amid the greetings from 6 senior professors who are in their nineties and 12 alumni representatives from different disciplines, the online sponsorship platform was officially launched. Vice presidents Huang Dawei, Zhong Wenqi, Qiu Haibo, together with Zhu Wenjun, Executive Vice President of SEU Nanjing Alumni Association and alumni from Class 1979, School of Mechanical Engineering, Ye Liujin, alumni from the Class 1980, School of Electronic Engineering, and Bian Pengxuan, alumni from the Class 1995, School of Law pressed the launch button.
Zhu Wenjun thereupon delivered a speech on behalf of alumni. Zhu recalled the spirited campus days and expressed the alumni’s love for the university. With gratitude to SEU, alumni have paid close attention to SEU in the past decades, provided support from all sources for its development, contributed valuable advice and widely promoted the brand of the University. Zhu commented that the 120th Anniversary of SEU is a grand feast for all SEUers, of which the opportunity should be seized to build SEU into a world-class university with greater concerted efforts.
The ceremony kicked off the volunteer recruitment project for the 120th anniversary of SEU. Volunteer logo, uniform and certificate were released, and Liu Pan, Vice Secretary of the Southeast University CPC Committee awarded volunteer team leaders with the 120th Anniversary Volunteer Banner.
Envelopes and postcards of the 100-day countdown to the 120th Anniversary of SEU were also issued. Zuo Wei and Chen Zhiquan unveiled the envelopes and postcards. Huang Ru, President of SEU, signed the commemorative envelopes and postcards.
To invite teachers, students, and alumni around the world to join the celebration, a “Meta-universe Project” was announced on the spot to celebrate the 120th Anniversary of SEU. You Ye, one of the developers of the project and undergraduate student of the Class 2020, School of Civil Engineering, SEU, briefed the details of the project.
