In view of the current epidemic prevention and control situation in Beijing, Beihang held a special “cloud” graduation and commencement ceremony for 3,495 undergraduates of the class of 2020 on the morning of June 29. Graduates who were currently on campus participated the ceremony on the spot, while those who were not at the university participated online.
Attending the ceremony were Beihang Party Committee Secretary Cao Shumin, President Xu Huibin, Executive Vice President Fang Jiancheng, Academic Committee Director Zhao Qinping, teacher representative Prof. Gong Shengkai, alumni representative Academician Sun Cong, Deputy Party Secretary and Discipline Inspection Commission Secretary He Xinzhou, Vice Presidents Tao Zhi, Liu Shuchun, Huang Haijun and Wang Yunpeng, Deputy Party Secretaries Zhao Gang and Cheng Bo and other leaders and guests. Vice President Huang Haijun presided over the commencement ceremony.
The four years of precious college experiences gradually unfolded in the opening video Youths, We Are Waiting for Your Return (in Chinese: Shao Nian, Wo Men Deng Ni Hui Jia), piecing together the unique memories of students and showing their unremitting efforts during their college years.
The graduation ceremony formally kicked off with the solemn national anthem.
Zhao Qinping, Director of the Academic Committee and Vice Chairman of the Academic Degree Assessment Committee of Beihang University, announced the Decision of Beihang University on Awarding the Bachelor's Degree to Graduates of the Class of 2020.
During the ceremony, Cao Shumin, Secretary of the Party Committee of Beihang University, announced a list of 203 graduates who won Awards for Outstanding Graduates of Universities in Beijing 2020.
In his address to the graduating students, President Xu Huibin expressed congratulations to the graduates and gratitude towards their tutors. He noted that the sudden outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 left everyone with unforgettable memories for a lifetime. At this critical moment, students faced up to the challenge and demonstrated the spirit of dedication. “After experiencing this special graduation season, I believe everyone has a deeper understanding and more reflection on life, health, destiny, responsibility and value. All those experiences, gains and insights will eventually become your future wealth.”
President Xu also put forward his earnest expectation for the graduates, hoping that the students should always be patriotic wherever and whenever and achieve their ambition of serving the country with practical actions; be broad-minded, brave and active in the new era and strive for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation; and be able to face the challenges of the future and struggle to realize the value of their life.
On behalf of faculty and staff of Bihang University, Prof. Gong Shengkai delivered an address, in which he hoped the graduates could stick to their original intentions, be resilient, positive and optimistic, and be brave to become a striver in the new era. On Behalf of Beihang alumni, Sun Cong encouraged the graduates to always bear in mind the university motto of “Integrate Virtue with Brilliance and Combine Knowledge with Practice” and achieve new glories in the development of Chinese aerospace undertaking. He Yuan, representative of 2020 graduates, recalled his four years of college life in Beihang and expressed sincere gratitude to his teachers and Alma Mater.
At the ceremony, university leaders moved the tassel on the graduation caps for the 68 graduating students on the spot, while parents or elders played the role for students at home.
The ceremony ended with all graduates singing the anthem "Look up to the Starry Sky”. The “cloud chorus” of graduates from all corners of the country made this graduation ceremony particularly precious and extraordinary.
The commencement ceremony was broadcasted live on various online platforms including China Daily, CCTV News, Beijing Daily, Xuexi.cn, Microblog, Tik Tok, Blibili, etc., with a total of over 2 million viewers.
Reported by Wang Qing
Photographed by Di Bailu
Reviewed by Li Jianwei
Edited by Jia Aiping
Translated by Lyu Xingyun
