On September 1st, Yunnan University of Finance and Economics (YUFE) officially welcomed its new class of students with the 2025 Convocation Ceremony, held at the South Campus Gymnasium on Longquan Road and Lingxi Square on the Anning campus. University leaders and Party Committee members were in attendance, joined by alumni representatives, heads of administrative and auxiliary departments, college deans, freshman class advisors, and counselors. The ceremony celebrated the arrival of 7,917 undergraduate and 1,787 graduate students, with parents of the new students also present. The event was presided over by University Party Committee member and Vice President Yu Nutao.

Embracing the Nation, Striving Courageously

University Party Committee Secretary Chen Hong delivered the "First Lesson of the Semester," introducing the new students to the university's history, campus environment, educational philosophy, and institutional goals. "YUFE's journey has been one of trailblazing and unity, changing its name three times on its path to building a brilliant legacy," he said, encouraging the students to answer the call of the times and strive for personal and academic growth.

He offered three key points of guidance:
First, temper yourselves and make excellence a habit. He urged students to cultivate good etiquette and habits, summarizing it as: "Phones in your bags during class, knowledge in your minds after class, and sweat on the sports fields in your free time." He emphasized that all members of the YUFE community are the main force in building the university into a premier training base for Yunnan's Party and government cadres, economic management professionals, and innovative entrepreneurs. Second, embrace your country and integrate personal dreams into the tide of the era. "Plan your time at university wisely to reap the greatest rewards," he advised. "Trust that if you live up to your youth, your youth will not fail you. If you live up to YUFE, YUFE will not fail you." Third, remember history and draw strength from the spirit of resistance. He shared the story of Bai Xuejiao, a female mechanic from Nanyang who left her studies to serve on the front lines during the war, calling on students to remember history, cherish peace, and build the future.

Secretary Chen concluded by stressing that patriotism is not an empty slogan but a tangible commitment reflected in one's future career—whether as an upright civil servant, a socially responsible entrepreneur, or a dedicated professional. He expressed his hope that students would answer the questions of our time with dedication and fulfill the promise of national rejuvenation through practice.

Relentless Self-Improvement, Achieving Excellence

Marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, University President Wang Min led students in reflecting on this great history. He noted that YUFE, with its revolutionary "red gene," has integrated this spirit into its 70-plus years of education. He gifted the new students the spirit of "relentless self-improvement" from the YUFE ethos, offering three expectations:

First, through relentless self-improvement, contribute to the nation's rejuvenation. He encouraged students to draw inspiration from the great achievements of the new era, the rich soil of China's 5,000-year civilization, and the university's own heritage, aligning their personal dreams with the Chinese Dream. Second, through relentless self-improvement, bravely break new ground for the reforms of our time. He called on them to embrace innovation, dare to explore new paths, travel difficult roads, and scale new peaks. Third, through relentless self-improvement, strive for a life of excellence. Sharing stories of inspirational YUFE role models, he motivated students to cherish their university years, focus on their studies, and build both deep expertise and broad knowledge to achieve extraordinary lives.

"Relentless self-improvement is not just an internal drive for personal growth," President Wang concluded, "but a concrete action to apply what you learn to the land of China. I hope all of you will seize every moment and carry forward the YUFE spirit of 'Forever Advancing, First to Dare,' running a new race for YUFE and contributing new strength to our nation's development."

Faculty representatives Liu Dairong and Gao Yang addressed the students, encouraging them to "break boundaries" in their pursuit of knowledge, embrace differences, and develop skills like deep focus and collaboration with AI.

Mao Liang, an outstanding alumnus and the founder and chairman of Aierxin Group, shared his journey from student to entrepreneur. "May you take your dreams as your guide and live up to your youth," he said. "Be brave enough to chase the light and become the light, aligning yourselves with the tide of the times and the great cause of national rejuvenation."

Representatives of the new class, including undergraduate students Sun Shiqi and Sun Yuling, graduate students Shao Baitianyu and You Shanshan, and international undergraduate student Su Pandi from Laos, also delivered speeches.

Before the ceremony, promotional videos of the university and its outstanding graduates were screened. The event concluded with a collective singing of the YUFE anthem. Following the ceremony, Zhu Haiying, Director of the PE Department, delivered the "First P.E. Lesson," introducing the school's sports curriculum and activities.