ECUST Held 2026 Commencement and Degree Conferral Ceremony

ECUST held the 2026 Commencement and Degree Conferral Ceremony on Xuhui Campus on June 30th, celebrating the achievements of the Class of 2026.

Chuanhai Jiang (Secretary of the CPC ECUST Committee), Fuzhen Xuan (President of ECUST), Tao Li (Deputy Secretary of the CPC ECUST Committee), Yue Gong (Deputy Secretary of the CPC ECUST Committee and Secretary of the CPC ECUST Discipline Inspection Commission), Huifeng Wang (Vice President of ECUST), Chunzhong Li (Vice President of ECUST), Liming Zhao (Vice President of ECUST), and Wenli Du (Vice President of ECUST), attended the ceremony together with heads of schools and administrative departments, representatives of faculty, administrative staff, and alumni. The ceremony was presided over by Haitao Shen (Deputy Secretary of the CPC ECUST Committee).

The ceremony was broadcast live across multiple venues. In addition to the main venue in Yifu Building, 22 satellite venues were set up in individual schools, enabling all undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral graduates to attend this final lesson.

During the ceremony, Chuanhai Jiang presented flags to graduate representatives who would take up positions in key industries, serve at the grassroots level, enlist in the military, and join the College Student Volunteer Program for the Development of Western China. He encouraged them to uphold their convictions, foster a strong sense of patriotism, and take the lead in fields including scientific and technological innovation, rural revitalization, green development, public services, and border defense.

In his commencement address titled “The Power of Perseverance,” Fuzhen Xuan delivered a lesson to the graduates. He reflected on China’s high-quality development, the steady progress of China’s Double First-Class initiative, and the academic and personal growth of graduates. He pointed out that gaps in personal growth stem from the power of perseverance, which is forged by long-term focus, incremental progress, and unyielding resilience.

Drawing on examples including Professor Zunhong Yu’s decades-long research on domestic coal gasification technology, alumnus Haicheng Meng’s breakthroughs in new materials over more than 10 years, and generations of graduates serving grassroots communities in western China, Xuan shared three insights on perseverance.

First, perseverance lies in focus: staying true to one’s original aspiration amid distractions and devoting oneself to a chosen field without impulsive career shifts. Second, perseverance relies on steady accumulation: building incremental strengths through experiments, field research and teamwork, and recognizing the long-term value of daily effort. Third, perseverance demands resilience: staying committed to one’s goals while adjusting direction as needed, and carrying forward ECUST’s ethos of applying research to real national needs.

He emphasized that perseverance remains the most reliable constant for young people navigating a rapidly changing world, and wished all graduates to stay focused, build solid foundations, and face challenges with courage to write a brilliant chapter worthy of the times.

Huifeng Wang read out the decision on conferring bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees to the Class of 2026.

Tao Li read out the decision on commending outstanding graduates and outstanding members of the Communist Youth League of China of the Class of 2026, honoring recipients of municipal and university-level outstanding graduate titles, as well as excellent graduates taking up positions in grassroots communities, western regions, and key strategic industries.

Three graduate representatives delivered speeches. Zhongxuan Wu from the School of Resources and Environmental Engineering reflected on his campus journey and expressed his aspiration to contribute to national development with his professional strengths. 

Ruidan Duan from the School of Chemical Engineering shared her research experience on core flow battery technologies and vowed to serve the Carbon Peak and Carbon Neutrality Goals in the energy industry. 

An Indonesian international student, Jiaying Bai, shared her study experience and creative works for international communication, saying she would continue to serve as a youth envoy for Sino-foreign cultural exchanges.

Speaking on behalf of alumni, Yuxiao Huang, Senior Technician at Shanghai Branch of China Telecom Co., Ltd. and recipient of the National May Day Labor Medal, shared his career journey from a new recruit to a leading AI professional. 

Graduate representatives presented flowers to faculty members, alumni, employer representatives, and administrative staff. University leaders also presented appointment letters to liaison representatives of the Class of 2026.

The ceremony reached its climax as the graduating class collectively recited the graduation declaration Youth with Purpose led by Yujie Tang, an undergraduate from the School of Mechanical and Power Engineering and the 2026 ECUST Role Model Ambassador.

At the degree conferral session, university and school leaders conducted the tassel-turning ritual for the graduates and presented each with a commemorative graduation scroll.

Ahead of the ceremony, the Student Affairs Departments for undergraduates and postgraduates, together with all schools, organized a series of activities for graduate education.

Carrying the university’s guidance and the friendships forged on campus, all students of the Class of 2026 embarked on new journeys toward broader horizons, ready to forge their own glories as young people of the new era.