On September 1st, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law (ZUEL) witnessed the arrival of over 9000 new students across the world. Adding much vitality to the campus, their gathering at ZUEL would draw a great meeting. These new arrivals, with much expectation for their future life at ZUEL, were all right to embark on a brand new journey to further their study.
Accompanied by heads of the departments involved in the orientation work, Hou Zhenfa, secretary of the Party Committee of ZUEL, Yang Canming, ZUEL President and deputy secretary of the Party Committee of ZUEL, Chen Shi, deputy secretary of the Party Committee of ZUEL, Qin Hong, member of the CPC ZUEL Standing Committee and vice president of ZUEL, and Xu Diyu, vice president of ZUEL,were on site to inspect the welcoming event. Along the way, they greeted new students and their parents, and expressed their gratitude to the faculty and students involved in the welcoming activities
Walking from the north gate of Nanhu campus of ZUEL to the orientation station and points of each college, the school leaders were very careful with the examination of the service provided for the freshmen. They inquired about the orientation work flow and checked the registration process of new students, urging all relevant departments to carefully plan each aspect of the registration process, provide high-quality services, and promptly address any difficulties encountered by the new students.
“Where are you from?” “When did you arrive in Wuhan?” “Please feel free to communicate with your teachers if you encounter any difficulties” ... At various welcome stands, the university leadership warmly engaged in in-depth conversations with the new students and their parents, taking photos together. They inquired about the smoothness of the registration process, asked how the new students were adapting to campus life, and discussed their plans for future studies and life at the university. The leadership also expressed that the school would do everything in its power to support the students’ growth and development. Additionally, they encouraged the students to swiftly adapt to university life, cherish every precious moment, boldly explore the unknown, and continuously challenge themselves. At the welcome stations, university leaders also presented “heartwarming” gift packages to some of the new arrivals. “The university leaders are very down-to-earth and very considerate towards us,” remarked numerous parents of the freshmen.
“What is the current number of students who have registered?” “Basic disciplines should play a supporting and leading role in economics, law, and management disciplines in terms of thinking, tools, and methodologies” ... During their visits, university leaders acknowledged the efforts of various departments and colleges in welcoming new students, expressing appreciation and gratitude to the teachers and students who actively participated in the voluntary activities. They remarked that “the volunteer work for welcoming new students is highly meaningful” and offered opinions and suggestions for the development of certain disciplines.
Holding a group birthday party for new students whose birthdays fall on the registration day has become a “routine” of the ZUEL’s orientation. Our school has held this activity for five consecutive years. This year, 24 new-coming ZUELers from different degrees had their birthdays on 1 September, among which 9 representatives of them attended the event. Our university specially prepared a “76cmX 40cm” cake for the students, in which “76” represents the 76 glorious years of the school’s history, and “40” means the upcoming 40th Teacher's Day. This encapsulates ZUEL’s heartfelt wishes for the birthday boys, birthday girls and teachers.
“Celebrating a birthday at the start of the school year is a ‘double joy,’” said President Yang at the birthday party, where he extended birthday wishes to the “birthday stars” on behalf of the university. He congratulated them on realizing their dream of joining ZUEL and encouraged the students to study hard, stay physically active, and strive to become the ideal youth of the new era—youth with ambition, a sense of responsibility, resilience, and a strong work ethic.
Yang Canming, Chen Shi, and Xu Diyu jointly presented the freshmen with books such as A Brief History of Zhongnan University of Economics and Law and The Ordinary World, as well as cakes.
“When I found out that the school would throw us a birthday party on the first day, I even bragged about it to my classmates!” said Sun Jiale, a freshman from the School of Business Administration who participated in the birthday party. Luo Qiaozhi, a freshman from the School of Finance, spoke on behalf of the new students “I am very grateful to the school for organizing this birthday party for us freshmen. Receiving our school’s warm care and encouragement on the first day of school makes me very happy. It is my great honor to join such a warm family.” What’s more, there was a special new student at the birthday party. Yi Qinghong, 47 years old, a new graduate student and a civil servant from Wuhan hopes to better apply his professional knowledge in judicial service to the people and to provide more accurate legal services to the public.
The diverse departments and colleges of our vibrant school, replete with fresh ideas, showcase their distinctive abilities and expertise by organizing innovative welcoming activities, aimed at providing the incoming freshmen with an even more heartfelt and memorable experience. For example, over ten days prior to the commencement of the academic year, ZUEL diligently organized professional training sessions for freshman counselors and welcome volunteers. These sessions aimed to provide early interpretations of relevant school policies and promptly address any questions or concerns raised by the incoming students, thereby advancing the work of ideological and political education. Furthermore, display boards showcasing the unique characteristics of each college have been prominently positioned at the Main Welcome Center and Shouyi Hall. This centralized approach allows freshmen to gain a comprehensive understanding of the various colleges. Additionally, the university has implemented an efficient online registration process, offering a seamless one-stop enrollment experience to new students. Moreover, the various welcome centers have organized and planned a diverse range of activities, including distinctive interactive display boards, customized autograph walls, opportunities to print the first photo of the semester, signed train tickets, creative cultural and creative products, as well as message-in-a-bottle exchanges, prize draw boxes, and more. Lastly, in consideration of the sweltering heat, several colleges have thoughtfully arranged for air coolers as well as designated rest zones for parents at the welcome centers.
According to statistics, our university has a total of 5651 undergraduate students and 3893 graduate students enrolling in 2024. Among the undergraduate students of 2024, the youngest were born in 2009, while the oldest were born in 1999.
Writer: Zhuo Zhangpeng ,Chen Zhixuan
Photographer: Cui Zhenzhen, Peng Jia