On September 15,Guangxi University held theClass of 2025opening ceremony for 12,539 freshmenattheWestern Sports Ground. Attendees included Li Guozhong, Secretary of the CPC Guangxi University Committee; Li Jibing, Party Building Liaison of the Ministry of Education; Zheng Jielian, CAEAcademician and Professor at School of Civil Engineering and Architecture; Wang Shuangfei, CAE Academician and Professor at School of Light Industry and Food Engineeringand related comrades. The ceremony was presided over by Liu Xiang,Vice President ofGuangxi University.

Li Guozhong delivered a speech titled "Embarking on Dreams atGuangxi University, Writing Brilliant Chapters through Struggle," in which he extended a warm welcome and congratulations to the freshmen joining theGXUfamily and expressed respect and gratitude to the parents and teachers who had diligently nurtured the students. He recalled the arduous pioneering efforts of the first president,Dr.Ma Junwu, who, with the "Hoism" and "Three-Spirit" ethos, deeply embedded the culturallegacy of "diligence, earnestness, simplicity, and sincerity" in the land of Guangxi, attracting renowned scholars to gather atGXUand jointly promote the university's development. Li also highlighted the achievementsofGXUin the new era. He emphasized that the time spent studying atGXUis not only a valuable asset in each student's life journey but also a criticalperiodfor pursuing dreams, honing abilities, and shaping character. Li urged students to foster patriotic aspirations, build a belief foundation rooted in contributing to national strength, embrace the mindset of "Where the country needs me, there I will go." and pursue the goals of "setting great ambitions, cultivating great virtue, achieving great talent, and undertaking great responsibilities." He encouragedstudentsto carry forward the great spirit of The Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japan, continue the precious legacy ofGXU's predecessors, and integrate personal ideals into the cause of the nation and its people. He also advised students to acquire genuine skills, temper their hardcore capabilities for pursuing dreams, be diligent in studies, temperthemselvesthrough arduous trials, think independently, delve deeply into their fields, solidify their professional foundations, actively engage in practice, pursue interdisciplinary collaboration, courageously tackle the "most challenging problems," and dare to innovate in "uncharted territories." Furthermore, he emphasized the importance of forging willpower, cultivating an indomitable spirit, bravely facing various challenges, fearing no difficulty, being pioneering, persevering tirelessly, quickly rising after falls, maintaining hopein the trough, and tempering their ambition, resilience, and confidence through difficulties and challenges to continually shape a better self.

Prof. Dr. Huang Mingfeng, representative of the faculty, a national talent program awardee, and professor attheSchool of Civil Engineering and Architecture, encouraged the freshmen in his speech to embrace growth challenges with diligence, engage in scientific research and practice with innovative thinking, pursue studies with perseverance and innovation in the era of artificial intelligence, comprehensively enhance their overall capabilities, and translate their knowledge into concrete actions that serve national strategies and advance social progress.

Wei Xinshuo, an undergraduate student majoring in Finance at the China-ASEAN School of Economics, and Liu Tao, a Ph.D. candidate in Light Industry Technology and Engineering at the School of Light Industry and Food Engineering, delivered speeches as representatives offreshmenand current students, respectively. Wei shared his journey ofcoming toGuangxiUniversity, pledging to uphold the motto of "diligence, earnestness, simplicity, and sincerity",embrace the "Three-Spirit" ethos and integrate personal aspirations into the broader narrative of the university and national development. He expressed his determination to strive with vigor and become a new-generation talent with global vision, competitiveness, and deep devotion to the nation. Liu Tao used the metaphor of "a piece of paper" to narrate his growth from a "blank sheet" to a "specialty paper," reflecting on his academic, research, and practical experiences over the past decade at the university. He encouraged freshmen to cherish their time and pursue their dreams with relentless effort, writing their own new chapters at the university.

Leaders and academicians seated in the first row of the rostrum presented university badges to representatives of the Class of 2025 freshmen.

Other attendees included Jin Shunnan,DeputySecretary of the CPC Guangxi University Committee,Head of CDC Inspection Team at GXU, and Secretary of the University Discipline Inspection Commission; Ning Xuchu and Tang Zhihua, Deputy Secretaries of the University Party Committee; Xia Guoen, Xiao Jianzhuang, Liang Enwei, Yu Wenjin, and Zhao Shuangliang, Vice Presidentsand DeputySecretariesof the CPC Guangxi University Committee; former Vice President Feng Jiaxun; representatives of renowned experts; and principal responsible comrades of various colleges and functional departments.