On August 20, the 2026 opening ceremony of Zhishan College, Tsinghua University took place at the Reception Hall of the Main Building.
The ceremony was attended by Liu Jun, member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and Chair of the Department of Statistics and Data Science; Wang Xiumei, Party Secretary of Colleges; Meng Tianguang, Party Secretary of the School of Social Sciences; Ling Yun, Director of the Center for Student Community Management and Service; Chen Chaoqun, Director of the Career Development Center; Lyu Xiaojie, Deputy Director of the Office of International Affairs; Wang Zhengwei, Associate Dean of the PBC School of Finance; and Liu Lin, Assistant Dean of the School of Software. Also present were Dean Tang Ke, Associate Dean Jin Jun, Assistant Dean Sun Yuchen, Teaching Committee representative Deng Wanlu, advisor representative Su Jing, class advisor representative Chen Chong, as well as the cohort of 2026 counselors, all freshmen, and parent representatives. The ceremony was presided over by Jin Jun.
The ceremony opened with the solemn national anthem. Jin Jun introduced the distinguished guests and gave an overview of the incoming class, extending sincere gratitude to the guests for their presence and a warm welcome to the new students and their parents.
In his address, Prof. Liu Jun encouraged the new students to remain humble in excellence and resilient in adversity, to develop independent critical thinking, and to approach problems from first principles. He urged them to “always keep hope and sincerity.”
Prof. Meng Tianguang emphasized that the School of Social Sciences would always be a strong pillar for Zhishan College, advising students to read widely, engage in social practice, and interact with others to experience “goodness and beauty” in society.
Advisor representative Prof. Su Jing introduced the “third type of mentor-student relationship,” a distinctive model at Zhishan that differs from traditional academic advising. Class advisor Prof. Chen Chong encouraged students to find supportive communities, explore the broader world through diverse groups, and eventually build communities for others. Counselor Yu Yang advised freshmen to embrace differences, take risks, and find their own direction.
Freshman representative Tanner Henry Braden shared his cross-cultural journey from the US to China, highlighting the understanding gained through international friendships and his hope that Zhishan’s diverse environment would foster deep connections. Wang Xuewei, another freshman representative, noted that Zhishan breaks down disciplinary walls, blends quantitative thinking with humanistic sensitivity, and teaches students to balance rationality with empathy.
Dean Tang Ke presented three signature features of the college: Global Deep Dive, Internationality and the PES Program, and AI for Social Science. He encouraged students to stay curious, cherish their time, care for society, and strive together for the ideal of “pursuing the highest excellence.”
The ceremony concluded with the university anthem.
