On the morning of September 6, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology (JXUST) held its 2026 opening ceremony on the track-and-field ground in East Garden of the Sanjiang Campus, with the Nanchang Campus joining by video link. Party Secretary Liu Zuwen, President Ge Shirong—an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering—and other university leaders attended. Also present were representatives of the university’s seven academic divisions, the School of Marxism, the Sino-Australian School of Intelligent Manufacturing, relevant administrative departments, high school principals from freshmen’s home regions, parents, alumni, faculty, and all 2026 undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral freshmen. Ning Jie, vice president and member of the university’s Party Standing Committee, presided over the ceremony.
In his opening lecture, “With Three Hearts as Sails, Answering the Call of the Times,” President Ge Shirong urged the new students to build strong roots and gain the confidence to venture into a wider world. He centered his remarks on three qualities: original aspiration, perseverance, and curiosity.
First, original aspiration. He encouraged students to uphold the university motto—“Aim High, Responsibility First”—and to become key talent for critical minerals and rare pillars of the rare-earth industry. Second, perseverance. He called on them to avoid blind conformity and impatience, to maintain strategic resolve in the face of difficulty, and to cultivate deep focus, the courage to open new ground, and the sense of responsibility that turns plans into results. Third, curiosity. “Do not let ‘usefulness’ hold curiosity hostage, and do not let shyness stop you from asking questions,” he said. Students should learn to ask, think, and question, turning curiosity into experiments, lines of code, and data sets, and growing into JXUSTers who question often and innovate constantly. He concluded by asking the Class of 2026 to take root in the red soil, set their direction with original aspiration, travel far with perseverance, and break new ground with curiosity—writing a youthful answer worthy of the times and of their youth.
A journey of teacherly grace continues year after year. From the hard study of high school to the dream-chasing path of university, the ceremony included a moment of gratitude: freshman representatives presented flowers to high school principals, thanking their hometowns, their alma maters, and their teachers. The bouquet was both a look back at youth and a beginning of the road ahead.
Nine freshman representatives—undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students—then gave a collective recitation, “Aim High, Responsibility First.” “Today we gather from every corner of the country for one name: Jiangxi University of Science and Technology; for one light: the red-soil spirit passed down from generation to generation,” they declared, expressing their aspirations and youthful sense of duty.
Liu Mingzhu, a parent representative and a 2000 graduate in computerized accounting, spoke of her family’s two-generation bond with JXUST. She studied at the university herself; now her child has entered the Rare Earth College to study Rare Earth Science and Engineering. She credited the university’s “three-solid” spirit—honest in character, solid in foundation, steadfast in work—and expressed parents’ trust in the university, saying families would stand firmly behind their children and work with the university to support the new students.
Alumni representative Chen Luzheng, a 2001 graduate in mineral processing engineering and a Changjiang Scholar distinguished professor, shared three reflections: keep the country’s great priorities in mind and integrate personal ambition into national development; dare to innovate, discover new problems, and turn long-term commitment into the pursuit of excellence; and cultivate the “three-solid” character, building a foundation for growth through action.
Teacher representative Yu Shuangyang of the School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering offered three keywords: diligent learning—reject impatience, study proactively, and build a firm foundation over time; clarity—view setbacks rationally, relieve pressure, accept low points, and reject slacking or “lying flat”; and responsibility—integrate personal ideals into national development and become a new generation capable of shouldering the task of national rejuvenation.
At a solemn badge ceremony, university leaders and teachers pinned JXUST badges on freshman representatives one by one—a symbol of belonging and a weighty mission.
Executive Vice President Xu Zhifeng read the decision to confer the university’s first President’s Award. The award, the university’s highest honor, was initiated with a personal donation from President Ge Shirong to recognize outstanding students in academics, research innovation, and social service. Ge presented certificates to six exceptional undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students.
Finally, teachers and students sang the university song, “We Set Sail from Here,” bringing the 2026 opening ceremony to a close.
