Xiong Zhenhua Delivers First Lecture the 2025 Undergraduate Freshman

09.01/2025 6

The Secretary's First Lesson

On August 28, following the successful conclusion of the 2025 Undergraduate Freshman commencement ceremony of SPEIT, Xiong Zhenhua, Secretary of the CPCC of SPEIT, delivered a vivid and profound lecture titled “Global Competence: A New Journey Toward Excellence” to the youngest “SPEITers”.

▲ The Secretary's First Lesson

Xiong Zhenhua extended warm congratulations to the 146 freshmen who worked hard to gain admission to SPEIT. He encouraged them to pursue their dreams boldly and grow steadily within the environment where Chinese and French wisdom converge, forging their own path to excellence.

Global Competence

Thirteen Years of Steadfast Progress

Subsequently, through a timeline presentation, Xiong Zhenhua guided the students in reviewing the thirteen-year development journey and founding mission of SPEIT. In 2012, SJTU keenly recognized the nation's urgent need for high-level engineering and technological talent. Ma Dexiu, then Secretary of the CPCC of SJTU and one of the founders of SPEIT, collaborated with SJTU's leaders to pioneer a new model of Sino-French cooperative engineering education. This initiative combined the French elite engineering training system with SJTU's profound strengths in engineering education, establishing an international hub for cultivating engineering talent rooted in China yet oriented toward the world.

▲Xiong Zhenhua Delivers the First Lecture of the Semester to Freshmen

Xiong Zhenhua further elaborated on the SPEIT's distinctive educational features: a high-caliber faculty team from both China and France, extensive international industry-academia collaboration resources, a dual-mentor guidance model integrating internal and external mentors, and an interdisciplinary, international curriculum system.

Xiong Zhenhua cited numerous examples of alumni and current students' growth to showcase achievements in talent cultivation: some students have dedicated themselves to cutting-edge research; others have embraced social responsibility; while still others have embraced innovation and entrepreneurship. He emphasized that these diverse life choices and paths of endeavor collectively embody the profound meaning of “Choosing SJTU means choosing responsibility; choosing SPEIT means choosing excellence,” while also setting models for learning and growth for freshmen.

A New Chapter of Excellence

Setting Sail Once More to Write a New Chapter

At present, a new wave of technological revolution and industrial transformation is sweeping across the globe, with continuous breakthroughs in fields such as artificial intelligence, new energy, and new materials.

In such an era, how should the youngest “SPEITers” embark on their journey toward excellence? He shared three expectations:

First, embrace the world and stand at the forefront of global trends. He pointed out that the world today is undergoing a once-in-a-century transformation, with China playing an increasingly prominent role in globalization. From jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative with high quality to promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, SPEITers should cultivate a broad global perspective, enhance cross-cultural understanding, and strengthen international competitiveness. He encouraged students to uphold the conviction of “becoming SJTUers who influence and change the world,” engage in the competition and cooperation on the world stage.

▲Students listened attentively.

Second, master discipline and enhance professional competence. He emphasized that SPEIT upholds SJTU's educational tradition of “high starting points, solid foundations, rigorous standards, practical focus, and innovation-driven learning,” prioritizing training in mathematical and physical fundamentals alongside engineering literacy. Here, students will undergo professional training while expanding disciplinary boundaries through integrated humanities management modules and artificial intelligence courses, fostering cross-disciplinary innovative thinking. He encouraged students to lay a solid foundation and hone their core competencies during their university years, enabling them to advance steadily with expertise and become outstanding engineering professionals.

Third, cultivate virtue and character. He encouraged students to broaden their horizons through multicultural exchanges and interactions on SPEIT's international platform, learn to think independently through the trials of adaptation and innovation. He emphasized that SPEIT is committed to nurturing not only academic and professional competence, but also curiosity about the unknown, adaptability to change, and the ability to lead transformation.

This lecture concluded successfully amid applause. Xiong Zhenhua addressed the freshmen: "To explore the vastness of the world, one must climb the steepest peaks. " To fully explore the vast realms of science, industry, and civilization, one must undergo tempering of character, capability, and vision. With broader perspectives, students should engage with global developments, actively share Chinese solutions and wisdom in future international research collaborations, technological exchanges, and global governance practices, injecting energy into addressing shared human challenges and advancing the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

The young SPEITers were deeply inspired, expressing their determination to strive forward and grow into outstanding talents with global competence, becoming bridges of friendship between China and France and representatives of China's engagement with the world. Through their personal growth and achievements, they will continually enrich and expand the understanding and interpretation of “excellence,” jointly shaping and promoting the distinctive character of SPEIT’s excellence!

Student Reflections

Zhu Rong

This lecture opened a window for me to glimpse the future. It revealed a path worth pursuing—SPEIT's rigorous yet open curriculum, its experienced faculty, and the stories of so many outstanding alumni all gave me strength. The excellence of those seniors who have gone on to make their mark around the world made me believe: this is a place where dreams can take root. I aspire to follow in their footsteps, dedicating myself to diligent study in the days ahead and writing my own chapter alongside my peers.

Ge Beizi

Today's lecture has given me a deeper appreciation for the weight of the saying: “Choosing SJTU means choosing responsibility; choosing SPEIT means choosing excellence.” The introduction to the history, faculty strength, and educational system showed me that SPEIT has already cultivated numerous talents with international perspectives and innovative capabilities, further solidifying my identity as a Speiter. As young engineers, we must not only pursue excellence in engineering technology but also cultivate humanistic literacy. In this environment where Chinese and French cultures converge, we will forge our own paths. As I embark on my university journey, I will pursue my studies diligently while embracing exploration, balancing work and rest to make the most of my youth.

Dou Yining

The event commenced with bilingual Chinese-French songs composed and performed by senior students, showcasing the multifaceted development of SPEITers. Reflecting on the SPEIT's journey, each step has been solid. The accomplishments of our distinguished alumni inspire admiration. Looking ahead, I am filled with anticipation, eager to write my own remarkable chapter on this exceptional platform.

Yang Changyuan

This lecture was like a window slowly opening, allowing me to glimpse the promise of my future university life. The narrative unfolded with depth, gradually illuminating the historical trajectory, its formidable faculty, its well-defined academic pathways, and the broad, distinguished career trajectories of its successive graduating classes. Those alumni who have gone on to shine in diverse fields are not only the pride of SPEIT but also beacons guiding the way, filling me with confidence and motivation for the journey ahead. Here, I yearn to meet kindred spirits, to refine myself in a grounded and open atmosphere, and to inch closer to the person I aspire to become.

Hu Xiaorong

This lecture has profoundly instilled in me a sense of mission and honor as a SPEITer. Hearing about the achievements of our seniors at top enterprises and research institutions has strengthened my conviction that this is the stage where we pursue excellence and realize our dreams. French is not merely a language; it is a key that unlocks a different way of thinking and a new culture. In my future studies, I aspire not only to strengthen my engineering skills but also to grow into an engineer with cross-cultural vision and a sense of social responsibility. I look forward to walking alongside my classmates, making the most of our youth and living up to the expectations of our era!

Strive for excellence and make the most of your youth

SPEIT