On June 1, the UIUC degree conferment ceremony for the 2025 undergraduate class of The Zhejiang University-University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Institute (the ZJU-UIUC Institute or ZJUI) was held in the Auditorium of the International Campus. A UIUC delegation traveled to Haining to confer UIUC degrees on ZJUI graduates and join faculty, students, and parents in celebrating this memorable moment.
Zhejiang University President Ma Yanming and UIUC President Robert J. Jones delivered speeches. Vice President Zhou Jianghong and Co-Chair of the ZJUI Joint Management Committee He Lianzhen attended the ceremony.
Ma Yanming extended a warm welcome to the UIUC delegation and extended heartfelt congratulations to the ZJUI Class of 2025 graduates. He noted that as a model of international cooperative education, the Joint College has leveraged the advantages of Sino-foreign cooperative education, gathered top-tier global educational resources, and provided an important platform for students' growth and development. Using “innovation” as a keyword, he encouraged all graduates to break through cognitive barriers with “boundary-breaking thinking,” pursue excellence with an “excellence mindset,” embrace a diverse world with an “open mindset,” uphold the vision of “engineering excellence” to embrace the world, and take on the responsibility of “future leaders” to drive change. He urged them to explore uncharted territories, break through unfinished boundaries, and create unprecedented opportunities, riding the waves of the times to pursue their dreams and forge ahead.
Robert J. Jones extended his warm congratulations to the graduates via video and expressed gratitude for the support and leadership provided by Zhejiang University in this pioneering educational collaboration. He noted that in the face of complex and ever-changing global challenges, the students not only demonstrated resilience, exceptional adaptability, and leadership potential but also earned dual degrees from two of the world's leading universities in China and the United States, which is truly admirable. He urged the graduates to continue expanding their international horizons, strengthen their sense of collaboration, actively engage in global cooperation and innovation practices, create the future through collaboration, realize their value through challenges, and write the answer for ZJUI in global practice.
Jonathan Makela, Deputy Dean of the College of Engineering at UIUC, praised the graduates for their exceptional perseverance and innovative capabilities. He encouraged them to address global challenges through scientific and technological innovation, carry forward the pioneering spirit of the two universities, and drive human progress through collaboration and inclusivity, becoming the “future leaders” who will shape the world.
Zhang Gaokai, a representative of the Class of 2025, reflected on his growth journey, sincerely thanked his teachers and peers, and expressed his commitment to carrying forward the spirit of both universities as he embarks on a new chapter in life.
The Class of 2025 graduates took the stage one by one under the witness of guests from both universities, marking an important moment in their lives. Members of the UIUC delegation conferred degrees on the students.
Attendees included heads of relevant schools and departments, subject coordinators, and key personnel from units at the international campus, as well as faculty and staff from Zhejiang University.
It is reported that this graduating class includes the fifth cohort of students from the Mechanical Engineering and Civil Engineering programs, as well as the sixth cohort from the Electrical Engineering and Automation, and Electronic and Computer Engineering programs. After receiving their UIUC degree certificates, they will also receive their Zhejiang University degree certificates. Currently, the majority of this graduating class will pursue further studies at world-renowned universities, upholding the spirit of seeking truth and innovation, and exploring endless possibilities on a broader stage with an international perspective.
Source: "浙江大学" WeChat Public Account
Editing in charge: LI Yinan
Reviewer: YANG Yi
Final Review: QU Haidong