Guangdong Technion - Israel Institute of Technology (GTIIT) held the 2024 Opening Ceremony on August 5th. Witnessed by their families and teachers, all the new students gathered at GTIIT South Campus Gym to share the important moment.

This year, GTIIT admitted 608 new undergraduate students from 16 provinces (cities), reaching a completion rate of 110%. Despite the new enrolments being 1.15 times that of the previous year, the quality of student pool has comprehensively surpassed the past, attaining a significant increase in high-scoring candidates with 600+ marks, and a notable improvement in admission rankings, with an average advance of nearly 7,000 places and 20% leap in the minimum ranking.

Leaders and guests attending the ceremony included: Prof. Gong Xingao, Chancellor of GTIIT and Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences; Ms. Wang Xuezhu, Vice Mayor of Shantou; Mr. Huang Huiyang, member of GTIIT Board and former Vice Director of Standing Committee of Shantou Municipal People's Congress; Prof. Liu Wenhua, member of GTIIT Board and Vice-President of Shantou University; Mr. Zhang Shihao, Chairman of Shantou Xintao Resort Company Limited; Dr. Queena Yi, Pro-Vice Chancellor of GTIIT; representatives from Shantou Science and Technology Bureau, Shantou Education Bureau and Shantou Housing and Urban-rural Development Bureau; representatives of GTIIT faculty and various departments. The ceremony was presided by Prof. Lin Danming, Pro-Vice Chancellor of GTIIT.

Prof. Lin Danming presided over the ceremony

GTIIT 2024 Opening Ceremony

Prof. Gong Xingao, Chancellor of GTIIT and Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences extended a warm welcome to the freshmen students. He pointed out that GTIIT as a Sino-foreign university focusing on science and technology, is in line with the national strategic plans and visions. "We persistently enhance our research-oriented, innovation-driven and international education to promote reform and innovation in higher education, making this young university a new favorite in academia," he said.

Chancellor Gong encouraged the students to fulfill themselves and go beyond themselves. "In GTIIT where individuality and creativity are always in style, your hard work will be seen and your voice will be heard! Here, you are expected to bravely raise your questions, implement your ideas, and chase your dreams," he said. He sincerely wished the freshmen fruitful four years with academic success and nice dreams.

Prof. Eli Aljadeff, faculty representative and Head of GTIIT Mathematics with Computer Science (MCS) Program gave an address. He said that the undergraduate education would be one of the most important phases of life, and also the phase where the freshman students could have an opportunity to choose what they will do in a very substantial part of their time. He pointed out that the factor to overcome the challenges of studying in GTIIT was "motivation". "It is important that you like what you do, it is important that know why you are here," he said. The GTIIT lecturers are also researchers, as he emphasized, and each and every of the faculty and admin team members would make any effort to ensure the students' success. 

Yin Weijian, a GTIIT Mechanical Engineering Program student from cohort 2022, shared why he chose GTIIT and how he grew and harvested here. He offered heartfelt advice and wishes to the new cohort, hoping that they could leverage GTIIT's resource, discover their passion and be an independent person with strong resilience.

Qi Yunjia, representing the freshmen, delivered an inspiring speech. She graduated from Shenzhen School of Northeast Normal University Affiliated High School and was admitted by the GTIIT Biotechnology Program. She chose GTIIT for its serious attitude towards academic research, an open academic atmosphere, and the integration of the best Chinese and foreign educational models. She hoped to apply classroom knowledge to real life situations and prepare herself for future study.

This year not only marks the 10th anniversary of reviewing the establishment of GTIIT by the Ministry of Education, but also the first year of the comprehensive integration of South Campus and North Campuses. The continuous progress in both the scale of enrollment and the quality of students will lay a solid foundation for the sustainable development of the university. The new students will bring new vitality and new hope to the university.

The cohort 2024, all in "GTIIT Blue", gathered at the GTIIT campus. Here, they will open their doors to the future and seek for infinite possibilities. The GTIIT Motto "Dream It. Do It." will as always, encourage the students to stay faithful, bold to innovation, passionate for knowledge and willing to take action, whenever and wherever they climb to the peaks of science!

Text/Photos: GTIIT News & Public Affairs