XJTLU – from where your dreams take off

Dear students,

We all have dreams. But we don't always have the wings to make dreams take off.

You were still children the first time you walked into XJTLU, children far from maturity. However, we abandoned the traditional role of a babysitter, and instead, we chose to push you towards independence.

To support this, we arranged a buddy system, academic advisors and external mentors for each of you. We did this to give you the chance to face the real world – a world that is not only black and white. We did this to enable you to gain a better understanding and even change the world.

Through integrating global educational resources and creating an international learning environment, we aimed to expand your vision and add to your competitive edge, in order to consolidate the foundation for your exploration of the world.

When faced with the challenges posed by the digital age, we keep exploring new pedagogies and refining educational models, to help you develop appropriate approaches to learn, and to foster your sustainable capabilities to deal with an ever-changing world. We encourage you to dream, to dare to dream, and more importantly, to make your dream take off.

Over the past eight years, we welcomed ordinary children to XJTLU, and today we bid farewell to extraordinary global citizens to embrace the world. What magic helped us create the miracle?

Our three educational ethos unveiled the magic behind the miracle. “Transforming from aimless to interest-oriented learning and further to planning for your own future”, we’ve extricated you from a blind pursuit of high scores and good universities after your long exposure to an educational system that focuses heavily on examinations.

Meanwhile, you have since begun to perceive the world and yourself in a new light. You’re discovering and developing real interests, and are setting your own goals and dreams for your future.

“Transforming from passive to active and further to research-led learning” has set you free from a didactic education of cramming and rote learning, and led you to active and research-led learning – skills so vital in today’s increasingly networked and globalised world. With this learning habit, you will be able to acquire the skills and capabilities needed to survive the intense competition and challenges that may emerge in your life.

Finally, “transforming you from children to young adults all the way to global citizens” has led you to walk out of the greenhouse to the real world. We encourage you to strive to become global citizens that are independent, knowledgeable and capable.

We bid you fond farewell, in the safe knowledge that you have been furnished with a good sense of social responsibility and critical thinking, and that you will be able to turn your dreams into reality and add value to society.

Today, another 1,507 XJTLUers are ready to take off. You may have many new dreams in the future, yet we believe the time you spent at XJTLU will help you mature and take a step closer to all your dreams. You may run into various difficulties and challenges throughout your life, but the lessons and experiences you’ve learned at XJTLU have prepared you to wrestle these challenges and overcome them.

You may face many ups and downs in your life, but we believe that all the good qualities you’ve developed here will inspire you to reach for a higher goal.

Today, we are here to bid you farewell. Please remember XJTLU will be your permanent home, a place that you may have once loved, blamed or even hated, but a place that will be with you for the rest of your life. We will be right there with you, reaching out to you when you have difficulties, witnessing and celebrating your achievements and successes.

My dear graduates, it is time for you and your dreams to take off. What are you waiting for?

Thank you.

Professor Youmin Xi