Cultivate a HeXie mindset, hold warmth in your heart, venture far and wide

–Executive President’s Address at the XJTLU Graduation Ceremony, July 2026

Dear Graduates of the Class of 2026, respected parents, academic staff, and distinguished guests,

By Dushu Lake in midsummer, green trees flourish and farewell songs gently rise. We gather here at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) to mark a truly important moment in your lives today. On the special occasion of XJTLU’s 20th anniversary, we also look back at our journey so far and look forward to the path ahead.

Twenty years ago, the Foundation Building stood alone, surrounded by farmland. Our first intake of over 160 students brought courage and trust, starting their exploratory journey on a campus yet to be fully completed. Twenty years on, XJTLU has grown from a “one-building university” into a dynamic and widely recognised international university. Throughout that journey, we have remained committed to student-centred education. We have always believed that the purpose of a university is not simply to pass on knowledge, but to awaken the mind, ignite passion, support growth, and help each of you become the person you are meant to be.

People often ask: what has been XJTLU’s most valuable lesson over these past 20 years? My answer is this: XJTLU was not simply designed; it has grown through the shared efforts of generations of students, staff, alumni and partners. And all of you here today are the most promising answer to what the University can become next.

Ⅰ. Dare to lead: The energy to create, not just to follow

More than a decade ago, while the campus and its facilities were still under construction, the library was tucked inside the Foundation Building. A group of students sat together in a study room and said: “If there isn’t already a well-developed student society system, then let’s build one ourselves.” And that is exactly what they did. The first debate club, the first volunteer team, the first innovation and technology interest group – many of XJTLU’s “firsts” began in that spirit.

Last year in London, I met some of the alumni who had helped to establish those early student clubs. Today, some have devoted themselves deeply to international education policy, while others have grown into global entrepreneurs. One of them once said: “The most precious thing about XJTLU is the space it gives us to do things on our own.” That spirit – of not waiting for ready-made answers, of being encouraged to create and take initiative – has stayed with them ever since. It has helped them face uncertainty with confidence and calm.

That is where XJTLU’s educational philosophy begins. We have never seen students as products waiting to be shaped. We see you as partners in defining the future. You are not bystanders in education; you are participants, co-creators and drivers of change. To be student-centred does not simply mean being looked after. It means being trusted, being inspired, and being given responsibility.

Ⅱ. Awakening potential: From ordinary to remarkable

I often say that XJTLU hopes to help young people whom the world may see as ordinary grow into extraordinary global citizens. That is not a slogan. It is reflected in countless real stories of growth.

One female student from Guizhou described herself as an “invisible person on campus” when she first arrived at XJTLU. She did not dare to speak up. She often doubted whether she was good enough. But her teachers encouraged her to find her voice and allowed her to make mistakes. Professors and even the Dean welcomed her challenges to their ideas. Through revising assignments, writing papers, and thinking more deeply, she began to ask herself important questions: Who am I? What do I want to do? By the time she graduated, she could say with confidence: “XJTLU is wonderful, and so am I.” Later, she received offers from several leading universities and will now continue her studies at the University of Cambridge.

The value of education lies not only in helping the already excellent become even better. It also lies in helping young people who may once have seemed average, quiet or uncertain grow into confident individuals with judgement, perspective and a global outlook. Good education does not rush to label people. It understands that what seems ordinary may simply be potential not yet awakened, and what seems unremarkable may simply be waiting for its time to bloom. A university’s responsibility is not merely to identify those who already shine, but to help more people find their own light.

Ⅲ. Achieving together: The warmth of mutual support

On our 20th anniversary global tour, I met numerous alumni in China and overseas. One alumnus, who graduated 15 years ago, watched a recent aerial video of our SIP and TC campuses. After a long silence, he said: “How wonderful – our university is becoming better and better.” That sense of pride did not come only from seeing a larger campus or more buildings. It came from knowing that every generation of XJTLU students has shown, through their growth and achievement, that XJTLU offers more than a degree. It equips students with the ability to face the world, with independent thinking, cross-cultural understanding, a commitment to lifelong learning, the confidence to create, and a sense of responsibility to society.

XJTLU gives students confidence, and students bring honour to the University. It is precisely through this spirit of mutual achievement that the name of XJTLU has been lifted up and carried forward by generation after generation.

Ⅳ. Growing at your own pace: The strength to be calm and certain

Not long ago, two final-year students came to take a photo with me. One young woman had secured a place at a leading university overseas. The other smiled and said: “I still haven’t decided what to do next. I’m thinking of taking a few months to pause and work out what I really want.” I said to her: “That is perfectly fine. In fact, I admire your choice.”

We live in a fast-moving world. It feels like you have to choose the right programme at 18, and you must already know your direction in life at 22. But life is not a production line, and growth does not follow a precise map. Some people are ready to run; others need time to pause. Some come to understand themselves by moving forward; others by creating space to reflect. Neither path is better than the other. What matters is finding the path that is right for you.

At XJTLU, we often talk about HeXie (harmonious) mindset. That is to hold a clear sense of direction, build the right platforms, and adapt with flexibility, so that growth can unfold in a balanced, sustainable way. True maturity means being able to move forward with purpose, while also being unafraid to pause. It means having both the drive to act and the ability to reflect. Sometimes, refusing to hand in a rushed “standard answer” takes more courage than answering quickly.

Dear graduates, you are leaving university at a time when artificial intelligence is reshaping the world. Large models can now generate text, code and solutions. Many professions are being redefined, and some tasks are already being taken over by machines. At such a moment, we must ask: what is the value of being human?

I firmly believe that digital and intelligent technologies are tools, and also collaborators. AI can provide answers, but it cannot decide which questions are worth asking. It can suggest routes, but it cannot tell you why the journey matters. It can improve efficiency, but it cannot take your place in becoming who you are through trial, choice and growth. In the future, what will be most scarce is not knowledge alone, but judgement, imagination, creativity, empathy, a sense of purpose, and the wisdom to connect people, ideas and resources across boundaries. XJTLU’s efforts to innovate in education, to integrate AI, and to strengthen connections between the University, industry and society are all aimed at helping you do more than adapt to the future. We hope you will step into the future, and even help shape it.

At this moment of farewell, I would like to share three thoughts with you today:

First, always keep the mindset of taking ownership. Do not wait for others to define you, and do not leave your future to be shaped only by circumstance. Whether in building a university or building a life, everything begins with the courage to say: let me try, let me take responsibility, let me create.

Second, allow yourself to grow through exploration. You cannot map out your entire future all at once. What matters most often becomes clear as you move forward. Do not doubt yourself because of hesitation, and do not lose heart because your path is not a straight one. To live fully, think deeply and keep growing is to build your own answer, step by step.

Third, hold on to the warmth within you. The world will become ever more intelligent, but I hope you will always remain kind, compassionate and responsible. However fast you move, do not lose your understanding of others. However far you go, do not forget why you set out. However high you fly, do not give up meaningful connection with the world around you.

Dear graduates, the first half of XJTLU’s 20-year story has been written by all of us together with our alumni and friends. The longer chapters ahead will be written by you, and by all future members of the XJTLU community. To leave XJTLU is not to leave it behind. It is to carry its spirit of openness, diversity, principles, innovation, freedom and trust to wider places and new possibilities.

The wind over Dushu Lake, and the moonlight in Taicang, will remember how you stand here today. XJTLU will always be your home, and you are always welcome back. When you succeed, we will be among those cheering for you. When you need support, XJTLUers will always be ready to offer a warm hand.

Finally, let me once again congratulate all graduates of the Class of 2026. May you graduate with joy and move forward into a future full of possibility. May you build not only a successful career, but also a happy and meaningful life. From XJTLU, may you go on to find your way through uncertainty and create a life that is truly your own.

Thank you!

Professor Youmin Xi
Executive President of Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Liverpool