University of Liverpool Vice Chancellor’s 2024 New Year greeting

University of Liverpool Vice Chancellor’s 2024 New Year Greeting

Dear Executive President Xi, XJTLU Colleagues and Students,

As we approach Chinese New Year and the Spring Festival season, I wanted to write to wish you all a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. I understand that the Year of the Dragon is particularly auspicious and a symbol of wisdom, fortune and success. I hope that the coming year brings you success – both personally and in your academic studies.

Professor Tim Jones, Vice Chancellor of the University of Liverpool

I have now been Vice Chancellor at the University of Liverpool for just over a year and had the pleasure of visiting you for the first time this August. It was inspiring to meet with colleagues and students, visit the new XJTLU Entrepreneur College (Taicang) location, meet with Xi'an Jiaotong University and much more. The whole trip was really enjoyable and I’d like to thank you for the warm welcome. The exciting conversations about how we will continue to build on our partnership over the coming years were a particular highlight and I look forward to further developing these plans in the New Year.

The University of Liverpool in the UK

Many of your fellow students in the 2+2 programme with us will be celebrating New Year very differently this year. The City of Liverpool is proud to be home to one of the oldest and largest Chinese communities in Europe, and this year there is extra reason to celebrate as the City marks the 25^th anniversary of its twinning with Shanghai. Chinese New Year is always a cultural highlight in Liverpool and the Year of the Dragon festivities will include a gala, street theatre, lion parade, storytelling, a floating dragon on the world-famous Royal Albert Dock and much more. I have no doubt that Liverpool Year in China students will also have a fantastic time experiencing what I am sure will be some phenomenal celebrations.

However you choose to celebrate, I hope you have a wonderful time, and I would like to close by sending the very best wishes of the entire University of Liverpool community to each of you for the Year of the Dragon.

With best wishes,

Professor Tim Jones
Vice Chancellor of the University of Liverpool