Over 2,300 graduates awarded master’s and doctoral degrees

On 23 and 24 April, XJTLU held its 2024 master’s and doctoral graduation ceremony, witnessing over 2,300 graduate students completing their studies. The graduates were awarded master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Liverpool and received master’s and doctoral graduate certificates from XJTLU.

There were a total of 2,285 master’s graduates and 28 doctoral graduates. Of the master’s students, 301 received degrees with distinction for outstanding academic performance.

Professor Youmin Xi, Executive President of XJTLU, extended congratulations, noting that the personal development the University fosters will be key to the graduates’ success. He said: “The degrees you’ve received merely signify that you have been studying and researching a specific field on a slightly deeper level; they are not a guarantee of your survival and development in society.

Professor Youmin Xi, Executive President of XJTLU

“Your competitiveness stems from your ability to innovate and think critically, which will enable you to find creative solutions to new problems and challenges,” he continued. “It lies in your ability to rationally analyse and extract valuable data amidst the flood of information, facilitating continuous improvement and innovation in your work.”

“In addition, your competitiveness comes from a global perspective, diverse viewpoints, a grand vision, and a sense of social responsibility,” he said. “They will empower you to navigate through uncertainty and grasp trends to make informed decisions. Furthermore, your competitiveness is derived from self-management, research-led work, communication and collaboration with both humans and machines, and a commitment to lifelong learning.”

Professor Tim Jones, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool

Professor Wenquan Tao, President of XJTLU, and Professor Tim Jones, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool, also gave their best wishes to the graduates.

Professor Tao said: “Maintain the qualities of justice, honesty, politeness, humility, broad-mindedness, and be a person who is willing to take responsibility, cares for their country, and is concerned about the people.”

Professor Wenquan Tao, President of XJTLU

Professor Jones said: “Make sure you do something you will enjoy and make sure you do something that will make a real difference.”

Independent research exploration

One of this year’s graduates, Sifan Song, completed his PhD in Mathematical Sciences from the School of AI and Advanced Computing at XJTLU Entrepreneur College (Taicang). He said the research atmosphere at XJTLU encourages students to demonstrate their independent research abilities. “In such an environment, I could immerse myself fully in research and tap into my research potential,” he said.

Song’s research focuses on the deep integration of medical imaging and artificial intelligence, and his goal is to improve the accuracy and efficiency of medical diagnosis through artificial intelligence.

After graduation, Song will go to Massachusetts General Hospital in the United States to continue his postdoctoral research. Massachusetts General Hospital is the earliest and largest teaching affiliate hospital of Harvard Medical School.

Ran Xu, an MRes Pattern Recognition and Intelligent Systems graduate from the XJTLU-JITRI Academy of Industrial Technology, said her programme gave her valuable industry research opportunities.

During the year and a half of her master’s studies, she spent one year doing research at Zhejiang University’s Huzhou Research Institute, one of the Academy’s research collaborators.

“Through this programme, I found where my research passion lies, and this inner drive has propelled me to progress continually in learning and practice, becoming a better version of myself,” Xu said.

Spreading XJTLU’s educational philosophy

Qiao Kang, a graduate of the MA Child Development and Family Education programme from the Academy of Future Education at XJTLU, hopes to bring XJTLU’s educational philosophy to more places and help students grow into well-rounded individuals who pursue their interests and talents.

Kang previously worked in early childhood education institutions and, with a firm passion for education and a thirst for professional knowledge, embarked on the path of further study at XJTLU.

Kang actively participated in the University’s social responsibility projects. “Through participating in community service projects, I encountered educational demands from different social groups, which not only honed my practical abilities but also enhanced my problem-solving skills.”

 By Wei Zhang, Jiayi Qin and Shino Xu

Edited by Luyun Shi, Patricia Pieterse and Tamara Kaup