‘An illuminated path’: XJTLU welcomes new students in 2026
Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) welcomed its newest undergraduate and postgraduate students on 30 August 2026. Around 9,000 new students, along with their loved ones, filled the Suzhou Olympic Sports Centre, marking the formal beginning of their XJTLU experience.
XJTLU Opening Ceremony
The 2026 opening ceremony was attended by undergraduates, master’s, and postgraduate students from more than 90 countries around the world.
A stage without limitations
Professor Youmin Xi, Executive President of XJTLU, welcomed the new students, reminding them to remain committed to what they value and to take charge of their own lives.
Professor Youmin Xi
“As XJTLU enters its 20th anniversary year, our past has been shaped by those who came before us. The next chapter will be written by you,” Professor Xi told the students. He spoke about how the University’s aim has never been to produce a uniform group of “top students”, but to empower each unique individual to find their own direction and pace of growth.
He also introduced XJTLU’s distinctive 12345 education system. The system comprises one core purpose, two growth pathways, three symbiotic ecosystems, four collaborative education models, and the Five-Star education system. “With our global resources, open ecosystem, and education system refined over 20 years, XJTLU has built a borderless stage for your growth,” Professor Xi said.
Professor Wenquan Tao, President of XJTLU, also spoke about how XJTLU's curriculum is designed to absorb the best of the higher education systems in both China and the UK. He encouraged the students to not only work hard, but also have fun exploring and learning during their studies.
Professor Wenquan Tao
Professor Alison Fell, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool (UoL), one of XJTLU’s parent universities, congratulated the new batch of students. “For me, one of the most special features of our partnership is our commitment to developing each of you as truly global citizens,” Professor Fell said. “This will give you a crucial advantage in an ever-more interconnected world.”
Professor Alison Fell
Zhongde Huang, Assistant President of Xi’an Jiaotong University, XJTLU’s other parent university, also spoke on the unique hybrid nature of the University. "I encourage you to embrace both Chinese and Western knowledge to broaden your global perspective,” Huang said to the new students.
Zhongde Huang
The path before them
Professor Eddy Fang, Dean of International Business School Suzhou at XJTLU, addressed the students on behalf of the academic staff. He conveyed how, contrary to the common belief that people should already know what they want, university is precisely the place where one is allowed to not know. “Be curious. Try things. Meet people who are different from you. Ask questions. And allow yourself to change your mind,” he said.
Professor Eddy Fang
Undergraduate representative Yuling Xiao, who was awarded the President’s Distinguished Scholarship, also said that for her, XJTLU is a place to start charting your own course instead of waiting for others to give you answers.
Yuling Xiao
Postgraduate representative Isha Luo from Nepal, who will be starting her master’s in MA International Business and Global Affairs, similarly noted how achieving one’s goal is another opportunity to see things in a new light and have the courage to start again. “My fellow students, wherever you go next, also remember that your highest achievements are not accomplished alone,” Luo said.
Isha Luo
Giving the new students a glimpse of life after graduating from XJTLU, Liang Zhang, an alumnus of the Class of 2014 with a BA in Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, said XJTLU taught him what true wisdom really means.
He shared a moment from his career where, instead of following the trends, the training he received at the University prompted him to step back and allowed his team to make a reason-backed decision that secured the project’s long-term value.
“A research-led mindset that questions, verifies, and solves problems with logic and evidence, that is the greatest wisdom XJTLU has given me,” Zhang said.
Liang Zhang
The ceremony also featured a livestream video from Luke Rimmer, an XJTLU exchange student from UoL, who is on a mission to cycle from Suzhou to Liverpool over roughly 150 days. “Push yourself beyond what you think you can do, because that is the only way you can get better,” Rimmer told the new cohort of students.
Luke Rimmer
Whether adapting to change or finding themselves, the new cohort of students can be assured of one thing: those who came before them are illuminating the way forward as they take their first steps at XJTLU.
Written by Vionna Fiducia Theja
Edited by Patricia Pieterse
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