On the afternoon of September 22, the opening ceremony of the 2024 freshmen of Southeast University School of Law was grandly held in Teach 1111, Jiulonghu Campus. 347 new students from all over the country gathered to start a new journey in life, including 90 undergraduates, 25 second degree students, 103 full-time master's degree students, 100 part-time master's degree students, and 29 doctoral degree students, who are about to write a new chapter of their lives in the School of Law of Southeast University. Liu Qichuan, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Law School of Southeast University, Ouyang Benqi, Dean, Shan Pingji, Vice Dean, Chen Yun, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Vice Dean, Prof. Yang Dengfeng, Prof. Gong Xianghe, Prof. Yin Ji, Prof. Yu Lishen, Prof. Chen Hongbing, Prof. Liu Lianjun, Prof. Li Chuan, Prof. Liang Yunbao and other faculty members attended the ceremony.

This opening ceremony was presided over by Mr. Chen Yun, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Vice Dean. The opening ceremony of the 2024 Law School freshmen was officially opened by the high national anthem of all the teachers and students.

Dean Ouyang Benqi delivered a speech on the theme of “Aiming High, Keeping Your Feet on the Ground”, welcoming all of you to the Law School family. The dean borrowed the autumn equinox and the poem “Compassionate Farming” to send a message that lawyers should not only have high aspirations and look up to the stars, but also be down-to-earth and move forward. The dean started from the three points of establishing the ambition to serve the country, learning to serve the country, practicing to serve the country, encouraging students to be firm in the belief that the rule of law is prosperous for the country, and the rule of law is strong for the country, focusing on the accumulation of legal knowledge, the cultivation of legal thinking, and the shaping of legal ethics, practicing the spirit of the rule of law with practical actions, so that the light of the law shines on the ground, and fairness and justice takes root and germinates in every corner.

Mr. Li Chuan delivered a speech on behalf of the teachers on the theme of “Striving to be a good legal person”. Mr. Li Chuan cited the examples of Ma Xiwu, Bai Juyi and Francis Bacon, emphasized the importance of legal practice, advocated fairness and justice as the background color of the law, and suggested that we should pay attention to the cultivation of logical thinking and critical ability. He encouraged students to seize the opportunity to study well, to exercise their ability to apply the law, to uphold justice and fairness, and to train logical thinking while learning about the law, so as to become a good legal person.

Mr. Li Yong, alumni representative, PhD student of 2018 and director of the Legal Policy Research Office of Nanjing Municipal Procuratorate, encouraged the new students of the Law School to become dreamy lawyers and pursue fairness and justice with the theme of “Being a Dreamy Lawyer”. He emphasized that a legal person should have three abilities: professional wisdom, rational thinking and independent judgment, and put forward the three qualities of “being able to speak, write and think well”. At the same time, he advocated lifelong learning, accumulating and improving legal knowledge and skills through reading, thinking and practicing. Finally, he used the words of Prof. Che Hao of Peking University: “A country governed by the rule of law is bound to have higher and higher requirements for the specialization of legal knowledge, and a society that pays more attention to the protection of human rights is bound to be more careful and meticulous about the standard of criminalization of its citizens, which is destined to be dominated by the era of popular discourse, in which ‘everyone can decide cases’. All of this is destined to lead to a transition from an era dominated by popular discourse, in which 'everyone can adjudicate', to an era dominated by elite discourse, in which 'professionalism is deepened', emphasizing that the construction of a rule of law in China will require professional and in-depth legal talents.

Dong Yichao, the representative of the new undergraduates, expressed his admiration for the long history and profound tradition of Southeast Law School with the theme of “Setting Sail on a Vow and Cultivating Virtue for a New Journey”. He said that he and all the new students will actively participate in the construction of China's rule of law, and unswervingly shoulder the important responsibility of improving the national rule of law system. He also inspired students not only to study diligently and delve into the theory of law, but also to pay attention to the refinement of personal character and moral cultivation, to uphold justice in their careers, and to contribute to the harmony and progress of society. Finally, he expressed his sincere wishes to the college and the teachers, hoping that the college and the teachers will continue to prosper and create another brilliant future.

Ms. Yang Yaqing, the representative of the new master's degree students, expressed her respect for law as the cornerstone of social justice with the theme of “Learning from experience, building dreams for the future”. She recalled her original intention of choosing law and expressed her gratitude to Southeast University for the academic resources and growth platform. She emphasized the ideal conviction and historical responsibility as a legal person, and called on students to study hard and think well, face challenges positively, pay attention to the frontiers of law, contribute to social justice, and look forward to growing up together with students in the postgraduate stage.

Wang Sirui, representative of the new doctoral students, emphasized the importance and challenges of studying at Southeast University School of Law with the theme of “Able people are willing to use stupidity, and wise people are not tired of fine work”. He mentioned the importance of academic freedom and self-driven, and advocated the combination of hard work and innovation. He quoted Thomas Edison's famous words about genius, emphasized the balance between inspiration and hard work, and advocated interdisciplinary learning for innovative thinking. In conclusion, he wished the students success in their studies and all the best.

Secretary Liu Qichuan and Dean Ouyang Benqi put on the emblems and presented books to four student representatives: Si Xiaotong for undergraduates, Wu Rui'er for second bachelor's degree, Li Yenan for master's degree and Zou Jinglin for doctoral degree. The secretary and the dean put on the emblems symbolizing inheritance and glory for the students and expressed their earnest hope for the students in a solemn and warm atmosphere. The secretary and the dean also presented the book “Legal People's Way of Life and Way of Life” by Ms. Liu Yanhong to the students, and blessed the students to do things with temperature, to do things with sharpness, and to take the Law School as the sailing point to achieve a bright future of their own.

At the end of the session of wearing the emblem and presenting books, 347 new students took the oath of enrollment together under the leadership of Wang Hui and Zhao Yue, the representatives of new students.

Oath of Office

Today, I have become an honorary Southeast law students, I would like to make a solemn oath here:

Abide by the school motto of “stopping at the best”.

Remember the “rule of law in China” faith.

Love the Party, love the country, and be loyal to the people.

Keep the right and innovation, selflessness.

Be a man of temperature and work with sharpness.

When making a living, be upright in oneself and in one's body;

When seeking the way, establish virtue and behavior.

Accumulation of the heritage of jurisprudence, the civilization of the rule of law.

Become a leading talent and write a youth without regret!

At the end of the ceremony, the teachers and students involved in the ceremony sang the “School Song of Southeast University” together, which led the students to review the history of the school, inspired the students' sense of collective honor, strengthened the team spirit and cohesion, and also inherited the school's values and education concepts in an invisible way.

September 22 is not only the commencement ceremony for the 2024 freshmen of Southeast University School of Law, but also the birthday of Ruan Huawen, a master's degree student of the class of 2024. Meanwhile, in September, 28 freshmen of Southeast University School of Law will celebrate their birthdays. On this special day, Secretary Liu Qichuan, Dean Ouyang Benqi, birthday girl Ruan Huiwen and her advisor Mr. Gao Ge came on the stage, cut the cake and blew out the candles together with the students to celebrate this unforgettable moment, the joyful atmosphere once again drew the distance between students and teachers, strengthened the sense of belonging of the new students, and all of them made a promise to their future expectations and aspirations on this wonderful day.

Autumn winds are refreshing, the fragrance of laurel, when the morning sun shines, a new chapter is slowly unfolding. May the new level of law students of Dongda University Wen Rui set sail, bravely pursue their dreams, draw wisdom from the sea of books, sharpen their will in the challenge; grasp the present day, live up to their honor, water their dreams with sweat, and light up the future with wisdom. May we all in this fertile ground of knowledge, sowing hope, harvest success, so that youth in the struggle to bloom the most dazzling light.