On March 24, the opening ceremony of the 2022 preparatory class of the YAU Mathematical Sciences Talents Program (hereinafter referred to as YMST Program) of Qiuzhen College in Tsinghua University was held in the Main Building. Xiqin Wang, President of Tsinghua University, and Shing-Tung Yau, Dean of Qiuzhen College, attended the event and delivered a speech.
Xiqin Wang delivered a speech
Xiqin Wang first welcomed the new students in the preparatory class of Qiuzhen College on behalf of Tsinghua, and he thanked the staff who have made great efforts to recruit students, as well as all sectors of society and students’ parents who are concerned with the development of Qiuzhen College. Qiuzhen College is an active exploration to innovate the talent training mode and it is of vital significance for Tsinghua University to implement the fundamental task of cultivating students, Wang said.
For all the students of Qiuzhen College, especially the new students in the preparatory class, Wang has made three suggestions. First, students could deeply understand the profound meaning of Tsinghua University’s motto “Self-Discipline and Social Commitment”. Students should follow their own interests and strive to explore the mathematical world. Second, students could deeply understand the pragmatic and united characteristics of Tsinghua University. Students should be realistic and innovative. Besides, students should help each other and make contributions to the great rejuvenation of China. Third, students could establish a sense of “ownership”, and strictly demand themselves.
A parent representative spoke
A student representative spoke
At the opening ceremony, Junchi Zuo’s father, as a representative of YMST Program Class 2021, told the story of Junchi Zuo’s rapid growth after he joined the national training team of mathematics and informatics at Qiuzhen College. As a representative of senior students, Zichang Wang of YMST Program Class 2021, shared his feelings about his life in Tsinghua. He encouraged younger students to adapt to the change of status from middle school students to university students. He said that students should adapt to the pace of the course as soon as possible and adjust their study status in order to study efficiently and independently.
Si Li speaks
Si Li, associate dean of Qiuzhen College, welcomed the new preparatory students and introduced the preparatory training on behalf of Qiuzhen College from three aspects, including talent training concept, preparatory stage design, and preparatory management. He said Qiuzhen college has made great efforts to introduce top academic masters, and promote education and teaching reforms. Qiuzhen has organized various special activities and hope students would make good use of the matriculation stage and complete the transition from middle school to university, he also added.
Shing-Tung Yau made a concluding remark
Shing-Tung Yau said, the most important thing for him at this stage is to focus on the development of Qiuzhen College and strive to cultivate a group of excellent students in the next few years. Yau described his personal experience of growing into a world-class mathematician through hard work and quoted the story of Tsinghua predecessors such as Mr. Shiing-Shen Chen who insisted on learning and inspired to serve the country in the difficult environment at the National Southwestern Associated University, encouraging students to study persistently. Yau also said Chinese basic science development is at the most challenging moment. He hopes that students will rise to the challenge, set ambitious aspirations, and make a positive contribution to the development of the overall foundations and fundamental sciences of mathematics like Euler, Newton, Gauss, Riemann, and other mathematicians. He added that the original intention of Qiuzhen College is to cultivate a pool of basic scientific talent for China and the world. He hopes that the staff and students will work together to build Qiuzhen College into a world-class institution.
Scene of the opening ceremony
Preparatory training is a training stage specially designed by Qiuzhen College for the YMST Program. The training scheme and teaching plan are independent of the undergraduate stage and organically connected with the undergraduate stage. The relevant departments of Tsinghua University guarantee the teachers and independently customize the courses. As the mathematics the YMST Program breaks through the traditional college entrance examination selection mode and widens the scope of talent selection, there are great differences in students’ age and knowledge base. The training is designed to be independent of the formal undergraduate training stage, allowing students to expand the content of their basic mathematical and scientific knowledge in nearly one semester, to improve their learning methods and to prepare them for subsequent studies, while reducing stress and enabling them to adapt better to the pace of university.
Principals of Qiuzhen College, counselors and senior student representatives, and principals of relevant units such as Department of Mathematical Sciences, Mathematical Science Center, College Management Center, Graduate School, Undergraduate Admissions Office and Academic Affairs Office attended the ceremony. The ceremony was also online for students of the preparatory class who were unable to arrive as the COVID-19.
