On July 2, Ocean University of China (OUC) held its 2026 Graduation and Degree Conferment Ceremony for Undergraduate Students. A total of 3,350 undergraduate students successfully completed their studies and embarked on a new journey in life.
The ceremony opened with the solemn national anthem. University leaders, members of the OUC Academic Degree Evaluation Committee, heads of relevant administrative departments and colleges, secretaries of college Youth League committees, counselors, faculty representatives, and all undergraduate graduates of the Class of 2026 attended the ceremony.
Li Ming, Chairman of the OUC Council, presented certificates of recognition to representatives of the outstanding graduates.
Zhang Junfeng, President of OUC and Chair of the OUC Academic Degree Evaluation Committee, congratulated the graduates as they began a new chapter in their lives. He also paid tribute and expressed gratitude to the faculty and staff, families, and friends. He noted that, in his important reply letter to the OUC community, President Xi Jinping encouraged faculty and students to cherish their blue dreams, shoulder the responsibilities of the times, and make greater contributions to building China into a leading country in education and advancing the development of its marine sector. Every OUC member, he said, should keep President Xi’s message to heart and translate it into action.
As the graduates set sail on a new journey, President Zhang Junfeng encouraged them to cultivate four qualities: confidence, self-improvement, a practical approach, and a sense of responsibility. He urged them to remain confident and self-reliant, think independently, make sound judgments, foster an innovative spirit, and move forward courageously with the times. He encouraged them to pursue constant self-improvement, stay committed to their life goals, embrace lifelong learning, take root through hard work, continue striving for progress, and pursue excellence. He also called on them to take a practical approach, performing small tasks well, handling simple missions with care, completing trivial matters thoroughly, persevering in ordinary positions, and deliver outstanding results in difficult tasks. Finally, he encouraged them to shoulder responsibility, align their personal choices with national needs, develop strong abilities, and firmly take on the responsibilities of the times.
In his remarks, Wang Chuanchao, an alumnus of OUC’s 2006 undergraduate Biological Technology Program and a Distinguished Professor at Fudan University, shared three key words with the graduates. The first was “never give up.” He said that life is not a sprint, but a marathon, and encouraged the students never to give up on themselves. The second was “perseverance.” He noted that passion and curiosity can only help one take the first step, but sustained perseverance is essential to completing the long journey. The third was “responsibility.” He emphasized that the aspirations of young people should always be aligned with the country’s mission. Finally, he wished the graduates fire in their hearts and light in their eyes and encouraged them to become the “superheroes” of their own lives.
Professor Lin Xiaopei, faculty representative and Dean of the College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, delivered farewell remarks to the graduates. He encouraged them to remain steadfast as they embarked on their new journey, stay focused on their goals, and devote themselves to long-term endeavors.He also urged them to stay composed, remain free from anxiety, blind conformity, and panic in the face of a restless environment, technological disruption, and competitive pressure. He encouraged them to keep the country’s development in mind, integrate their personal pursuits and aspirations into the broader cause of national development, and demonstrate the sense of responsibility and commitment of OUC youth in the new era.
Zhou Meihan, representative of the graduates and a 2022 undergraduate student majoring in English at the College of Foreign Languages, reflected on her years at OUC. She expressed her gratitude to the university for providing a broad stage where every student can make the most of their talents, an enduring spiritual strength passed down for generations, and a mission of the times in building a great country. She wished her fellow graduates would carry with them the broad vision fostered by their alma mater, the character inherited from earlier generations, and the mission entrusted by the times as they set out toward mountains and seas with unwavering steps.
Fan Qiwei, Vice President of OUC, read out the Decision on Honoring Outstanding Undergraduate Graduates of the Class of 2026. Wang Houjie, Vice President of OUC, read out the Decision on Conferring Bachelor’s Degrees and Honors Bachelor’s Degrees upon the Class of 2026.
