In the crisp and clear days of early autumn by Jimen Bridge and the Xiaoyue River, the College successfully carried out its orientation activities for the postgraduate intake of 2025 on Haidian Campus from 1 to 6 September.
Under the unified arrangements of the University and the careful planning of the College, the orientation week included student registration, accommodation visits by College leadership, meetings of temporary class conveners, a mental health lecture, induction education, the opening ceremony, faculty–student meetings and exchange sessions between new and continuing students. These activities created a warm atmosphere and a solid foundation for the students embarking on their postgraduate journey.
Guided by staff from the College Office, the Graduate Student Union and volunteers set up a ‘one-stop’ registration booth in the lobby of the Comprehensive Research Building on 1 September. With clear division of labour and enthusiastic efficiency, volunteers organised registration according to procedures such as verifying documents, collecting forms and distributing materials. The entire process was smooth and orderly.
During the registration period, Chair of the University Council Jiang Zeting and President Ma Huaide visited the College’s booth to inspect and guide the orientation work. They warmly interacted with new students, extended their congratulations on joining the CUPL family, and expressed high praise for the College’s orientation arrangements and volunteers’ thoughtful service.
On the morning of 2 September, the College leadership team visited the dormitories of the new students. Dividing into two groups, they efficiently visited all student residences. Engaging warmly with students, they asked about their accommodation and adaptation to campus life, listened attentively to their feedback and responded to questions directly. Leaders reminded students to pay attention to dormitory safety and healthy routines, encouraging them to adjust quickly to the new environment and begin postgraduate studies with a positive spirit.
Later that day, the College held a temporary conveners’ meeting in the Research Building to arrange the first week’s schedule. In the afternoon, new students underwent medical examinations at the University hospital, ensuring a secure start to the semester.
On 3 September, the College organised new students to watch the military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War to strengthen their sense of national pride. That afternoon, a mental health lecture was held in the Teaching Building, where Professor Xu Jingjing from the Psychological Health and Counselling Centre introduced methods of mental adjustment and channels for seeking help, supporting students in facing postgraduate challenges with a healthy mindset.
On 4 September, an induction session was held in Room 101 of the Teaching Building. Staff from the General Office and related departments presented the history of the College, training plans, course arrangements, international exchanges, awards and scholarships, academic administration and other aspects of campus life, providing students with a comprehensive introduction to College life.
On 5 September, the University’s Opening Ceremony for the Cohort of 2025 was solemnly held with students standing in orderly formation. Afterwards, new students attended the ‘First Lecture of the Term’ delivered by Jiang Zeting, which left a profound impression of academic inspiration and moral guidance. In the afternoon, postgraduate students attended the Youth Spirit Lecture Series by renowned educator Professor Zhang Jinping, followed by a collective induction. In the evening, the College organised a new–old student exchange session in the Teaching Building, where year 2024 entering students shared academic and life experiences with the new cohort.
On the morning of 6 September, the College held the Opening Ceremony for the Cohort of 2025 in the Auditorium of the Research Building. All College leadership, faculty based in Beijing, outstanding alumni, student representatives and all new students attended. The ceremony was chaired by Deputy Chair of the College Council Tian Zhaojun.
The ceremony began with the national anthem. Wu Yiyue, Deputy Director of the Sino-German Law Institute, addressed the students as faculty representative, using three key phrases—'rooted in CUPL, exploring the world’, ‘embracing diversity, seeking truth through comparison’, and ‘shouldering responsibility, advancing steadily’—to encourage new students to embrace ideals and open-mindedness in their comparative law studies.
Alumna Liu Ling, Class of 2005 and Director of the China Desk at Eversheds Sutherland LLP in Germany, shared her experience of helping build a German law library during her student years and her career supporting Chinese enterprises ‘going global’. She urged new students to set lofty aspirations while consolidating their foundations in Chinese law and to use language and comparative methods to understand diverse legal systems.
Student representative Xiong Xiao, a year 2022 entering master’s student in the Experimental Class for Training of Legal Professionals in Foreign-Related Affairs, encouraged her peers to embrace international opportunities, drawing on her experiences in France and at the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank.
New student representatives Chu Tongshuai, master’s student), and Yan Zheng, first cohort of undergraduates in the Regional and National Law Programme, also spoke. Chu emphasised the need to solidify theoretical knowledge and foreign-related competencies, while Yan expressed pride and responsibility as part of the College’s first undergraduate cohort, urging peers to ground themselves in China while engaging globally.
Finally, Dean of the College Xie Zhiyong warmly welcomed the 133 new students. He highlighted that the admission of undergraduates marked a milestone in the College’s development and encouraged all students to “serve the nation, cultivate both virtue and law, keep a global outlook, and work diligently”. He expressed the hope that students would grow into highly qualified professionals in foreign-related rule of law, bridging China and the world.
Afterwards, Gu Yongqiang delivered the ‘First Lecture of the Term’, urging students to value time, focus on scholarship, and cultivate both independent thinking and practical skills. He also elaborated on the internal logic of “virtue and law in harmony” and emphasised the importance of maintaining “bottom-line awareness”.
Following the lecture, the College’s research institutes organised faculty–student meetings, where professors introduced their research fields, answered questions, and guided students’ academic paths.
With ambition and resolve, the new cohort sets out on its journey. May the 2025 intake, rooted in the fertile soil of the College of Comparative Law, hold fast to their ideals, hone their academic skills, and write their own brilliant chapters.
