Message for the 114th Anniversary of Tsinghua University
Qiu Yong, Secretary of the CPC Tsinghua University Committee, and Li Luming, President of Tsinghua University
As spring brings renewed vitality to the Tsinghua campus, we approach our 114th anniversary with deep appreciation and reflection. On this special occasion, we extend our warmest greetings and best wishes to all Tsinghua alumni around the world and to every member of our faculty, staff, and student body. We also offer our heartfelt thanks to friends and supporters from all walks of life whose care and commitment have long accompanied Tsinghua’s journey of growth and progress.
Progress comes through reform, strength through innovation, and lasting success through a commitment to both. In 2024, the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China issued a strong call to deepen comprehensive reform. At the same time, the National Education Conference laid out an ambitious vision for building a leading country in education. The Tsinghua community—faculty, staff, and students—has redoubled its efforts, achieving new breakthroughs and driving forward waves of reform. Along the way, we have shared many unforgettable Tsinghua moments, steadily advancing toward our goal of becoming a leading world-class university.
On June 11, 2024, Xi sent a reply letter to Professor Andrew ChiChih Yao, recognizing his outstanding contributions to teaching and scientific research over the past two decades at Tsinghua, and praising his dedication to turning love for the nation into a commitment to serve it. Tsinghua continues to be a dynamic and supportive environment where talent thrives. Over the past year, the University has pursued excellence on multiple fronts, fostering talent while deepening reforms in faculty development systems and policies. Fifty-three schools and departments have formulated their 2030 discipline and faculty development plans. World‑class scholars such as Gao Huajian, Chen Deliang, Li Di, Vladimir Markovic, and Kenji Fukaya have joined Tsinghua on a full‑time basis. Professor Nicolai Reshetikhin has been honored with the 2024 Chinese Government Friendship Award, the highest honor to commend foreign experts. Two faculty members were selected as part of the University’s third cohort of Distinguished Professors of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences.
On June 24, 2024, Academician Xue Qikun was honored with the national top sci-tech award. Tsinghua University led nine winning projects in the 2023 National Science and Technology Awards, including two First Prizes, the highest number among all universities in China. These achievements represent the University’s ongoing efforts to contribute to scientific and technological self-reliance and strength in support of national priorities. Tsinghua remains a dynamic hub of innovation and discovery. Over the past year, the University published 25 papers as the primary affiliation in Nature and Science, ranking first among Chinese universities and sixth globally. Breakthroughs include the world's first primitive-based brain-inspired complementary visual chip, Tianmouc, unleashing the full potential of machine vision. The revolutionary artificial intelligence chip based on photonics, Taichi, pioneering a new path in intelligent computing solutions. The RUSH3D system, a super intravital microscope that is capable of seeing clearly the entire three-dimensional interactions of large-scale cells at the mammalian organ level. The successful launch of the ZHIHUI TIANWANG-1 01 satellite, China's first medium earth orbit (MEO) broadband communication satellite and the world's first MEO space-based networking satellite, marked a critical step in the Tomorrow Space Network (TSN) lnnovation Project. In mathematics, Tsinghua researchers made a major breakthrough in the classification problem of Lagrangian fillings, charting new directions for the field. In the humanities and social sciences, the latest studies of the Tsinghua Bamboo Manuscripts book series were launched. By hosting the sub-forum “Classical Wisdom and the Digital-Intelligent Era” at the inaugural World Conference of Classics, Tsinghua further elevated the global academic influence of its humanities scholarship.
On August 14, 2024, the first day of the fall semester, all newly enrolled undergraduates were equipped with “Qing XiaoDa，” Tsinghua’s independently developed AI-powered growth companion designed to support students throughout their university journey. Tsinghua is a place where young minds pursue their aspirations and grow into their fullest potential. Over the past year, Dushi College and Zhishan College were established as part of our ongoing college‑system reform, strengthening our undergraduate education ecosystem. We also launched and implemented a transformative talent initiative, and introduced 192 AI‑empowered pilot teaching courses to foster interdisciplinary learning. For the first time, we compiled a graduate education quality report, improving full‑cycle management of graduate training and benchmarking our progress internationally. We continued to build high-quality ideological and political theory courses, with over one million students from more than 200 universities joining Tsinghua students online in the “Situation and Policy” course. We commemorated the centenary of Academician Deng Jiaxian’s birth. The original play Ma Lan Hua Kai reached its 100th performance this year, and its Cantonese version premiered in Hong Kong. Upholding the “No Sports, No Tsinghua” ethos, the track and field team secured its 15th consecutive championship at the Capital Universities Track and Field Games, while the men's basketball team won the championship in the 26th CUBAL National University Basketball League. The student art troupe won two first prizes in the 7th National College Student Art Exhibition and Performance event, and the Tsinghua University Art Museum was named one of China’s “Most Innovative Museums” in 2024. We fostered a strong culture of labor education, with nearly 30,000 student engagements in hands-on campus roles and service activities throughout the year. Meanwhile, the number of graduates choosing to work in China’s western and northeastern regions increased by 16.5% from the previous year, as a new generation of Tsinghua students continues to answer the call to serve where the nation needs them most.
On September 12, 2024, Tsinghua University and the People’s Government of the Tibet Autonomous Region signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Lhasa, supporting the Western Development Strategy and major national water conservancy projects. Tsinghua has long regarded serving society as an essential duty and mission. Over the past year, the University has accelerated the transformation of its local collaborative research institutes and successfully transferred major innovations into practical application, among them a high-efficiency, reliable, and cost-effective pneumatic wave energy power generation system. Tsinghua also completed the design of the emblem, mascots, torch, and color system for the 9th Asian Winter Games. Phase I of the Nankou State Key Laboratory Base was completed and put into operation. In partnership with Haidian District, the University launched a hub for AI innovation, and construction of the Tongzhou Financial Development and Talent Training Base was fast-tracked, reinforcing Tsinghua’s active role in supporting the capital’s development in a new era.
In November 2024, a Tsinghua University delegation signed a Memorandum of Understanding the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro for the “China-Latin America Youth Responding to Global Challenges” Program, which was included as one of the outcomes of President Xi’s state visit to Brazil. Tsinghua embraces openness as the only path forward to achieving high-quality development. Over the past year, official outbound academic exchanges by faculty and students rose by 25% year‑on‑year, with student exchanges reaching a record high of 10,395 visits. The Center for Global Engagement was established, and management mechanisms for overseas bases and centers were refined, actively promoting the development of university alliances. The University also hosted major events such as the World Peace Forum and the World Health Forum, and convened the Global MOOC and Online Education Conference, leading efforts to empower talent development through artificial intelligence and inject fresh momentum into global higher education. Tsinghua also deepened engagement with Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. On November 27, 2024, Tsinghua led a delegation of faculty and students from seven mainland universities to Taiwan for an exchange program. Through face-to-face interactions and sincere dialogue, the program fostered a spirit of youth-driven cooperation, contributing to peaceful cross-Strait development and a shared vision for national rejuvenation.
On December 24, 2024, Tsinghua held a campus‑wide Party‑building work conference to implement the spirit of the National Conference on Party Building in Higher Education Institutions and to promote high‑quality development guided by high‑quality Party building. Over the past year, we have earnestly carried out Party‑discipline study and education, coordinating efforts to learn Party regulations, reform work styles, implement rectification measures, and drive development. We have thoroughly implemented the spirit of the eight-point decision on improving Party and government conduct, attending to detailed enforcement; our university leadership has led by example in strict compliance and public commitment to uphold these standards. For the first time, more than 600 mid‑level cadres and all senior university leaders took part in a week‑long, closed‑door intensive study session on Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Centralized training of all Party members has seen simultaneous gains in quality and efficiency. In response to misinformation, the University published a series of fact-checking articles. At the same time, we launched a feature series to share inspiring stories of graduates who contributed to the motherland through meaningful service and innovation. Party organizations at all levels have upheld strict standards and a results-driven work ethic, further reinforcing Party leadership and advancing the University’s comprehensive governance goals. Coordination between the Party and administrative bodies has grown more effective, contributing to a more vibrant campus environment and inspiring greater unity, dedication, and drive among Tsinghua’s faculty, staff, and students.
On December 31, 2024, the Standing Committee of the CPC Tsinghua University Committee reviewed and approved the “Implementation Plan for Further Comprehensive Deepening Reform,” proposing the completion of fifty reform tasks by 2029. Over the past year, we have vigorously advanced a series of reforms, including the development of “Social Practice for the Ideological and Political Education” courses, the strengthening of the ideological and political education work team, the reform of the examination and enrollment system, the enhancement of professional‑degree graduate training, the development of the staff workforce; and the overhaul of the assessment and evaluation framework.
Institutional reform also accelerated with the establishment of new offices and centers, including the Procurement Management Center, Office of Domestic Cooperation, Faculty Affairs Office of the CPC Tsinghua University Committee, Office of Academic Planning and Development, and the Tsinghua University Science Museum. We optimized our academic structure by founding the Department of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Mechano-X Institute, College of AI, and the Department of Statistics and Data Science, and by elevating the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures to independent status. We drafted and implemented the “Opinions on Serving the Construction of a Financial Power.” We restructured the Tsinghua medical ecosystem and, with the support of the Beijing Municipal Government, planned and initiated the construction of a dedicated Medical Park, marking a new phase in the growth of Tsinghua Medicine.
After 114 years of trials and triumphs, Tsinghua stands at a moment of historic opportunity—an era marked by accelerated progress and immense potential. With renewed energy and shared purpose, our faculty and students are confidently stepping into a new decade of development. Rooted in the Party’s evolving vision, we strive to enlighten minds and cultivate values, standing at the forefront of higher education. With Tsinghua’s spirit of tireless effort and constant renewal at our core, we remain committed to continuous growth and progress. By doing so, Tsinghua will make irreplaceable and exceptional contributions toward building a leading country in education, science and technology, and talent development by 2035.
The anniversary is a cherished celebration for all members of the Tsinghua community. Our alma mater is an eternal home for Tsinghua alumni - we warmly welcome your homecoming!
