Yu Gang addressed several reasons in the Graduation Ceremony of Graduate Students why the year 2011 is important. Firstly, it is the first year of the 12th five-year plan. The outline of the 12th five year plan has emphasized that the main task is scientific development and the main route is accelerating the transform of the way of economic development, highlighted “Five Constructions” including ecological environment construction, economic construction, political construction, culture construction and social construction, this offers us precious opportunities for the career of environment protection and sustainable development in China. Secondly, this is the new beginning of the next century of Tsinghua University. President Hu Jintao addressed the important speech in the ceremony of Tsinghua’s Centenary Celebration, which asked educators to improve the education quality, construct firstclass universities in the world and promote higher education reform and encouraged students to involve their life in serving the motherland and their people.

Thirdly, this is the first year of SOE. The Administrative Affairs Committee of Tsinghua University authorized the foundation of SOE, which symbolized a great support to personnel training, scientific research, social service and culture transmission in environmental protection and related areas in Tsinghua University. Yu strongly recommended to everyone in SOE to walk hand in hand and help each other, seize the opportunity in history, work hard and lead green development in China.