[Simultaneous on-site] Teachers and students of Xiamen University

  Happy birthday, Xiamen University!

  [Explanation] Xiamen University, China’s first university founded by an overseas Chinese, held its 100th anniversary celebration meeting on April 6. Xiamen masters, students, and alumni at home and abroad gathered at their alma mater and the cloud in a synchronized online and offline manner. Celebrate the 100th anniversary and witness this exciting historical moment.

  [Explanation] On April 6, 1921, Xiamen University was founded by the famous patriotic leader Tan Kah Kee.

As a representative of descendants, Tan Kah Kee's eldest grandson, Chen Liren, attended the 100th Anniversary Celebration of Xiamen University. When the Secretary of the Party Committee of Xiamen University Zhang Yan introduced Chen Liren who was sitting in front of the rostrum, there was warm applause for more than 20 seconds.

  [Concurrent] Shi Dalin, Professor, School of Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University

  Everyone in Xiamen University actually expressed a kind of tribute to our schoolmaster Tan Kah Kee through applause. I think it is difficult to replace that kind of feeling.

  [Explanation] Since 1894, when Tan Kah Kee put out 2000 silver dollars to run a school in his hometown of Jimei, he spent 67 years in school and founded nearly 120 schools. Chen Liren recalled the difficult process of his grandfather's founding of Xiamen University in his speech at the school celebration.

In 1921, Tan Kah Kee pledged 4 million silver dollars to set up Xiamen University.

Chen Liren said that this amount is equivalent to all the assets of his grandfather back then, and Xiamen University is the school where Tan Kah Kee put the most effort and hope.

  [Concurrent] Tan Kah Kee's eldest grandson, Chen Liren

  The old man (Tan Kah Kee)’s vision is a bit superhuman. It’s not that his vision is five years and ten years, but how he hopes my Xiamen University will be in fifty years. It will be able to continue in a hundred years. Not here, but the spirit of the students of Xiamen University continues to pass down.

  [Explanation] Xiamen University was founded because of its opening, and it has a unique gene of openness since its establishment.

At present, there are nearly 2,000 foreign students at Xiamen University. Pan Weilian from the United States was awarded the Xiamen University's highest honor award "Nanqiang Outstanding Contribution Award" that day. He has worked and lived here for more than 30 years and he has the deepest feeling of openness and tolerance for Xiamen University.

  [Concurrent] Pan Weilian, Professor, School of Management, Xiamen University

  Why did (me) come to Xiamen University in 1988? In 1988, only Xiamen University allowed an international student to bring family members, but nothing else.

In 1956, the Xiamen University Overseas Education College was the first overseas education college in the country. In 2021, almost half of the students were foreign.

In 2014 (the establishment of Xiamen University) Malaysia campus, the first university in the country has an overseas campus. In many respects, Xiamen University is the first. This is very good internationally, so I admire Xiamen University very much. I hope there will be more than 30 years here .

  [Explanation] After a hundred years of hard work, Xiamen University has trained more than 400,000 outstanding students, and sent batch after batch of high-quality talents to all walks of life in the country, forming high schools in chemistry, marine science, biology, ecology, and statistics. Level disciplines have become well-known universities with increasing influence at home and abroad.

  [Concurrent] Sun Shigang, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Professor of School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University

  I am a 1977 student (student) and I took the first college entrance examination to enter Xiamen University. After entering Xiamen University, I think Xiamen University is closely connected with me. I think I have witnessed the development of Xiamen University for decades. Not only the campus has become more beautiful, but our overall strength, that is to say, the students we cultivate, the level of our teachers, our strength in scientific research, and our demonstrated strength in solving major key scientific problems of the country. Enhanced.

  [Explanation] Zhang Rong, President of Xiamen University, said in his speech at the conference that the century-old history of Xiamen University is a history of patriotism and continuous striving for self-improvement.

Compared with many double-class universities in China, it is really rare that Xiamen University does not run schools in municipalities or provincial capitals.

However, the special location of Fujian and Xiamen also gives Xiamen University the unique geographical advantage of the "Three Seas" of "Strait, Sea Silk and Ocean".

  [Concurrent] Zhang Rong, President of Xiamen University

  I hope that our achievements can drive the development of this place, the talents we cultivate can lead the development of this place, and the culture we create can form a trend in this place and become the mainstream of future development.

  Li Siyuan, Yang Fushan, Yan Xu reports from Xiamen, Fujian

Editor in charge: 【Luo Pan】