The cool autumn wind brings the fragrance of golden laurel to campus. The opening bell of the school year rings again and the China-EU School of Law (CESL) at the China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL) welcomes a new class of students. On the morning of September 6, the 2021 opening ceremony was held in the Liu Huangfa Academic Lecture Hall of the Yifu Building on the Changping Campus of CUPL. New students in CESL’s double master's, Master of European and International Law LL.M., as well as Ph.D. students, begin a new chapter of life as dedicated ‘CESLers’.
Liu Fei, Chinese Co-Dean of the CESL, Monty Silley, European Executive Co-Dean of CESL, representatives of Chinese faculty Zheng Yongliu, Yin Zhiqiang and Qi Hong, Vice Secretary of the Party Committee Yin Xiaohua, and the Law School’s administrative and academic team attended the ceremony. The ceremony was presided over by Chen Yingfang, Deputy Director of the Foreign Affairs and Training Office. Monika Prusnowska represented the European faculty by video conference.
At the beginning of the ceremony, on behalf of all the faculty and staff, Ms. Chen Yingfang extended a warm welcome and congratulations to the new students.
Then student representative of the double masters, Peng Jingying gave a welcoming speech. Full of respect and love for CESL, she shared her and her classmates aspirations and expectations of becoming a new force in China and European relations. She said that in the pursuit of the ideal road, the past four years gave them the motivation to study hard, the courage to face infinite truth and the determination to strive to be the light of the rule of law in China. She showed how she was willing to study hard in the next three years, broaden her horizons, gain a deeper understanding of the world, and gradually grow into an international professional.
After that, Gao Xujun, a representative of the new Master of European and International Law (MEIL) class, offered some poignant thoughts. He pointed out that globalization is gradually transitioning to geo-regional cooperation, and that a large number of cross-judicial and cross-cultural barriers will hinder commercial and financial activities between China and the EU. Despite years of studying and working in Germany, he still faced these dilemmas. This prompted him to make the decision to return to university and continue to refine his knowledge of EU law and legal English. In addition, after eight years of living abroad, he still cherishes his homeland. He told his classmates to be proud of being Chinese and inherit and carry the nation’s thousands of years of civilization, even if they are to go abroad in the future.
"Smart is about being aware that doing what you're doing is more important than anything else." He Ming, a representative of the new Ph.D. students expressed this quote along with his expectations for his doctoral studies: read every book, take every lesson, and finish every assignment diligently, study hard, and live up to expectations. Faced with the difficulties and obstacles that may occur in his future study and research career, he quoted a sentence from Alexander Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo to his classmates, "all human wisdom is contained in these two words: 'wait' and 'hope'".
Next, the second year double master student Zhao Huihui spoke. In August, the FDI Moot Shenzhen Cup was held. The CESL team advanced through tight competition, and finally won the mooting championship. Zhao Huihui, one of mooters of this winning team, made a deep impression on the tribunal. She shared her experience in mooting combined with the past year's learning experiences at CESL and told the students to enjoy learning, immerse themselves in it, enjoy the challenges, do not lose confidence in the face of anxiety, and at the same time enjoy life. Putting forward a good effort, the results will not be bad. Finally, she told the students to cherish the present and to grow into their own ideal appearance.
Du Ruyi, an alumni representative of CESL and currently a lecturer in the School of Law and Intellectual Property of Jinan University gave a speech. He was a double master's student at CESL in 2011 and afterwards obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Hamburg. He remembered his study times and shared his experiences at CESL. He advised students not to disperse their efforts when studying Chinese law, but to focus on their personal interests, to help each other and grow together when studying EU law, and to prepare for career plans during the final period. As far as his experience of studying abroad in Hamburg, he acknowledged that the lack of German language skills may lead to some difficulties but he expects the classmates to find like-minded mentors and still flourish.
Monika Prusinowska, a representative of the European law faculty, then expressed her encouragement to the new students and looked forward to meeting them on the campus one day. She pointed out that the law is becoming more complex, the world will face more challenges, and the times are calling for more good legal talent. She encourages the students to act as classmates strive to understand how the world works. She told the students to ask themselves, "What do you want to do? What can you do?”. In this process CESL will fully support you, but the growth and progress must derive mainly from their own efforts. Students want to be dreamers, but it is also crucial to take action and become doers! As for the students who are still in a state of confusion at this stage, she told them not to doubt themselves, act and try to grow a little bit every day. As Martin Luther King said, "If you can't fly, then run, if you can't run, then walk, if you can't walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward!"
At the CUPL opening ceremony for the 2021 undergraduates, President Ma Huaide delivered a speech on being a person with temperament. With this in mind, the representative of the Chinese fsculty, Yin Zhiqiang of the School of Civil, Commercial and Economic Law, also put forward some requirements to the new students in CESL. First, to be a learned person in the classroom one must also be a responsible person outside the classroom, and take on the heavy learning tasks, keep well organised, determined their own research direction as soon as possible. Finally, Yin Zhiqiang sent sincere wishes and hoped that the audience could become ideal and responsible CESL students.
After a 28-day quarantine period and more than a dozen Covid tests after returning from Europe, CESL’s European Executive Dean Monty Silley was delighted to be back on campus to start the 2021 academic year with the students. He affirmed that CESL has seen the promise and unlimited potential in them, which was recognized through the law school’s competitive admissions process. Through hard work, intelligence and determination, they have all earned their right to be seated here today. But by getting this unique chance to study at CESL, they must not now rest on their laurels, but continually strive to be deserving of this place. Students should cherish the opportunity they have been given and make the most of the school's resources. CESL has produced many prominent alumni, and the new students are on this path to success, but they must jump out of their comfort zone and try to become the person they want to be. They have a responsibility not only to themselves, but to society. They must understand how things are, but also image how they could be, and to work towards making the world how it should be in the future. Graduation may seem far away in the distance now, but the time they will spend here is short. Students should form lifelong friendships and enjoy their precious time at CESL together, which will pass by quickly.
Liu Fei, CESL’s Chinese Dean, introduced the "three expectations" to the students. First, what does the law school expect from its new students? CESL expects students to quickly switch from undergraduate thinking to graduate thinking, serious study, preparation for legal English, preparation for the Master's thesis, and preparation for graduation. Second, what can students expect from the law school? CESL has always had the tradition of accessible faculty and staff, focusing on providing great services, and follow the rules conscientiously. Students can look forward to CESL unique and efficient learning environment. Third, what is the common expectation of the law school and the students? Students will be able to become foreign-related legal professionals, much in need, to become excellent lawyers, judges, and leaders of the future.
After the opening ceremony, everyone went to Faryuan Pavilion to take a photo. From the moment the shutter is pressed, an image was captured of new lives beginning at CESL. We hope you can live up to the past, struggle for the present, and reach achievements in the future.
Author: Weng Yan, CESL double master student
Photographs: Yin Jianfeng
