Chinese Graduation Ceremony for Newcastle University
Newcastle University has celebrated the achievements of students from across South East Asia in its graduation ceremony in Shanghai, China.
3 May 2024
The event was an opportunity for graduates and their families to come together to celebrate academic excellence and was hosted by Professor Chris Day CBE, Vice-Chancellor and President and attended by other senior university staff including Dennis Wong, Provost and CEO for the campuses in Singapore and Malaysia and Jo Geary, Director of Strategy.
The event involved almost 800 students who had successfully finished their degrees during the Covid pandemic which meant this group missed out on the opportunity to share their graduation success with family and friends.
Professor Day said: “It is a privilege to be able to celebrate the achievements of our graduates alongside their family and friends.
“We pride ourselves on giving our students an education for life, preparing them to be global citizens who have the skills, knowledge and drive to go out into the world and make a difference to society.
“In this auspicious Year of the Dragon which symbolises good luck, health and strength we are delighted to have had the opportunity to come together with our ever-growing graduate community in South East Asia to celebrate our collective achievements.
“We understood that it would be difficult for those graduates who returned to China and the region to start their careers to come back to Newcastle for a ceremony, and that’s why we felt it was so important to bring the celebration event to them. Their reaction showed that this was a huge success and is a testament to their resilience and achievements.”
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“The University has made this month so incredible, Newcastle felt like yesterday and I am so grateful for this opportunity.”
The event provided the opportunity for students who had not been able to have a traditional graduation ceremony to come together, re-connect with classmates and take part in some of the traditions including wearing a gown and hood, hearing their names announced as they crossed the stage, formal photography and speeches from University staff and noteworthy alumni.
Like all graduations, this celebration event was the chance to reaffirm a continued relationship with Newcastle University as a valued member of our growing 270,000 strong world-wide advancement community.
Commenting on the graduations, Lauren Huntington Deputy Director of Advancement and Head of Alumni and Supporter Engagement at Newcastle University said:
"It was brilliant to be able to share in this pivotal moment on our graduates’ journey which was both emotional and inspiring. We look forward to supporting their future endeavours and continuing this lifelong journey with them as valued members of our active advancement community in South East Asia."
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Alongside the celebration event, alumni from both Shanghai and Beijing were invited to an exclusive ‘in conversation’ event with Professor Day. This provided the opportunity for attendees to meet the Vice-Chancellor, ask any questions they had, and to hear directly from Professor Day about his vision for the University’s future. The event was followed by informal networking, enabling graduates and friends to catch up and share stories.
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