CUHK
News Centre

Today (2 September) is the first day of the 2024/25 academic year at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). A flag-raising ceremony took place at the University’s flagpoles this morning, marking the commencement of the new term. Conducted by CUHK’s student flag-guard team, composed of 11 undergraduate and postgraduate students who received foot drill and flag-raising trainings from the Hong Kong Army Cadets Association, the national flag was raised alongside the HKSAR flag and the CUHK flag to a rendition of the national anthem.

The flag-raising ceremony was attended by more than 100 guests, including Miss Alice Mak Mei-kuen, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs of the Hong Kong government and Professor Rocky S. Tuan, CUHK Vice-Chancellor and President, along with Council members, senior management team members, representatives from Colleges and Faculties, staff, students and alumni of the University.

Following the flag-raising ceremony, the Inauguration Ceremony for Undergraduates 2024 was held at Sir Run Run Shaw Hall. Professor Tuan delivered an address to the new students in English, Cantonese and Putonghua. He called on the students to acknowledge their responsibility to apply the knowledge and skills they gain in service of the greater good, saying: “Your education at CUHK is not just about what you learn in the classroom. It is also about who you will become along the way. As you navigate the exciting opportunities and challenges that lie ahead, I encourage you to always remember the University motto: ‘Through Learning and Temperance to Virtue’. Yes, virtue is a dynamic quality; it is achieved via learning and life experience. Aspiring for scholarly and moral enrichment will enable you to mature as individuals of integrity, compassion, and responsibility in everything that you do.”

“Whether you go on to become a pioneering scientist, a visionary entrepreneur, a compassionate public servant, or anything in between, I implore you to always keep in mind that your knowledge is a sacred trust. It is a tool that you must use judiciously, with a constant awareness of its potential to uplift or to harm.” He said.