On October 2, 2025, following the grand conclusion of the 2025 Alumni Homecoming Welcome Ceremony and Cultural Performance at Hongyi Hall, a dedicated reunion gathering for alumni from the Class of 1995 (Department of Exploration Engineering) and the Class of 2005 (Department of Mechanical Engineering and Electronic Information) was successfully held at the School of Mechanical Engineering and Electronic Information. Alumni from all corners gathered together to relive their youthful campus days, reminisce about the friendship between teachers and students, offer suggestions and advice on topics such as discipline construction and talent cultivation, and jointly draw a blueprint for future development. Qu Xianghua and Ning Fulong from the School of Mechanical Engineering and Electronic Information, Li Hongli and Wang Liangqing from the Faculty of Engineering, and invited teacher representatives attended the event to discuss growth and development with alumni.
The Secretary presided over the opening ceremony, building a bridge of communication
The meeting was presided over by Qu Xianghua, Secretary of the Party Committee of the School of Mechanical Engineering and Electronic Information, who delivered the opening speech. He first extended a warm welcome to the alumni who had returned from afar, and then introduced each faculty representative from the two schools in attendance, briefly outlining the purpose and agenda of the reunion. He expressed hope that this homecoming would serve as an opportunity for alumni to engage in meaningful dialogue with their alma mater and school, laying a warm foundation for future exchanges.
Deans shared development insights, highlighting academic strengths of both schools
At the meeting, Wang Liangqing, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, took the lead in presenting a detailed overview of the school's development achievements. He pointed out that the School of Exploration Engineering, with its foundation in mechanical engineering, has clarified its strategic positioning as “rooted in geoscience expertise and deeply engaged in the engineering field” after reviewing the development journeys of its four successive deans. At the same time, he comprehensively explained the complete discipline system and faculty development achievements from undergraduate to postdoctoral in the college by showcasing real-life scenarios of various scientific research platforms. Using bar chart data, he visually demonstrated the current status of “a high proportion of undergraduates and a large talent cultivation base,” while emphasizing the college's innovative new engineering talent development model characterized by systems evolution perspective, human-land coordination perspective and engineering ethics perspective. In addition, Dean Wang Liangqing also summarized the highlights of work in 2024 from the dimensions of party building and innovation, talent cultivation and scientific research. He specifically highlighted the significant honor bestowed upon Dean Ning Fulong of the School of Mechanical Engineering and Electronic Information for his landmark achievement, the “Dream Ship,” which received commendation from General Secretary Xi Jinping, fully demonstrating the outstanding capabilities of the school in both scientific research and educational development.
Subsequently, Ning Fulong, Dean of the School of Mechanical Engineering and Electronic Information, took the “deep connection with the School of Mechanical Engineering and Electronic Information” as the starting point to deeply review his unforgettable experiences with the School and No. 2 Teaching Building, triggering emotional resonance among the alumni and teachers present. He systematically reviewed the historical evolution of the School of Mechanical Engineering and Electronic Information, provided a detailed introduction to the current faculty resources, research platforms and internship base construction. He focused particularly on the quality of undergraduate education and talent cultivation initiatives to comprehensively showcase the diversified talent cultivation path of the School from the growth cases of outstanding graduates to characteristic education programs such as the "Li Siguang Program", "Zijin Joint Training Class", and "Sino-German Cooperative Education Project". At the same time, Dean Ning announced two major developments in the school: the addition of an undergraduate major in "Robotics Engineering" and the establishment of a master's and doctoral program in "Low Altitude Technology and Engineering". These two initiatives have injected fresh vitality into the discipline construction of the school, further broadened the scope of education and provided students with more opportunities for growth. Finally, Dean Ning Fulong made a sincere appeal to the alumni present, expressing his hope that everyone would draw upon their professional expertise and resources to offer insights and suggestions for the discipline construction and industry-university-research cooperation of the school, to help the School achieve higher quality development.
Representatives from teachers and students delivered speeches, reminiscing about their youth and passing on their convictions
As a veteran educator and witness to the school’s development, Jiang Jinguo shared cherished memories of the founding and development period of the Department of Exploration Engineering, with words full of appreciation for the past years. Drawing on his own teaching experience, he put forward earnest expectations for the future discipline construction of the School of Mechanical Engineering and Electronic Information, and emotionally expressed that "students of the school will always be a family". He expressed his hope that the school will continue to thrive and achieve higher-quality development on its new journey.
The speeches of alumni representatives were full of gratitude towards their alma mater and nostalgia for their youth. Zhang Shaohong, an alumnus of the Class of 1995 from the Department of Exploration Engineering, warmly welcomed fellow alumni “back home”. He fondly recalled youthful memories of attending classes with classmates, discussing aspirations by the East Lake, and venturing into the field with geological hammers to explore mountains and rivers. He also encouraged younger students present with the university motto “hardworking and plain-living, being realistic and pragmatic” to bravely face challenges and stick to their original aspirations on their life journeys. Yu Yanjiang, an alumnus of Class 72011 in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Electronic Information, shared his career development experience after graduation, emphasizing the deep connection between the School of Mechanical Engineering and Electronic Information and the Faculty of Engineering. He called on everyone to practice the belief of "Today I am proud of China University of Geosciences, tomorrow the University will be proud of me", urging them to contribute to the development of their alma mater and the school, while extending his best wishes. During the speech, Zhang Shaohong also specially presented hometown specialties to the old teachers, expressing gratitude to them in a simple and sincere way. The atmosphere on site was warm and moving.
Discussion and conversation to continue the relationship; empowering for future development
In his concluding speech, Secretary Qu Xianghua affirmed the smooth progress of this meeting, announced the successful conclusion of the main activities, and invited alumni to attend the class branch venues to participate in more interactive alumni symposiums. In the sub venue, alumni freely shared insights drawn from their professional experiences and practical wisdom. Some offered career advice, while others proposed concrete suggestions for the school's academic development and talent cultivation. The lively and harmonious atmosphere fostered lively exchanges, where the collision of ideas forged a shared vision for the school's future.
The successful hosting of this alumni gathering has built an “emotional and value bridge” for alumni scattered across the nation and deeply rooted in various industries, enabling them to revisit their youthful campus and engage in meaningful dialogue with the school. On the one hand, alumni are able to personally touch the pulse of the development of their alma mater, clearly perceive the breakthroughs and progress in disciplinary construction of the School of Mechanical Engineering and Electronic Information and the Faculty of Engineering, as well as the outstanding achievements in talent cultivation, making the "development of the alma mater" from a distant message become a pride within reach. On the other hand, the school also took this opportunity to closely listen to the practical experience tempered by alumni on the front line of the industry, and gained valuable suggestions on subject optimization and educational innovation, truly achieving a mutually beneficial relationship where “alumni understand their alma mater, and the alma mater empowers its alumni.” The cross-disciplinary wisdom collision and diversified resource support brought by alumni not only opens up new ideas for the discipline construction at both schools, but also injects new vitality and strong momentum into the long-term development of the School of Mechanical Engineering and Electronic Information and the Faculty of Engineering. It also lays the seeds full of potential for deepening university-industry cooperation and co-cultivating industry talents in the future.
