At 10:00 a.m. on June 12, the inaugural degree conferment ceremony and graduation commencement for the undergraduate program in Mechanical Design, Manufacturing and Automation, jointly offered by Xinxiang University and Brest State Technical University of Belarus, was solemnly held in the East Lecture Hall on the first floor of the South Library Building on our university campus. The ceremony was graced by the presence of invited distinguished guests: Professor Andrei Nikolaevich Parfievich, Rector of Brest State Technical University; Ms. Vinnik Natalia Semenovna, Director of the Media Communications and Publishing Center; and Ms. Dai Wenqi, Foreign Affairs Specialist. Also attending were Professor Wang Xiaojun, Secretary of the Party Committee of Xinxiang University; Professor Li Guanghui, President of Xinxiang University; Professor Gao Xuexia, Vice President; and heads of the Party Committee Office, University President’s Office, Academic Affairs Office, Foreign Affairs Office, and the School of International Education, along with all faculty and staff of the School of International Education and all graduating students of the 2026 cohort of the China-Belarus cooperative program. The ceremony was presided over by Professor Han Hui, Vice President of Xinxiang University.
The ceremony officially commenced with the solemn playing of the national anthems of both countries. All attendees stood in reverence as the Belarusian national anthem was played first, followed by the singing of the Chinese national anthem. The melodious and stirring strains conveyed the profound friendship between China and Belarus and the goodwill of educational cooperation.
Wang Xiaojun delivered a speech. He extended warm congratulations to all the inaugural graduates who had successfully completed their studies and obtained dual degrees from both China and Belarus, extended a sincere welcome to the Belarusian guests present, and expressed high respect to the dedicated faculty and staff of the Sino-foreign program. Wang Xiaojun reviewed the four-year journey of deep collaboration between the two universities: adhering to the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, both sides introduced 19 core courses from Belarus, integrated Russian language teaching with professional practice and training, and established a distinctive“4+0 dual-certificate”Sino-foreign cooperative education system. He noted that this cohort, as the first graduates of the program, had overcome difficulties and grown steadily in a bilingual learning and cross-cultural environment, achieving a remarkable 99% dual-certificate rate–an impressive accomplishment. He then put forward three expectations for all graduates: first, to remain patriotic and never forget their original aspirations, rooting their youth in the times; second, to work diligently and uphold craftsmanship, forging a path through practical effort; and third, to broaden their horizons and strengthen their confidence, empowering the future with innovation. He encouraged all graduates to bear in mind their alma mater’s counsel, step into the wide world, and shine brilliantly in their youth.
Andrei Nikolaevich Parfievich delivered a speech. He stated that Brest State Technical University attaches great importance to its long-term and in-depth cooperation with Xinxiang University. As the Belarusian rector, he was especially delighted to personally confer Belarusian degree certificates to the students jointly cultivated by the two universities. He emphasized that Belarusian higher education has always placed great emphasis on talent cultivation in mechanical engineering, and that modern mechanical manufacturing is a high-tech industry integrating multiple disciplines, serving as a crucial cornerstone of national technological development. Young students bear the important responsibility of developing high-tech industries and shaping the future. Quoting proverbs from both China and Belarus, he encouraged the students to cherish their youth, remain humble and undistracted, and forge ahead courageously. He also hoped that all graduates would always remember the nurturing of both universities and keep their second alma mater in their hearts, wishing them a bright and promising future.
At the same time, Andrei Nikolaevich Parfievich presented and displayed to Li Guanghui a congratulatory letter from the Brest Regional Executive Committee of the Republic of Belarus. In the letter, the Brest Regional Executive Committee highly commended the achievements of the joint educational program, noting that it serves as a model of pragmatic cooperation in higher education between Belarus and China. The committee wished all graduates success in pursuing their dreams and making contributions, and expressed hope that the two universities would continue to deepen educational cooperation and consolidate the foundation of friendship between the two countries.
Faculty representative Chang Chengcheng took the stage to speak. As the counselor who had accompanied the students through four years of growth, she recounted their journey from being fresh and inexperienced upon entering the university, to overcoming language barriers and honing their professional skills. She expressed immense pride in the growth and achievements of all graduates. She wished them well as they forged ahead on new life paths with the professional expertise and international perspectives they had accumulated over four years, and she wished for the continued steady progress and new chapters in the cooperation between the two universities.
Graduate representative Yang Zhaoyang shared his reflections on four years of study. He recalled his growth from being unable to understand Russian technical terms to successfully completing his graduation defense in Russian, and how the integrated Chinese-Belarusian teaching model had solidified his professional foundation. On behalf of all graduates, he expressed gratitude to both universities for their meticulous cultivation and to the teachers for their earnest guidance. He pledged to uphold the craftsman’s original aspiration, carry forward the China-Belarus friendship, and embark steadfastly on a new journey.
The ceremony then moved to its most solemn segment–the conferral of degree certificates. Li Guanghui and Andrei Nikolaevich Parfievich jointly presented the degree certificates from both universities to the graduates and adjusted their tassels, while Gao Xuexia and Vinnik Natalia Semenovna simultaneously presented graduation souvenirs from both institutions. All graduates came to the stage in turn to receive the two degree certificates–from China and from Belarus–that bore witness to four years of hard work and achievement. Warm and enthusiastic applause resounded throughout the hall.
In her concluding remarks, Han Hui noted that China and Belarus enjoy good-neighborly friendship and a long history of educational exchanges. She expressed the hope that all graduates would take this graduation as a new starting point, serve as people-to-people ambassadors of China-Belarus friendship and as bridges for cultural exchange between China and other countries, ground themselves in their professions, act with dedication, and shine in fields such as trade, science and technology, and cultural exchange. She emphasized that the doors of Xinxiang University and Brest State Technical University will always be open to the students, and welcomed them to return to their alma maters often.
The successful conclusion of this ceremony not only witnessed the fruitful outcomes of the joint educational program but also further deepened the cooperative ties between Xinxiang University and Brest State Technical University. In the future, the university will continue to elevate its China-Belarus cooperative education brand, steadily enhance the quality and efficiency of Sino-foreign education, and continuously expand the breadth and depth of international exchange and cooperation. Relying on its international education platform, the university aims to cultivate more high-caliber talents with strong professional competence, international vision, and patriotic commitment, thereby contributing to the high-quality development of its international education endeavors.
