Uniting Strength from All Corners of the World: Inaugural Meeting of the School of Foreign Languages Alumni Association Successfully Held

On October 1, 2025, coinciding with the 130th anniversary of Tianjin University, the inaugural meeting of the School of Foreign Languages Alumni Association was held in the School’s Room 290 multifunctional hall. The School’s leadership team, alumni representatives, faculty and student representatives gathered to witness this historic moment. The meeting was chaired by Zhang Wenli, Party Secretary of the School of Foreign Languages.

The meeting opened in a warm and enthusiastic atmosphere. Dean Wang Lisong first delivered the “Report on the Development of the School of Foreign Languages,” systematically reviewing the history of foreign language education and discipline development at Tianjin University and detailing the School’s breakthrough achievements in teaching, research, discipline construction, and talent cultivation since its official establishment in 2022. He emphasized that alumni are a solid pillar of support for the School’s development, and that the establishment of the Alumni Association will further unite strengths from all sides and help the School reach new heights.

Dean Wang paid special tribute to Professor Ji Weiwu, recipient of the “Tianjin University Outstanding Contribution Award.” Professor Ji shared reflections on his nearly five decades in education, noting that a true educator is not only a transmitter of knowledge but also a guide for the spirit. His example sets a benchmark of striving for the School and inspires everyone to forge ahead and pursue excellence in the cause of education.

The meeting reviewed and adopted the Constitution of the School of Foreign Languages Alumni Association, clarifying the Association’s organizational structure and operational mechanisms. On the recommendation of the preparatory committee, the list of members of the first council was officially announced. Dean Wang Lisong presented letters of appointment to Sun Xixu, Su Jianhua, and other alumni as council advisors, and to alumni such as Luan Yi and Yang Zhen as vice presidents of the Association.

Su Jianhua, an alumnus of the Class of 1981 in Science and Technology English and now a professor at the School of Foreign Languages at Nankai University, made a donation to the School—a precious commemorative photograph of Science and Technology English students with foreign teachers taken on New Year’s Eve in 1983—expressing his deep affection and gratitude to his alma mater.

Alumni representatives from different cohorts then took turns to speak. Gao Xiaojie, a Science and Technology English alumnus from the Class of 1982, expressed gratitude for the training received at the alma mater, which provided a solid foundation for his career. He noted that the guidance of teachers during his student years had shaped his outlook on life, and he pledged to continue contributing and supporting the development of the university and the School. Luan Yi, also a 1982 Science and Technology English alumnus, recounted his personal journey in terms of cultivation by the alma mater, cross-boundary growth, and family legacy, conveying deep affection for Tianjin University. Lin Xibao from the Class of 1983 shared his entrepreneurial journey of “seeking truth from facts” in the field of education, vividly illustrating how he turned the university’s motto into a driving force for educational innovation through perseverance and breakthroughs. Yang Zhen, a 1991 alumnus, reflected on his student days with gratitude for the School’s nurturing and expressed his hope to continue sharing growth experiences with younger students. Hao Jinghui, a 1992 alumnus, remarked that the humanistic care, interdisciplinary learning, and international outlook fostered in the Foreign Languages Department at Tianjin University have become “lifelong assets” that he benefits from to this day.

At the end of the meeting, Zhang Wenli presented the Development Plan for the School of Foreign Languages Alumni Association, which takes “pooling alumni strength, serving School development, and promoting alumni growth” as its core objectives and aims to build a long-term mechanism for deep cooperation between alumni and the School.

All alumni joined in singing the university anthem, reflecting on their deep affection for the alma mater and their hopes for the future, and then took group photos in the School courtyard as a lasting memento.