2023 Winter Graduation Ceremony held at UNNC
11 November 2023
On 11 November, the 2023 winter graduation ceremony of the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) was held, with over 500 graduates celebrating this lifetime milestone in the presence of family, friends, and faculty.
Alongside soothing and melodious notes, Professor Nick Miles OBE, Provost of UNNC, presided over the graduation ceremony. Professor Shearer West, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nottingham, was also present. On behalf of everyone at the University of Nottingham, she expressed her sincerest wishes to graduates.
Graduation is more than just the conferment of a diploma. It is a time to reflect upon the knowledge gained, the friendships made, and the experiences that have shaped us. These past few years have presented extraordinary challenges for us all – you have demonstrated extraordinary resilience, and an unwavering commitment to your studies, and you should all feel incredibly proud of your achievements.
At the ceremony, the university awarded an Honorary Professorship to Professor Yong-Guan Zhu and an Honorary Fellow Professorship to Dr Zhiquan Zhou for their outstanding contributions and impact in their chosen fields. The graduation also conferred a Vice-Chancellor’s Medal to honour the staff and students with exceptional achievement. In addition, UNNC's module “Introduction to Drama” was recently awarded a National Level First-Class Undergraduate Module for its advanced pedagogical design and innovative teaching methods. Dr Derek Irwin, Associate Professor in Applied Linguistics and convener of the module was presented the certificate for the award.
According to the latest statistics, among this year’s graduates, some are heading directly to employment, many will work in Fortune 500 or other leading companies or domestic enterprises and institutions such as PwC, EY, TCL and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China; some are going to pursue further study in the world’s prestigious universities such as University College London.
Weixuan Chen, a doctoral graduate in Architectural Environment Engineering, is about to work as an assistant professor of landscape architecture at a national top tier university. “UNNC has an open, diverse, and independent academic atmosphere, and is committed to providing a student-centred learning experience," said Weixuan. He appreciated UNNC for giving him opportunities and the courage to explore different possibilities.
Zebang Chen, a postgraduate of International Management (Business Analytics), has received an offer letter to work at the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China. “The programme is challenging, but also taught me many practical skills such as data visualisation and machine learning.”
Xinrou Xu from the International Higher Education programme is now working at the China branch of a Fortune 500 company as an assistant to the operations director. “Thanks to the responsible teachers and abundant academic resources at UNNC, I was able to approach professional knowledge beyond my programme such as big data and supply chains,” she said.
On the day of the graduation ceremony, Nottingham University Business School China, the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, the Faculty of Science and Engineering, and the Development and Alumni Relations Office prepared special graduation gifts for all the graduates, such as puzzles, pins, and passport holders, extending the university's heartfelt blessings to the graduates and a warm welcome to the prestigious worldwide family of Nottingham alumni.
At the ceremony, many families and friends came to the UNNC campus from all around the world to celebrate the graduates' success and express their best wishes on site. Those who could not attend the ceremony also sent their sincere blessings via diverse live-streaming platforms.