On September 24, 2026, the Opening Ceremony for the Class of 2026 of Limerick International Academy, Henan Polytechnic University — under the theme "China and Ireland Join Hands to Cultivate Talents, United Across Mountains and Seas for a New Journey" — was grandly held in the Auditorium of the Student Activity Center. Zhao Tongqian, President of Henan Polytechnic University, and Zhang Hebing, Vice President of Henan Polytechnic University; Shane Kilcommins,President of the University of Limerick, and Colin Fitzpatrick, Vice President for Global and Community Engagement of the University of Limerick, together with other Chinese and international leaders and distinguished guests, as well as all Chinese and international faculty and staff of the Academy and all incoming students of the Class of 2026, attended this grand celebration.
The opening ceremony commenced to the elegant strains of guzheng music, followed by the screening of the Academy's promotional film, which was viewed by all attending guests, faculty, and students. Organized into four chapters — "Dreams Forged Through the Years," "Dedicated Cultivation in the Halls of Learning," "Steadfast Progress Toward Excellence," and "Mutual Learning Among Civilizations" — the film vividly showcased the Academy's three-year development, the caliber of its faculty and teaching, the growth stories of its students, and the fruits of Sino-foreign cultural exchange.
In his address, Zhang Hebing, Vice President of Henan Polytechnic University, extended his warm wishes to all new students on the occasion of their enrollment and reviewed the achievements of the two universities' high-quality cooperation. He encouraged the new students to carry forward the fine academic traditions and seize the opportunities presented by internationalized education.
In his address, Colin Fitzpatrick, Vice President for Global and Community Engagement of UL, spoke highly of the well-established academic reputation of Limerick International Academy and expressed his aspiration to pool together the high-quality teaching resources of both universities. He encouraged all faculty and students to move forward in unison and achieve shared progress, and urged the students to cherish this integrated Sino-foreign learning platform, broaden their international horizons with courage, and comprehensively enhance their overall competitiveness.
Duan Xiaowei and Kenneth Stanton, faculty representatives from the two universities, respectively extended their sincere welcome and heartfelt best wishes to all new students. They encouraged the students to hold grand aspirations in their hearts, venture forth toward distant horizons, set ambitious goals, and make full use of the Academy's higher-level platform for international development.
In her speech, Kong Chuixiao, representative of the new students, encouraged her fellow students to fully avail themselves of the educational advantages of the international platform, to build up their strength steadily before soaring ahead, and to pursue the burning ideals that belong to each of them. She called upon all students to remember that youth is the time for early action — to chase the wind while still young — and to open their eyes to the world and broaden their international perspectives, while always keeping their homeland in their hearts and bravely shouldering the mission of the young generation. Her speech fully conveyed the firm determination of all new students to embrace university life and strive with unwavering resolve.
During the award presentation segment, Zhao Tongqian, President of Henan Polytechnic University, and ShaneKilcommins, President of the University of Limerick, presented awards to ten outstanding representatives of the incoming class and conferred upon them the Academy badges, inspiring all new students to emulate the worthy and dedicate themselves to diligent study and steadfast progress.
The opening ceremony drew to a close with the song "Tomorrow Will Be Better." This ceremony was not only the starting point of the new students' university life, but also a vivid practice of Sino-foreign educational exchange and integration. The new students have expressed their firm resolve to take this as a new beginning — to integrate Chinese and international knowledge, to act with dedication and pragmatism, to hone their abilities on the fertile soil of internationalization, and, living up to the promise of their youth, to write a brilliant chapter of their own.
