On the afternoon of October 13, the opening ceremony for the Class of 2026 of the Accounting Program (Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education) jointly launched by Southwestern University of Finance and Economics (SWUFE) and Baruch College of the City University of New York was grandly held in Room 101, Hongyuan Building, Liulin Campus. Mingshan Zhou, Vice President of Southwestern University of Finance and Economics; Huojian Tang, Director of the Office of Academic Affairs; Xiaohui Xu, Director of the Student Affairs Office; Xuesong Tang, Dean of the School of Accounting; Yang Yi, Associate Dean of the School of Accounting; and Taifu Zhang, Deputy Party Secretary of the School of Accounting attended the ceremony. Also present were Myung-Soo Lee, former Provost of Baruch College, City University of New York and former Director of the Weisman Center for International Business; faculty representatives from Baruch College; all members of the program management team; and all incoming students of the Class of 2026. The ceremony was hosted by Yihe Guo and Shiqi Tan, student volunteers from the Class of 2025 of the SWUFE-Baruch Program. Prior to the ceremony, all faculty and students took a group photo in front of Hongyuan Building, capturing this precious moment that marks the beginning of their youthful academic journey.

Mingshan Zhou delivered a speech at the ceremony, extending a warm welcome and sincere congratulations to all Class-of-2026 freshmen on behalf of the university. He noted that over its twelve-year development, the SWUFE-Baruch Program has achieved fruitful results. It serves as a landmark platform for SWUFE to integrate high-quality Chinese and global business resources and cultivate internationally-oriented accounting talents. He encouraged students to take “upholding integrity” as the foundation of personal conduct — to abide by professional standards and stay true to the original aspiration of integrity; to embrace “integration” as the driving force for growth, combining a global vision with Chinese cultural confidence; and to treat “forging new ground” as the mission of the times. Students should embrace technological transformations, break disciplinary boundaries, and write brilliant chapters of youth at this new starting point in the new century.

Xuesong Tang delivered the welcome address. Elaborating on the contemporary value and development trends of accounting discipline, he pointed out that accounting students in the new era must focus on building three core capabilities: comprehension, judgment, and sense of responsibility. They should foster a strong devotion to their motherland and grow into accountants committed to serving society and the nation. He cited Lin Xie, a pioneer of modern Chinese accounting, who founded schools to save the nation amid national turmoil, as an inspiration for students. He urged the youth: as generations growing up in peacetime and studying on a high-level opening-up platform, you shall not only master accounting — the universal business language — but also stand firm in your own stance and cultural roots. In the future, on international accounting professional and academic arenas, you should not only understand the logic of global development, but also vividly share the practices of Chinese enterprises and the story of China’s economy. Strive to become internationally-minded accounting professionals rooted in Chinese culture with a strong sense of national mission.

A pre-recorded video with global greetings from program students was played during the ceremony. Alumni from different cohorts at home and abroad sent blessings and expectations across continents, sharing personal growth insights and academic tips. The video demonstrated the program’s remarkable talent-training outcomes and the spiritual heritage passed down among its participants.

This was followed by a solemn class-flag presentation ceremony. Huojian Tang, Director of the Office of Academic Affairs, presented flags sequentially to student representatives of the three classes of the Class of 2026, entrusting new students with important responsibilities and missions. He encouraged them to unite as a collective, strive for excellence, take their classes as wings and their dreams as steeds, support one another, and forge ahead steadfastly on their academic journey.

Freshman representative Zihan Yang delivered a speech. On behalf of all incoming students, she expressed delight and high expectations for joining the SWUFE-Baruch Program and shared her reflections since enrollment. She mentioned that standing at the intersection of Chinese and Western education, the next four years will be a journey of diverse exploration and self-breakthrough. Faced with industry reshaping driven by artificial intelligence, students should stay curious and dare to try new things. They should sharpen their independent thinking in academic challenges, find their own rhythm in college life, and grow into well-rounded young people with solid foundations. On behalf of all freshmen, she also expressed sincere gratitude to parents and teachers, and called on her peers to blaze new trails, value their youth, and create their own distinctive college stories.

David Wu, President of Baruch College, City University of New York, and Bruce Weber, Dean of the Zicklin School of Business, sent video remarks to extend a warm welcome to freshmen. They introduced Baruch College’s nationally-recognized accounting program and talent-training system, spoke highly of the educational quality and collaborative value of the SWUFE-Baruch Program, and looked forward to welcoming the students to New York in three years for further study and outstanding achievements on Baruch’s premium academic platform.

Myung-Soo Lee extended greetings to all freshmen. He commended the program’s high-caliber student body, faculty resources and educational outcomes, and voiced great expectations for its future development. From the perspectives of academic adaptation, cross-cultural living and career development, he analyzed potential challenges ahead for students and offered practical advice. He encouraged all students to carry forward the fine academic tradition of the program, stay grounded, build solid professional foundations, and strive to become outstanding talents with professional expertise and a global outlook. A faculty representative from Baruch College delivered greetings to all attendees. The two universities exchanged commemorative gifts, which symbolize the deep cooperative bonds and cultural connections between the two institutions.

During the Q&A session, students raised active questions concerning coursework, further studies in the United States, and career planning. Myung-Soo Lee and on-site faculty members gave patient, lively answers to resolve students’ doubts and offer guidance, helping them form clearer plans and greater confidence for future study and life.

The ceremony concluded successfully amid warm applause. Bearing in mind their dreams and aspirations, the Class of 2026 will inherit the rich heritage and earnest expectations of both universities. On the high-quality SWUFE-Baruch Program platform, they will integrate Chinese and global perspectives, forge ahead with resolve, and compose the youth chapter for the new-generation accounting professionals.