On April 23, the awards ceremony of the first Tsinghua Craftsmanship Competition sponsored by the Tsinghua University Class of 1986 (graduating class of 1991) Alumni Award Fund was held in the Lee Shau Kee Science and Technology Building. Tsinghua University President Wang Xiqin attended the award ceremony and delivered a speech. Over 70 alumni of the Class of '86 and award-winning students attended the awards ceremony.

Wang Xiqin's Concluding Speech

In his concluding speech, Wang Xiqin first expressed his gratitude to the alumni of the Class of 1986 and congratulated the students who received awards. He said that the Fund sponsoring the Tsinghua Craftsmanship Competition was founded by the alumni of the Class of 1986 on the occasion of Tsinghua's 110th anniversary to encourage Tsinghua students to carry on the school's engineering tradition and inherit and pass on the pragmatic and hard-working spirit of Tsinghua students. It has set high expectations for a new generation of Tsinghua students. Wang Xiqin praised the students of the Class of 1986 as a group with unique historical significance, a symbol of their times, and the witnesses and creators of an era of rapid national development. Although they have gone their own separate ways, they have remained close. They maintain a deep affection for their alma mater, and many friendships have continued strong throughout the years.

Wang Xiqin said that, as engineers, they should always give the highest priority to the safety and health of the people and their pursuit of a better life. He hoped that the competition would further promote the fine traditions and the spirit of innovation of Tsinghua engineering students and contribute to the development of Tsinghua's innovative talent training mechanisms and the continuation of the university's craftsmanship traditions. At the same time, he hoped that the students would have the courage to undertake the mission of the times, dare to innovate, and put more emphasis on practice. They should contribute their youthful energy to enhancing national strength in strategic scientific and technological fields, promoting the building of a manufacturing superpower, accomplishing the "Two Centenary Goals", and realizing the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Liu Xun Giving a Remote Speech

Liu Xun, the initiator of the Class of 1986 Alumni Fund, founder of New Top-Founder Investment Management Co. Ltd., and founding director of the Xinghua Scholarship Foundation, gave a remote speech. In his speech, he expressed his hope that Tsinghua students will pay more attention to the users of products during innovative design, so that their products will be more friendly and benefit those who use them.

Zhuge Yue (left) and Deng Tao Giving Speeches

During the award ceremony, 1986 alumni Zhuge Yue and Deng Tao gave an overview of the first competition and released the Class of 1986 commemorative publication.

Presentations by Students from the Winning Projects

Representatives from the New Explorations Track grand prize winning project "Design, Fabrication and Application of Multimodal Tactile Sensors" and the first prize winning projects "Development of a Rapid Enrichment Method for Viruses in Sewage Based on Membrane Fouling and Enhanced Ultrafiltration Recovery", "A Temperature-responsive Hydrophobic Coating Based on Janus Particles", and "Graduated Utilization of Retired Power Battery for New Rapid Detection Technology and Equipment" gave presentations. Lin Lianjun and Wang Dongxiang, representatives of the Class of 1986, commented on the project presentations.

At the Event

The Tsinghua University Class of 1986 (graduating class of 1991) Alumni Award Fund was officially established on April 24, 2021 at the 30th Anniversary Celebrations for the Class of 1986. The first competition was officially launched on Tsinghua Maker Day in 2021. Thousands of Tsinghua students participated, with more than 200 projects registering. After deliberating, the judges' panel selected 6 Outstanding Award winners, 8 Excellence Award winners, and 8 Progress Award winners in the Craftsmanship Track, along with 1 Grand Prize winner, 3 First Prize winners, 9 Second Prize winners, and 23 Excellence Award winners in the New Explorations Track.

A Group Photo of Participants

Relevant leaders from the Fundamental Industry Training Center, the Youth League Committee, the Alumni Association, and the Education Foundation attended the event.

This competition is hosted by the Fundamental Industry Training Center and aims to inspire the new generation of Tsinghua students to carry on the Tsinghua craftsmanship traditions. This involves demonstrating innovation awareness and practical abilities, encouraging students to actively explore cutting-edge fields in science, technology, and engineering, creating a culture of innovation centered on real-world practice, developing students into elite talents with strong practical abilities and both soft and hard skills, helping students turn their ideas into innovative works, and encouraging the birth of more innovations in science, technology, and engineering.