Before the ceremony, the first-floor lobby of Peking University HSBC Business School (PHBS) was filled with afternoon sunlight. A life-sized replica of Peking University’s West Gate stood in one corner, surrounded by stone lions and colorful beams. Graduates posed for photos with bouquets and laurel wreaths, while families and friends gathered to take pictures together.

Graduates pose for photos before the ceremony

Families and friends watching the live broadcast from the first‑floor lobby

Downstairs, soft stage lights lit up the venue. 739 graduates from PhD, MA, MBA, EMBA, and Master of China Studies programs took their seats, joined by over 1,500 faculty, family, and guests. A large screen in the lobby streamed the ceremony live from the B2 auditorium, letting families watch and share in every moment, from the tilt of a tassel to a tear in someone's eye.

2026 Commencement

Voices from the Graduates

Gentle music played as school leaders, distinguished guests, mentors, and program flags entered the venue. Graduates applauded to show their sincere gratitude. A graduation video brought back memories, followed by a chorus of “Love for PKU.” The ceremony began with the national anthem.

Leaders and faculty enter the auditorium

Chorus: Love for PKU

Commencement Speech: Starting from PHBS

Three representatives: Li Yueqing (MA in Economics), Zeng Bolun (MBA), and Lei Ming (EMBA), joined the commencement speech “Starting from PHBS,” sharing how the school changed them. Li Yueqing valued late-night talks, cross-cultural experiences in the UK and Singapore, and a wider worldview. Zeng Bolun talked about leaving his job to return to school and working through tough business simulations with his team. Lei Ming remembered the 121-kilometer Gobi Challenge, where his team crossed the line together, not for rankings but for strong solidarity.

Luo Weite gives a speech

Luo Weite (Master in China Studies) and Patrick Psotta (Master of Finance, Germany) each gave speeches and shared their stories. Luo Weite talked about taking risks, from rebuilding his farm after a typhoon to growing and selling his business, always connecting his learning to real-life practices. He said, “A society needs those who create value and those who protect order. Youth is about grounding what you learn in real life and real people.”

 Patrick Psotta gives a speech

Patrick Psotta remembered arriving in Shenzhen, where everything seemed fast and unfamiliar. When he spoke a few words in Chinese and received a warm smile, he started to feel at home. At PHBS, classmates from different backgrounds worked together, turning cultural differences into valuable assets. This changed his perspective, giving him friendships across borders and a sense of belonging. For him, PHBS is "a place where the world feels smaller, and our ambitions feel bigger."

Words of Wisdom

Chen Liang delivers a speech

Chen Liang, tenured associate professor, delivered the address "Causal Thinking in the Age of AI.” He noted that analytical tools taught at PHBS, including instrumental variables, difference-in-differences, and regression discontinuity, are not merely academic techniques, but powerful tools for seeing through complexity and uncovering the true logic behind decisions. While AI excels at finding correlations, it cannot replicate the human drive to understand causation. He urged graduates to keep asking “why.”This habit of critical inquiry, he said, is a competitive edge no algorithm can replicate.

Jing Yidan delivers a speech

Jing Yidan, a well-known broadcaster and CCTV host, spoke without a script and shared four main ideas: value inspiration, communicate honestly, adapt with resilience, and find good mentors. Drawing on her own career journey, she said that real inspiration helps people grow throughout life. Communication, she added, is always important, and in the age of AI, human connection and empathy are more valuable than ever. She encouraged graduates to keep searching for mentors who can guide them and offer new perspectives.

 Wang Pengfei delivers remarks

Wang Pengfei, Peking University Boya distinguished professor and dean of PHBS, gave the commencement speech “Honor the Glory, Cherish the Ordinary, and Embrace the New Journey.” He said PHBS’s training is meant not just for earning a diploma, but for building inner strength, staying steady in uncertain times, and growing under pressure. While AI can handle data well, it cannot replace human kindness, responsibility, courage, or creativity. “In the AI era, the rarest quality is not intelligence, but the resolve to take the slow, honest path without shortcuts.”

Best wishes to 2026 graduates by Hai Wen

Following PHBS tradition, Hai Wen, chairman of the PHBS Council and founding dean, revealed a painting of a galloping horse as a blessing for the Year of the Horse. The horse stands for courage, steady progress, perseverance, and loyalty. “Ride the wind and set forth on your new journey; live up to your youth and embrace all that lies ahead,” he said. He then turned the tassel for each graduate as their names were called.

Looking Ahead

The ceremony continued into the late afternoon and ended with a flash mob and a chorus of Ode to the Motherland. Outside, graduates threw their caps in the air. Some took one last AI-powered virtual tour of the PKU campus.

Secretary of the Party Committee, PHBS Associate Dean Ren Ting announces the 2023 PHBS outstanding graduates

Award of certificates to the representatives of outstanding graduates by school leaders, guests, and advisors

From left to right: Assistant Dean Chen Liang, Associate Dean Young Joon Park, Assistant Dean Liu Baixiao, and Associate Dean Ouyang Liangyi announce graduates' names

Hai Wen turns graduates' tassels

Flash Mob

The ceremony continued into the late afternoon and ended with a flash mob and a chorus of Ode to the Motherland. Outside, graduates threw their caps in the air. Some took one last AI-powered virtual tour of the PKU campus.

In front of a bright red backdrop with the theme “Setting sail on a new journey, ringing the bell to embark,” visitors were invited to ring a small brass bell. Its clear sound stood out among the cheerful noise.

As the Class of 2026 enters a fast-changing world, they take with them a PHBS education that is rigorous, international, and deeply human. This education prepares them not just to adapt to change, but to shape it with purpose and vision.

Photo Highlights

Congratulations to the graduates and all the best to their future endeavors!