On September 9, Peking University HSBC Business School (PHBS) held its 2026 Full-Time Master's and Ph.D. Program Opening Ceremony in its auditorium. More than 900 faculty, staff, and students attended the ceremony.

The opening ceremony

Faculty and students sing “Yan Yuan Qing” together

The ceremony opened with a commemorative video titled "Youth, Toward the Sea," which captured the highlights of the 2026 orientation camp, from the bonds formed during orientation to the promise of brand-new classrooms. The ceremony continued with a rendition of "Yan Yuan Qing" (Yan Garden Love), as the audience sang together in a resonant tribute to youthful ideals and aspirations.

Chen Liang introduces the school‘s faculty

Chen Liang, tenured associate professor and director of the Full-Time Master's and Ph.D. Program, then introduced the school's faculty and its internationalized approach to education. He noted that PHBS has welcomed 10 new faculty members this year, and that the school now fields a high-level team of supervisors anchored by national-level talent, while continuing to recruit outstanding scholars from home and abroad to strengthen its interdisciplinary and international teaching and research system.

Seungjoon Oh delivers remarks

Faculty representative Seungjoon Oh, tenured associate professor, posed a thought-provoking question to the new students: "What kind of person will we become when we graduate from PHBS three years from now?" He encouraged them to embrace change, set clear goals, and practice self-reflection, taking responsibility for their choices and their lives. Real transformation, he said, begins with small daily decisions and sustained action, and urged students to treasure the present and take one meaningful step forward every day during this new journey.

Zhang Yihao shares his advice as a senior student

Student representatives then shared their insights from different perspectives. Zhang Yihao, a 2025 Financial Master's student in the Quantitative Finance and FinTech track, drew on his own experience to encourage newcomers to make full use of PHBS's outstanding faculty, platforms, and international resources, and to explore and grow through both study and practice. Facing a wealth of choices, he advised his peers not to get caught up in comparison, but to listen to their inner voices, discover what they truly love, and confidently follow their own paths to encounter more possibilities on the journey ahead.

Wang Ruishu talks about her expectations

Wang Ruishu, a 2026 Financial Master's student in the Financial Management track, shared how her interdisciplinary background in German and economics has taught her to understand the world from multiple perspectives. From walking side by side at the orientation camp to the exchange of different backgrounds and ideas in the classroom, "connection," she said, has become a key word of this new journey. She looked forward to learning to listen, understand, and think through diverse exchanges, making choices amid uncertainty, and applying what she learns to solve real problems and create greater value.

Henry Roko Maric-Murray shares his thoughts on starting a new chapter in Shenzhen

Henry Roko Maric-Murray, a 2026 Economics master's student from the United Kingdom, shared his feelings about starting a new chapter of study and life in Shenzhen. Although an unfamiliar city and learning environment inevitably bring challenges and uncertainty, he said, the school's warm and inclusive atmosphere soon gave him a sense of belonging. With classmates from many cultural backgrounds, he looks forward to broadening his horizons, challenging himself through exchange and dialogue, and growing and forging precious friendships in the years ahead.

Wang Pengfei delivers closing remarks

In his remarks, Dean Wang Pengfei, Boya Distinguished Professor at Peking University, extended a warm welcome to all new students. He encouraged them to embrace diversity with an open mind, listening to different voices while maintaining independent thinking, and to proactively adapt to the transformations brought by artificial intelligence and other new technologies, broadening their horizons at the intersection of technology and business. He also called on students to stay curious, explore boldly, and build knowledge and judgment through steady accumulation, adopting a long-term perspective on growth and finding their passion and direction at PHBS.

Highlights from the class talent show

The ceremony concluded with a vibrant class talent show, in which 22 master's classes, one doctoral class, one joint undergraduate program class, and one international exchange student class took the stage one after another with creative performances ranging from dances, choirs, and a fashion show, filling the auditorium with youthful energy. Following an on-site vote, the exchange student class received the Stage Award, Class 15 of the Quantitative Finance and FinTech program received the Creativity Award, and Class 14 of the same program received the Team Award. Professor Hai Wen, vice chair of the Peking University Council, former vice president of the university, and founding dean of PHBS, presented the awards.

Award presentation

Earlier this year, PHBS also held opening ceremonies for its 2026 MBA and EMBA programs, on July 4 and June 25, respectively. We wish the Class of 2026 all the best as they begin their studies — may they embrace the world with open minds, pursue knowledge with determination, and grow into their full potential at PHBS.

Source: MA & PhD Office, and Public Relations & Media Office

By Annie Jin