On the afternoon of June 22, the 2026 Graduation and Degree Awarding Ceremony of the Shanghai International College of Intellectual Property (SICIP), together with the Closing Ceremony for the 9th WIPO-Tongji Master’s Program and Chinese Government Scholarship Program, was grandly held in Lecture Hall 1002, Zhonghe Building, Siping Campus of Tongji University.
Distinguished guests in attendance included Mr. Tian Lipu, Former Commissioner of the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA); Mr. Yu Chen, Deputy Director General of the Shanghai Intellectual Property Administration; Ms. Deng Yuhua, Counsellor of the WIPO Office in China; Professor Li Mingde from the Intellectual Property Center of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; and Professor Zheng Zhengen, Vice President of Kangwon National University, Republic of Korea. Present at the ceremony were College Party Secretary Qin Wenzhong, Dean Cong Lixian, Deputy Party Secretary Liu Zhijian, Vice Deans Dang Jianwei and Jiang Nan, faculty representatives, all graduates, program completers and their families and friends, who gathered to witness this glorious milestone. Vice Dean Xie Yan presided over the ceremony.
Before the event, Academician Zheng Qinghua, Party Secretary of Tongji University, met with Mr. Tian Lipu, Former Commissioner of the China National Intellectual Property Administration.
The ceremony opened with the solemn playing of the National Anthem. Mr. Tian Lipu delivered an address, reflecting on the profound shift in China’s mindset from the adage “Knowledge is power” to the recognition that “Knowledge constitutes property rights”.
Mr. Yu Chen, Deputy Director General of the Shanghai Intellectual Property Administration, extended his congratulations to all participants on behalf of the municipal bureau. He affirmed the remarkable achievements of the WIPO-Tongji Master’s Program and Chinese Government Scholarship Program over the past decade, which have cultivated 353 interdisciplinary talents for Shanghai and the whole country.
Ms. Deng Yuhua, Counsellor of the WIPO Office in China, recounted the decade-long partnership between WIPO and Tongji University. She encouraged all attendees to embrace a global vision and serve national innovation development.
Professor Cong Lixian, Dean of the College, offered congratulations to all graduates and program completers in his speech. He exhorted them to be three types of practitioners: “rule designers for the AI era” who safeguard innovation with expertise; “disseminators of China’s solutions” who carry the Eastern wisdom of “harmony and coexistence” to the world; and “pragmatic practitioners” who integrate knowledge with action and translate academic research into real-world impact.
Associate Professor Xu Ming spoke as the faculty representative. Recalling classroom moments and campus activities shared with students, he expressed delight at their growth. He encouraged graduates to forge ahead with the expertise and friendships gained at the college, assuring them that SICIP will always be their home wherever their journeys take them.
Four student representatives delivered speeches in sequence. Zhou Lanxuanjie, doctoral graduate representative of the Class of 2026, reflected on her decade of academic pursuit at the college and shared three insights: embrace challenging paths without fear, remember you are never alone on your journey, and carry the Tongji Spirit to the world. Shen Yue, master’s graduate representative, reflected on the algorithmic age and stressed that legal professionals’ capacity for judgment and empathy remains irreplaceable.
Fabián, international student representative of the Belt and Road Program, shared that his studies in China broadened his horizons and fostered profound friendships with fellow students from all over the globe. Wu You, student representative of the WIPO Program, stated that her one-year study reshaped her professional thinking and strengthened her international competency.
Guests including Mr. Tian Lipu, Mr. Yu Chen, Ms. Deng Yuhua and Professor Li Mingde, alongside Professor Shan Xiaoguang, jointly presented course completion certificates to participants of the international programs.
College Party Secretary Qin Wenzhong read out the list of recipients of Shanghai Municipal Outstanding Graduate and Tongji University Outstanding Graduate honors. Vice Dean Dang Jianwei presented honorary certificates to each awardee.
Dean Cong Lixian, Professor Cheng Deli, Professor Jiang Nan, Professor Chang Xuhua and Long-term Associate Professor Hua Jie performed the hooding ceremony and conferred graduation diplomas upon the graduates.
From Zhonghe Building, these young minds set forth guided by the Tongji motto “Seek common virtue, deliver shared welfare”. Whether degree graduates or program completers, they will shine in their respective fields — international organizations, state authorities, science and innovation enterprises, academia and beyond. As guardians of intellectual property and drivers of innovative development, they will write new chapters for SICIP practitioners on the stage of global governance. May all graduates and program completers of the Class of 2026 enjoy bright prospects and endless blossoms along their journeys!
