On September 15, 2020, Shanghai International College of Intellectual Property held the 2020 orientation ceremony for Chinese and international new students and the orientation ceremony of the United Nations World Intellectual Property Organization-Tongji University Joint Master Degree Program and the Chinese Government’s "Belt and Road" Master Degree Program of Intellectual Property.

Prof. Lei Xinghui, the Vice President of Tongji University, Mr. Liu Jian, the Deputy Director-General of International Cooperation Department, CNIPA, Mr. Joe Bradley, the Head of Academic Institutions Program, United Nations World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Academy, Ms. Wang Xingying, the Deputy Director of International Cooperation & Communication Department of SIPA and Prof. Joseph Straus, the Former Director and Professor of the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition in Germany attended the orientation ceremony. Prof. Shan Xiaoguang, the Dean of Shanghai International College of Intellectual Property, and Associate Professor Yu Xinmiao, the Deputy Dean of Shanghai International College of Intellectual Property, attended the orientation ceremony online. Nine intellectual property doctoral students, 35 Chinese master students, and faculty members of the college attended the ceremony. 29 international students from 17 countries including Georgia, Barbados, and Zimbabwe attended the orientation ceremony online. The orientation ceremony was presided over by Prof. Song Xiaoting, the Chairman of the SICIP Council.

Prof. Lei Xinghui, the vice president of Tongji University, welcomed the new students from all over the world on behalf of the university and expressed gratitude to the leaders and experts who cared about and supported the construction and development of Shanghai International College of Intellectual Property. Prof. Lei Xinghui introduced Tongji's historical development, talent training experience, and achievements in international cooperation. He hoped that the students will learn profound knowledge and skills at Tongji University, and make due contributions to the development of intellectual property in their countries and the establishment of a new fair and just order in the world.

Mr. Liu Jian, the Deputy Director-General of International Cooperation Department, CNIPA, extended welcome and congratulations to the new students who participated in the orientation ceremony, and expressed contributions to the WIPO, Shanghai Intellectual Property Administration, and Tongji University for their work on intellectual property talent training. He hoped that Chinese and international students can overcome difficulties, study hard, cherish the friendship during their studies, and work together to contribute to the friendly exchanges and intellectual property development between China and other countries.

Mr. Joe Bradley, the Head of Academic Institutions Program, United Nations World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Academy, congratulated the successful orientation ceremony. Mr. Joe Bradley reviewed the history of cooperation between the World Intellectual Property Organization and Tongji University and affirmed the training of international talents at Shanghai International College of Intellectual Property, especially the operation of the WIPO program. Mr. Joe Bradley expects that new students can make good use of the platform of Shanghai International College of Intellectual Property to study hard while maintaining health and enjoying life.

Ms. Wang Xingying, the Deputy Director of International Cooperation & Communication Department of Shanghai Intellectual Property Administration (SIPA), said that the Shanghai Intellectual Property Administration actively supports the Shanghai International College of Intellectual Property and the World Intellectual Property Organization as well as internationally renowned universities and institutes to carry out international cooperation and talent training and continue to promote WIPO Joint master degree program, national "Belt and Road" master degree program. It is hoped that the students will cherish their time in school, develop excellent skills, and strive to become a pioneer in promoting the development of intellectual property in the world.

Prof. Joseph Straus, the Former Director and Professor of the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition in Germany, congratulated the new students for their successful admission, and also expressed gratitude to the faculty for their hard work during the epidemic. Prof. Joseph Straus has been cooperating with Tongji University for many years. He hopes that the students’ study and career path will be successful and looks forward to meeting again in Shanghai.

Prof. Ren Shengce, comes from Shanghai International College of Intellectual Property, delivered a speech as the faculty representative of the partner universities. Prof. Ren Shengce interprets the initials of the college's English name (SICIP) in a new way, which stands for Smiling, Innovative, Critical Thinking, Initiative, and Professional. It is hoped that the students of Shanghai International College of Intellectual Property can uphold this spirit, infuse richer meaning for SICIP with practical actions and make more contributions in the field of intellectual property.

Lan Chudi, Nyasha Karen Manhombo, Jewel Barrow, the student representatives of the United Nations World Intellectual Property Organization-Tongji University Joint Master Degree Program in Intellectual Property Law, Levani Pertenava, the student representative of the “Belt and Road” Master Degree Program in Intellectual Property Law, and Zhou Lanxuanjie, the representative of doctoral students. The students expressed their thoughts and feelings, saying that they would cherish learning opportunities, always maintain a positive attitude in the pursuit of truth and knowledge, and move on with health to become a better IPer.

Finally, all the guests took a group photo with faculties and students.

Tongji University is the first and the only university in China that cooperates with the United Nations World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in the form of joint master degree program. It also undertakes the "Belt and Road" master degree program in intellectual property jointly commissioned by the Ministry of Education and the National Intellectual Property Administration of China , filed by the Academic Degree Office of the State Council, and successfully established a doctoral program for interdisciplinary intellectual property, which officially enrolled students in 2019.The development of the SICIP has received well support from the Ministry of Education, the National Intellectual Property Administration of China, and Shanghai Municipal Government. The Shanghai International College of Intellectual Property of Tongji University will further gather international excellent faculties, create an international top intellectual property discipline, build a world-class international intellectual property talent training base and a sustainable development-oriented and globally influential Intellectual property research think tank, supporting and serving the country's innovation-driven development, the "Belt and Road" construction and the strategy of building a strong intellectual property country, and the construction of the Shanghai Global Science and Technology Innovation Center and the Asia-Pacific Intellectual Property Center.