On July 4, Renmin University of China (RUC) held its 2026 graduation ceremony. 

A total of 2,937 undergraduate, 4,213 master's, and 1,094 doctoral graduates are set to embark on their new journeys across China and beyond.

Zhang Donggang, Party secretary of RUC, encouraged the graduates to integrate their youthful endeavors into the nation's development. He emphasized that young people are the driving force behind the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and expressed his hope that the graduates would integrate their personal growth with national development. He urged them to apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired to serve where the country and its people need them most, advance Chinese modernization, and contribute their generation’s strength to building a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation.

RUC President Ma Huaide noted that the word Renmin (people) in the university's name embodies the university’s long-standing educational mission, which continues to shine through the actions of its students and alumni. He encouraged the graduates to listen to the voices of the people, learn from them, and apply their knowledge to addressing real-world challenges. He also expressed his hope that they would transform the knowledge and abilities gained at RUC into solid capabilities for taking on responsibilities, pursuing meaningful work, and serving the people.

Speaking on behalf of the undergraduates, Li Zhifei, a student from the School of Information and recipient of the 2026 Wu Yuzhang Scholarship, reflected that his four years at RUC had taught him to keep asking meaningful questions. From establishing the Zhishi research platform to leading his team to victory in a national competition, he said he had come to understand that RUC's motto, "Seek Truth from Facts", means solving every concrete problem with dedication and rigor. 

Master's graduate representative Yeerxin Sailike from the School of Marxism Studies, the inaugural recipient of the university's Pioneer Medal, shared that his father, a Kazakh herdsman, had always described RUC as "a university that serves the Chinese people". During eight years of study at RUC, he developed a strong sense of responsibility and a deep commitment to growing alongside the nation.

Doctoral graduate representative and international student Lena Abbas Jawad from Iraq, who studied at the School of Journalism and Communication, reflected on her decade at RUC. She spoke of learning the importance of mutual understanding, appreciating the wisdom of seeking harmony while respecting differences, and witnessing a real, multidimensional, and dynamic China. 

Alumni representative Yang Mei, a 2020 master's graduate from the School of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development and currently secretary of the CPC Committee of Shishi town, Sichuan province, shared her experience of returning to public service after studying at RUC. She said that the ideals cultivated by the university had inspired her to remain committed to serving local communities, adding that "being needed by the people is the best direction". 

Faculty representative Professor Liu Xiaoguang from the National Academy of Development and Strategy encouraged them to remain persistent without becoming rigid, care for themselves while also caring for others, and stay true to their ideals through both success and adversity. He urged the graduates to continue learning, improving themselves, striving for excellence in every field, and always advancing together with the nation and the people as contributors to a new era.