The 2026 Graduation and Degree Conferral Ceremony of DIICSU took place at the CSU Lecture Hall on the Xiaoxiang Campus on the afternoon of 22 June 2026.

Distinguished attendees included Ms. Guo Xiangli, Vice Director of the Office of Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee; Professor Li Zhihong, Vice President of CSU; and Professor Karen Petrie, Vice Principal (Science, Engineering and Business) of the University of Dundee (UoD). Professor Kim Dale, Vice Principal (Global Engagement and Future Students) of the UoD, and other colleagues attended online.

Other guests present were Mr. Li Chong, Head of Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office & European Office, Office of Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee; Mr. Yan Dan, Head of the Office of International Exchanges, Hunan Provincial Department of Education; Mr. Liu Jianyuan, Head of the Office of Technology Cooperation, Department of Science and Technology of Hunan Province; Mr. Luo Hui, Commander of the Population and Exit-Entry Administration Division, Changsha Public Security Bureau; and Deputy Commander Mr. Luo Huamei. The ceremony was also attended by heads of relevant functional divisions, secondary schools and directly affiliated units of CSU, all administrative staff and some academic staff of DIICSU, the full cohort of 2022-2026 graduates, and a group of family representatives. The event was hosted by Dr. Gao Dongbo, Secretary of the Party Committee of DIICSU.

At 3 pm, the ceremony opened with the solemn melody of the National Anthem of the People’s Republic of China.

In her address, Professor Karen Petrie hailed the inaugural cohort as pioneers. She urged them to maintain the ability to think critically, to collaborate across cultures, to stay curious, and to keep going when things are difficult, and advised them “Don’t wait for certainty before you act.”

Shortly afterwards, Professor Li Zhihong and Professor Karen Petrie presented certificates to outstanding graduate representatives of the Class of 2026 and recipients of the UoD Class Medal for the highest-graded students respectively.

Tao Hongkai, the graduate representative from Civil Engineering programme, offered admission to Stanford University, spoke on behalf of his cohort and shared reflections on his four years of growth. He recounted how four years of fully English-teaching had taught him to act first before feeling ready, adding that “Getting ready is not a feeling, it’s a decision.”

Professor Li Zhihong extended his warm congratulations to all 279 inaugural graduates. He described them as trailblazers of internationalised education at our university, and living witnesses to how our collaboration has taken firm root here in Hunan, encouraging them to uphold the university motto: Create Knowledge and Serve Society. He also expressed sincere gratitude to the UoD team and all supporting institutions, stating that the university would further deepen Chinese-British collaborative education to continuously enhance CSU’s international standing and global reach.

Pre-recorded congratulatory video messages were played from Professor Li Jiancheng, President of CSU and Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and Professor Nigel Seaton, Interim Principal and Vice Chancellor of the UoD. Both extended their best wishes to the inaugural cohort and urged the new graduates to act as vital bridges for cultural exchange between China and the UK.

Towards the close of the ceremony, Professor Li Zhihong and Professor Karen Petrie jointly conferred CSU and UoD degrees upon every the graduates in attendance.

DIICSU first welcomed its intake of students in 2022 and stands as CSU’s first Sino-foreign collaborative education institute. The successful graduation of its first cohort marks DIICSU’s entry into a mature phase of operation and yields replicable experience to guide the university’s future development of international education.

Among this year’s graduates, eight have been awarded the title of Outstanding Graduates of Hunan Province, one student has received the title of Outstanding Graduate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship of Hunan Province, and 42 Outstanding Graduates of Central South University. Five students received the the UoD Class Medal for the highest-graded students. The cohort boasts impressive overall progression rates to postgraduate study and high-quality employment outcomes, with numerous graduates set to pursue further education at world-leading universities or launch careers with renowned global enterprises.