Nurturing Syntegrative Wisdom with HeXie Mindset: Compose the Next Movement of Your Life Symphony!

Nurturing Syntegrative Wisdom with HeXie Mindset:

Compose the Next Movement of Your Life Symphony!

XJTLU Executive President’s Postgraduate Commencement Speech 2025

Dear master’s and doctoral graduates of XJTLU’s Class of 2025,

On a morning in 2035, you might be sipping coffee while your intelligent assistant arranges your schedule for the day. You might be in your self-driving car, enjoying the company of your children on the school run. Perhaps you're preparing to speak at a global event hosted in the metaverse…

Suddenly, a vivid image flashes across your mind—today, in the bright spring sun, on XJTLU’s beautiful campus. The warm embraces from family, cheers from friends, high-fives from your teachers, and you, walking forward in your academic gown, the breeze catching its folds—radiant and full of pride.

Whenever this memory returns, may you look back and say to your present self: Thank you for your effort and perseverance. You laid the foundation for every new chapter in your life, and planted the seeds of countless possibilities.

Dear XJTLUers, and our family and friends, thank you for being here today. You are just as much a part of this celebration—your guidance, encouragement and unwavering support have illuminated the students’ paths in pursuing their dreams.

Let us celebrate this solemn yet heart-warming moment together, to witness the completion of one journey and the beginning of another. To the master’s and doctoral graduates of XJTLU’s Class of 2025—congratulations, you have graduated!

Dear students, from the moment you first set foot on this campus, to the moment you now stand proudly on the stage of your graduation, every second has been part of composing your unique symphony.

Time and experience have brought you to the close of one part, yet a different melody awaits—a new movement begins. It is one without a pre-written score. It will require your courage, your wisdom, and your original aspiration to constantly define, refine and create.

At XJTLU, you discovered your past and present self, came to understand your true self, and started shaping your future self.

Just a few days ago, a Year One undergraduate student approached me after an event. He expressed anxiety over whether he had chosen the wrong programme, unsure of his interests or future direction.

Noticing the unease in his eyes, I replied: there is no such thing as a wrong choice—it is all part of the necessary journey of self-exploration.

Trust is one of the core values of the XJTLU community. We provide our students and colleagues with space to explore—space to find their direction, define their values, and clarify their path through study, research, and life.

For you, postgraduate study has been a crucial stage in sketching out the portrait of who you are becoming. You’ve likely faced many choices and challenges. You should thank your supervisors for their guidance, your teachers and classmates for their support, your families for their trust—and most importantly, yourselves, for your courage and persistence.

Walking alongside XJTLU, the degree you’ve earned is valuable, but what’s even more precious is your journey towards becoming yourself—no longer imitating, but growing through exploration, and moving ever closer to your true identity through your choices.

In this era of overwhelming information and noisy voices, finding your place is hard enough. To hold firm direction amid constant change is even harder. A narrow view of success, false narratives, distractions and avoidance can all cloud your way. But if you can cast your gaze further—aligning your interests, strengths and values—you will construct a vision of your future: a direction that is authentic and worth striving for.

At XJTLU, we do not define you—we empower you to define yourselves, and your future.

To discover yourself is to prepare for meaningful engagement with the world.

To understand your true self is to hold the most reliable compass for navigating life.

To become yourself is not the final goal, but the main theme of the symphony you are destined to compose.

When the tempo of the world becomes uncertain, how will you find rhythm and preserve your melody?

Stepping into society, you will encounter a world that is complex and ever-changing. Direction becomes all the more essential.

To “stay true to your original aspiration” may sound simple, yet it will test your grasp of trends, your contextual understanding, your ability to identify key themes, your systemic thinking, your practical wisdom, and your moral compass.

At XJTLU, one of our original aspirations is to place student development at the centre of everything we do—not just as a slogan, but as a real, evolving principle embedded in our everyday work. As emerging technologies advance rapidly, we ask ourselves: what kind of education system truly enables students to grow and face the future?

That question led XJTLU to embrace these new technologies with resolve. We built the XJTLU “JunMou” AI Platform, launched our “Education+AI” strategy, and embedded it into every aspect of learning and teaching. These actions are rooted in a deep understanding of today’s digital context, and in our systemic reflection on what the era of digitalisation and AI demands. They also reflect our deeper intention: to cultivate in every XJTLUer a form of syntegrative wisdom—one that combines the analytical power of AI with the human capacities of empathy, creativity, contextual understanding and value judgment.

Syntegrative wisdom is not simply adding technology to humanity. It emerges through profound, multi-layered synergies—across disciplines, time, cultures, and theory versus practice. It is a higher-order way of thinking and acting—your essential instrument for navigating the uncertainty and complexity of the world.

May you rise to meet the future, embrace diverse voices, and compose the symphony of our times.

As you set out into the world, your roles may differ, your careers may diverge—but I hope you will continue to uphold the spirit of research and lifelong learning that XJTLU champions. Stay curious. Keep exploring, questioning, reflecting, and innovating.

In an age where AI can answer almost anything, it is the questions you ask that matter most. A good question is the beginning of discovery, the trigger for self-reflection. It helps you challenge the status quo, seek deeper understanding, and push the boundaries of knowledge.

Keep questioning. Keep thinking. Keep reviewing your goals. Along the way, learn to adjust your direction and re-tune your path. In a world full of uncertainties, it is your curiosity and your reflective mindset that will help you find balance—between freedom and regulations—and allow your melody to dazzle with notes of innovation.

Years from now, as you look back from another stage of life, you may suddenly hear a familiar note within yourself—echoing a promise once made here at XJTLU: to become someone who never stops questioning, keeps growing, and dares to transcend.

In a world of hyperconnectivity and intelligence, the future is no longer a solo performance.

It is a polyphony of thoughts, cultures, and experiences. Only by keeping an open mind can you find your rhythm amid the complexity, learn to appreciate difference, respect diversity, and grow together with others. This mindset of coexistence and co-creation will be essential for embracing uncertainty, assuming social responsibility, and driving progress in the world ahead.

Dear graduates, may you carry these principles with you always:

Find your positioning and direction. Use syntegrative wisdom to identify core themes in complex contexts and stay oriented. Keep reflecting, innovating, and adjusting your path to suit the changing environment. And with a mindset that is diverse, open, and symbiotic, embrace your social responsibilities.

These principles echo the HeXie Management Theory I first proposed nearly four decades ago, which I have applied consistently in both life and work. Today, I offer it to you as a parting gift from XJTLU—reframed for this moment of transition. May it help you face the world with clarity, optimism, and confidence. Let it nurture your HeXie mindset. Let it brew your syntegrative wisdom. And may that wisdom guide you in meeting challenges and embracing complexity.

Dear graduates, in the grand symphony of the future, you are no longer just a listener. You are the composer, the conductor—the bridge between vision and reality. May you take value as your theme, uniqueness as your guide, wisdom as your pen, reflection as your string, and inclusion as your harmony, to compose your own magnificent life symphony.

Once again, congratulations to the XJTLU Master’s and Doctoral Graduates of 2025—Happy Graduation!