Abstract: Alumni donated equipment with an original value of 6million RMB to newly established Lab8920 laboratory. Nankai News Network (Reporter Yang Lu Photography Yonghua Ren) “Reluctant to leave Nankai. On July 2, 1993, we left Nankai with great ambition and confidence. 21 years later, today we return to Nankai and bring our Lab8920 Laboratory to Nankai, hoping that it can take root and sprout in our Alma Mater."
Alumni donated equipment with the original value of 6million RMB to newly established Lab8920 laboratory
Nankai News Network (Reporter Yang Lu Photography Yonghua Ren) “Reluctant to leave Nankai. On July 2, 1993, we left Nankai with great ambition and confidence. 21 years later, today we return to Nankai and bring our Lab8920 Laboratory to Nankai, hoping that it can take root and sprout at our Alma Mater." On the morning of July 2, Limin Zhang, a professor at the College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, received a text message from Jianyu Cen, a former student.
In the afternoon of that day, the school held the opening ceremony of Lab8920 laboratory and equipment donation ceremony. In the eyes of outsiders, the name of this laboratory composed of English and numbers is puzzling, while in the eyes of donors, it is full of strong feelings of Alma Mater and classmates. "89" means that the laboratory is collectively donated by the 1989 alumni of the Department of Computer Sciences of Nankai University, and "20" means that the initiative was originally proposed to commemorate the 20th anniversary of their graduation.
The establishment of Lab8920 laboratory aims to promote the scientific research of modern communications and the training of professionals in modern communications at Nankai. In the future, the laboratory will organize the students to carry out optical communication system design experiments, and will open an open class of instrument and equipment training to all the teachers and students and social personages who are interested in information experiments.
Jianyu Cen, the main sponsor of the donation and a 1989 alumnus of Nankai University, said that in June last year, the students returned to their Alma Mater to attend the 20th anniversary party of graduation, thinking that they should do something together for their Alma Mater. Considering that we should benefit to as many teachers and students as possible, we decided to donate to set up a laboratory.
Jianyu Cen clearly remembers that from the initial proposal to the delivery of equipment to his Alma Mater, they mobilized all the students they could contact. Finally, 48 students participated in the donation and 6 American companies participated in this activity. It took a total of 333 days to complete the whole donation plan. This time, they donated 29 advanced precision optical communication experimental instruments with an original value of 6million RMB, which can be put into use this autumn.
This practice of alumni donating to build laboratories was affirmed by Rector Ke Gong. At the donation ceremony, Ke Gong thanked them for their support to their Alma Mater, and pointed out that "it is meaningful for the alumni to spend the donated funds in cultivating students' practical ability, supporting course teaching as well as students' extracurricular innovation and research." It is hoped that the alumni will continue serving as a bridge between Nankai and the society, promoting Nankai’s reform, supporting Nankai’s development, and propagating Nankai’s reputation.
Limin Zhang also believed that the completion of the laboratory equipped our university with advanced instruments in line with the current communication industry, which is rare in similar disciplines at colleges and universities across the country. It will promote the school's teaching, scientific research and discipline construction, and promote the university's "Public and Capability" quality education and talent training. The alumni proposed to keep close contact with the communication discipline of their Alma Mater in the future and assist in the operation of the laboratory. The mutual development mode between universities and enterprises, and between alumni and their Alma Mater is a useful attempt.
In recognition of this attempt, Ke Gong, on behalf of the University, presented the Outstanding Contribution Award of Nankai University Alumni to Jianyu Cen and Haifeng Liu.
Feeling "lucky and honored", Jianyu Cen also thanked his Alma Mater for providing an opportunity to express their gratitude on behalf of the alumni. He said that when they were college students, they benefited from a batch of “386 computers” donated by a professor, which were the most advanced equipment at domestic colleges and universities at that time. By making good use of the equipment, they increased their competitiveness in employment, and everyone gained the "stepping stone" to find a better job. Now they set up “8920 Laboratory”, hoping to "let this seed take root and sprout at Nankai Campus and bear more fruits."
Jianyu Cen said that at the beginning, he talked with his classmates about donating to his Alma Mater. Some students were puzzled and thought that this was "something done by successful people, and his Alma Mater was a public university without lack of funds". However, during the donation process, everyone's attitude gradually changed. They realized the value of this work, and began to think that "I'm proud to join this donation". He said that there must be many alumni who want to do similar things, and our work is expected to serve as an exemplar.
Heads of the academic affairs office, the office of the development committee, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, and representatives of teachers and students attended the inauguration ceremony. After the ceremony, alumni representatives inspected the construction of the laboratory and had a discussion with teachers and students. (Editor: Hongjie Lai)
