On the evening of September 13, Shaoxing University held the opening ceremony for the Class of 2026, welcoming its first cohort of new students following the university‑renaming. The intake consisted of 4,518 undergraduates, 965 postgraduates and 292 international students from 54 countries. Cui Fengjun, Secretary of the University Party Committee, presented school badges to student representatives and gifted them the calligraphy collection "Writing One's Own Life". Zhao Yang, President of the university, urged freshmen to foster a deep commitment to the nation, pursue truth‑seeking capabilities, cultivate a sense of responsibility, integrate knowledge with practice, and align personal growth with the progress of the times. Speeches were delivered by representatives of faculty, students and parents. Following the ceremony, a welcome gala featured skits, folk music performances and recitations to greet the new intake.