2025年8月30日，香港中文大学（深圳）举行2025年度入学典礼，来自世界各地的4600余名本科生、研究生，齐聚神仙湖畔，踏上崭新学术旅程。
香港中文大学（深圳）理事会理事长、香港中文大学校长卢煜明教授首次以理事长身份在入学典礼上致辞，他以柏拉图“好的开始是成功的一半”为引，回顾自己投身“无创产检”研究的历程，以此勉励学子在求知之旅扬帆启航之际，确立长远目标并制定切实可行的计划。卢教授还引用诺贝尔奖得主保罗·纳斯教授的观点，强调成功并非源于完美，而在于顺应环境变化的韧性与适应力。他鼓励新生培养跨学科思维，融汇多元知识，打破思维定式，以创新方案解决复杂问题的能力。
徐扬生校长、各位同事、亲爱的同学们：大家上午好！
非常荣幸能在新学年伊始，与各位在此相聚。首先，请允许我向在座的1800名本科生和2800名研究生致以最热烈的欢迎！欢迎你们加入香港中文大学（深圳），在这里开启一段探索新知、收获体验、缔结情谊的人生蜕变之旅。
事实上，这是我首次以香港中文大学（深圳）理事会理事长的身份在入学典礼上致辞。自今年一月履新以来，我见证了许多新的开始，当然，也遇到了新的挑战、并探索着新的解决方案。
今天，我很欣喜地看到，来自中国内地（大陆）、港澳台地区乃至世界各地的优秀学子齐聚于此，共同开启在港中大（深圳）的精彩征程。作为中外合作办学的标杆院校，我校多年蝉联国内中外合作大学排名榜首，并稳居广东省高考录取分数线首位。
无论你们是因渴望在高度国际化的学府接受高等教育，还是因认同并信赖我校“培养未来领袖”的办学使命而来到这里，我都可以向你保证：这里兼容并包的双语教学和多元文化环境，将帮助你们洞悉全球格局，培养尊重多元文化的胸怀与勇于担当的社会责任感，为你们在21世纪的职场上脱颖而出奠定坚实的基础。
我相信，是你们的勤勉与坚毅，引领你们跨越重重挑战，最终抵达这里。在我们共同庆祝各位人生重要里程碑的时刻，我想结合自己的一些科研经历，与大家分享“善始”的重要性——一个良好的开端，对于我们成就任何事业都至关重要。
在我投身科研与高等教育事业的三十五年间，古希腊哲学家柏拉图“好的开始是成功的一半”这句箴言，始终能在我心中激起深刻共鸣。我毕生的科研追求，是开发安全、准确的无创产前检测技术。起初，我曾走入误区，错误地从孕妇血液中不合适的成分来研究这类检测，结果走进了一条死胡同。然而，1997年，当我在香港中文大学重新开始，转而研究母体血液的另一种成分——也就是血浆时，我后续的研究之路才变得顺畅许多。
所以说，在旅程之初进行周详的规划，往往能在未来为你节省下数倍的时间。好消息是，这条路你们无需独自求索。你会发现，在港中大（深圳），师长和同学们都非常乐意与你分享他们的思考与宝贵经验。
我们正处在一个技术与产业以空前速度发展的时代，唯有持续精进自我、勇于拥抱新机遇，方能保持与时俱进和竞争力，从而行稳致远。
回想二三十年前，职业晋升似乎是一件水到渠成的事，时间往往是决定一个人能否在既定职业道路上发展的最重要因素。那时，即使是对职业发展采取相对被动态度的人，他们迟早也能顺着事业阶梯逐步攀升。但今时不同往日，世界已经变了。你必须对自己所投身的事业怀有真正的热忱。以我为例，作为一名临床科学家，我热爱我的工作，并且我真心期待着每一天能在实验室里度过，为科学突破做出贡献。
在科研探索途中，我有幸得到许多杰出导师与科学家的启发，其中一位便是杰出的英国遗传学家保罗·纳斯爵士。2001年，他与利兰·哈特韦尔教授、蒂姆·亨特爵士共同获得了诺贝尔生理学或医学奖。他们合著了一本书，名为《生命是什么：生物学的五个伟大理念》。纳斯教授在书中写道：“历经自然选择而存续的生命形式，靠的是行之有效的运作机制，而非绝对高效或直接的实现路径。”
这句话深刻地揭示了生存之道未必在于完美无缺；成功往往源于顺应环境变化的韧性与适应力。当我们身处逆境时，唯有坚守本心，并与身边的人和谐共处，方能携手克服人生旅途中的种种风雨险阻。
正如生命进化需经历比我们想象中更漫长的岁月，今日播下的勤奋种子，或许不会即刻结出胜利的硕果。它需要时间的沉淀、不懈的坚持，以及同行者宝贵的支持，方能铺就通往理想的道路。
所以，请始终坚信：今日之梦想，必将成就明日之你。
在港中大（深圳），我们鼓励学生培养跨学科思维——即融汇多元知识，打破思维定式，以创新方案解决复杂问题的能力。希望诸位能秉承“博文约礼”校训精神，善用大学提供的丰富机会，做到学问与德行并重，修身与治学同行。
前路或许充满未知，但你们要以勇气和远见去拥抱未来。无论选择何种人生道路，我都希望诸位能延续校友荣光，以服务精神、专业能力与高尚品格，书写属于自己的时代印记。
最后，请允许我再次欢迎诸位加入港中大（深圳）这个温暖的大家庭！大学将全力支持与鼓励各位去释放潜能，茁壮成长，成为最好的自己。衷心祝愿各位的大学旅程收获满满，愿你们在这里启迪智慧、缔结情谊、铸就成功。愿大家不负韶华，在港中大（深圳）的每一天都过得无比精彩！
谢谢。
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Professor Xu, dear colleagues and students, good morning.
It's giving me great pleasure to address you at the beginning of the new academic year. First of all, I'd like to extend a very warm welcome to the 1,800 undergraduate students and the 2,800 postgraduate students who are embarking on a life-changing journey of new knowledge, new experiences, and new connections at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen.
In fact, this is also the first time that I speak at the inauguration ceremony of CUHK-Shenzhen in my capacity as the Chairman of the University Governing Board. Since I assumed the position in January this year, I've been witnessing many fresh beginnings and also, of course, encountering new challenges and working out new solutions.
Today, I'm delighted to see so many outstanding students coming from different parts of China's Mainland, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, as well as an impressive number of international students starting exciting journeys here at CUHK-Shenzhen, a university which has been consistently recognized globally as the best Sino-foreign collaboration university across China, and one that commands the highest Gaokao cutoff for undergraduate admissions in the Guangdong Province for a number of years.
Whether you're joining CUHK-Shenzhen because of your determination of receiving tertiary education at a highly internationalized institution, or because of your recognition and trust of the University's commitment to nurturing leaders of tomorrow, I can guarantee that the bilingual and multicultural learning environment here will enable you to gain a good understanding of the global landscape, while developing deep respect for various cultures and a great sense of social responsibility, and ensuring that you fulfill the prerequisite for the 21st-century workplace.
I believe that your diligence and perseverance have helped you navigate your way through various obstacles. And today, as we celebrate here as a major milestone in your lives, I'd like to draw on my scientific research experience to share with you how much a good start matters if we wish to achieve success in whatever we do.
Now, having served in the scientific and higher education communities for 35 years, I must admit how deeply the quote of an ancient Greek philosopher Plato, which says, "The beginning is the most important part of the work," resonates with my own experience. My lifelong scientific quest is the development of non-invasive, safe and accurate prenatal tests. I initially made the mistake of actually looking at a wrong part of the blood of a pregnant mother for the development of such tests, which has led to a blind alley. However, when I made a fresh beginning at CUHK back in 1997, by looking at another component of maternal blood, namely the blood plasma, my subsequent research journey has gone much smoother.
Hence, time spent planning at the beginning of a journey can often save many multiples of that time down the road. But better still, you don't have to do the planning alone. You'll find that your teachers and fellow students here at CUHK-Shenzhen will be more than happy to share with you their thinking and experiences.
Now, in a world where technology and industries are advancing at an unprecedented speed, being dedicated to upskilling and daring to embrace new opportunities can help you stay relevant and competitive and making you to go an extra mile.
Some 20 or 30 years ago, upward career mobility happened in a way quite naturally, often with time being the most important determinant that governs one's ability or readiness to progress within a chosen career path. Even for certain people at that time who took a rather passive approach towards a professional trajectory, they would, perhaps, sooner or later, climb the career ladder. But our world is different now. And you have to nurture a genuine passion for the profession that you're dedicated to. Now, for example, for myself, as a clinician scientist, I love doing what I do and I actually look forward every day to actually spending time in the laboratory and contributing to the breakthrough in science.
Through my journey of scientific discoveries, I've had the privilege to be inspired by many great teachers and prominent scientists. And one of whom is the distinguished British geneticist, Professor Sir Paul Nurse, who was awarded the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. And Sir Paul, together with two outstanding scientists, namely Professor Leland Hartwell and Sir Tim Hunt, wrote a book called 'What is Life: Five Great Ideas in Biology'. Professor Nurse said, "The life forms that survive natural selection persist because they work, not necessarily because they do things in the most efficient or straightforward manner."
This speaks so much about how survival is not always about doing something to perfection. Success often comes through resilience and adaptability to a changing environment. We succeed by staying strong in the face of adversities and striving to live and work in harmony with people around us as we make our journey through changes and obstacles in life.
Like the evolution of life, which usually takes longer than we can imagine, the seed of diligence you sow may not readily bear the fruit of triumph today. It takes time, perseverance, as well as invaluable support from those around you to sculpt the pathway to your aspirations.
So hold on to the belief that the dreams you nurture today will define you tomorrow.
At CUHK-Shenzhen, we encourage students to develop an interdisciplinary mindset: the ability to integrate knowledge and skills from different subjects and to think outside of the box to create innovative solutions to complex problems. I sincerely invite you to make good use of the diverse educational opportunities offered by the University to enrich yourself both intellectually and morally, just as the University motto says, "Through learning and temperance to virtue," and putting equal emphasis on learning and character building.
Despite the uncertainty of tomorrow, embrace your future with courage and vision and determination. No matter what path you take, I hope you will follow in the footsteps of many graduates of CUHK-Shenzhen who have distinguished themselves through service, professional expertise, and personal qualities and left an indelible mark on society.
So once again, welcome to this wonderful family where you are well supported and encouraged to unlock your potential, to grow, and to bring out the best in you. I wish you a rewarding journey ahead filled with inspiring experiences, lifelong friendships, and shining success. May you make the most of every moment you spend at CUHK-Shenzhen.
Thank you.
传讯及公共关系处（CPRO）出品
翻译审校：李佳阳
排版：郑骁 2022级 金融工程专业 道扬书院
