On September 7, Wuhan University of Technology proudly welcomed 2024 undergraduate freshmen.

Warm welcomes and dream forward

As the first light of dawn touched the campus, every corner buzzed with excitement, ready to greet the incoming students. In various student communities such as the Zhihui Student Community, the Zhuoyue Student Community, and the Xuehai Student Community at Nanhu Campus, as well as the Haihong Student Community at Yujiatou Campus, welcome tents were neatly set up. The parents’ reception area, comprehensive service stations, and promotional points for each department were fully prepared. Various departments worked together to ensure a smooth and welcoming experience for new students, setting up special services such as green channels for enrollment, parent information sessions, medical service stations, and campus culture exhibits.

Early in the morning, freshmen and their parents entered the campus via facial recognition and admission letters, led by enthusiastic volunteers from their respective departments to their dormitories and the welcome sites.

At 7 a.m., university leaders and heads of relevant departments visited the welcome sites, student dormitories, and the Intelligent Operation Center (IOC) in Nanhu Library to inspect and guide the orientation work. They warmly greeted new students, parents, and volunteers, sending encouragement and expectations for the students’ upcoming campus life.

Technical welcomes from the modern campus

“This year, we have 9,257 freshmen. Currently, 98.3% of them have completed their online registration, and 7,684 have arrived on campus. Every new student has taken the required courses, while 87% of them have taken electives,” explained on-duty staff member Zhu Fan at the IOC. It was a 11:15 a.m. then.

This year, the university introduced drone technology across the Nanhu and Yujiatou campuses, enabling real-time monitoring of the orientation process, with swift and accurate management of on-the-ground operations.

In the 2024 Welcome Operations Cockpit at the IOC, electronic displays showed real-time updates on student check-ins, traffic flow, dining hall usage, shuttle services, and even online repair requests. Staff could optimize resources dynamically through real-time updates, ensuring smooth operations and effective coordination for welcoming new students.

The university also integrated a campus map system, developed by students, into a “Welcome Guide” app, offering precise indoor navigation for students. At the northern part of Nanhu Campus, an luggage transport system designing by students provided a hands-free moving service for the new arrivals, with smart carts continuously shuttling luggage from buses to dormitories,

Creative welcomes from different departments

Many departments showcased their creativity and technological prowess: ship models from the School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Energy Power Engineering, a fuel-efficient racing car from the School of Automotive Engineering, a smart greenhouse from the School of Information Engineering, a student technology exhibition from the School of Navigation, AR art postcards from the School of Art and Design, and an AI legal interaction project from the School of Law, Humanities and Sociology. The sense of innovation was palpable across campus.

Thoughtful welcomes from student volunteers

Among the welcome crowd, student volunteers in bright green shirts stood out. Whether at the train station, the school gates, dormitories, dining halls, or classrooms, over 4,400 volunteers were on hand both on and off campus, offering guidance and support. They brought a heartwarming presence, embodying the spirit of “dedication, friendship, mutual help, and progress.”

Volunteer Li Zhaoxin shared, “I’m so happy to be a part of the orientation as a volunteer. To me, being a welcome volunteer means passing on warmth and kindness. I want to keep that spirit alive, ensuring the new students feel the warmth of our university through our enthusiastic service!”

To the 2024 graduate freshmen, may your journey here be one of continuous progress and new beginnings. Set sail with ambition and work together to write your own shining chapter!

Written by: Zhu Kexin, Xie Xintian, Feng Yunci, Li Zhaoxin

Rewritten by: Lu Yu

Reviewed by: Guan Shuaifeng

Edited by: Wang Jingjing, Li Tiantian

Source: Publicity Department of the CPC WUT Committee