Date: March 29, 2025
Venue: Wenzhi Hall Xuhui Campus, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Organizer: USC-SJTU Institute of Cultural and Creative Industry (ICCI)
On March 29, 2025, the USC-SJTU Institute of Cultural and Creative Industry (ICCI) hosted its 10th Anniversary & 2025 Commencement Ceremony at Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s Xuhui Campus. The event brought together over 600 participants, including academic leaders, government officials from cultural sectors, industry partners, alumni, and students, marking a decade of innovation, internationalization, and interdisciplinary education.
The ceremony was graced by key figures including:
● Yayuan WANG, former Deputy Director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee, and President of Shanghai Cultural and Creative Industry Promotion Association
● Ying QIANG, Deputy Director of Shanghai Cultural and Creative Industry Promotion Office
● Yi ZHANG, Second level Inspector and Director of Information Technology Department of Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism
● Yanqun WANG, Standing Committee Member of Jiuquan Municipal Committee and Secretary of Dunhuang Municipal Committee
● Mingchen WEI, Vice Mayor of Dunhuang and Director of the Gansu (Dunhuang) International Airport Administration
● Weiguo CHEN and Fei YANG, Representatives from the Palace Museum Creative Development Department
● Qinghua CHEN, Deputy General Manager of Zizhu International Education Park
● Zhenbin YANG, Secretary of the Party Committee of SJTU
● Dexiu MA, former Party Secretary of SJTU
● Weiwei HU, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Vice President of SJTU
● Xin ZHAO, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of SJTU
● Wenjun ZHANG, former Vice President of SJTU and Founding Dean of ICCI
● Hao HU, Member of the Standing Committee and Director of Publicity Department of SJTU
The centerpiece of the ceremony was a theatrical stage production chronicling ICCI’s decade-long development, enhanced by AI visuals. The performance wove together pivotal moments in the institute’s evolution, including:
● Degree conferral ceremonies
● Industry mentor appointments
● The official launch of the ICCI Alumni Association
This creative presentation exemplified ICCI’s core philosophy: creativity-powered, practice-based education, bridging academic vision with real-world impact.
Zhenbin YANG, Party Secretary of SJTU, praised the event for capturing ICCI’s creative spirit. He emphasized that innovation, responsibility, and excellence define ICCI’s identity, urging the institute to seize the momentum of the global digital transformation in the cultural and creative industries. He called on ICCI to nurture interdisciplinary talents with vision and creativity, and to contribute meaningfully to promoting Chinese narratives globally.
Kuiling DING, President of SJTU and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, offered his congratulations virtually. He commended ICCI for advancing a distinct educational model rooted in internationalization, interdisciplinarity, and industry orientation, and encouraged the institute to continue its pursuit of excellence on the global stage.
Chapter One: Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future
The ceremony began with the grand entrance of the Class of 2025, followed by the national anthem and a wave of celebration.
A highlight of the opening was an AI-rendered digital recreation of ICCI's inaugural class, bringing to life the founding vision and reaffirming the institute’s enduring educational mission.
A dynamic street dance performance, This is Me, energized the stage, reflecting the creativity and confidence of ICCI students.
Through the engaging portrayal of student characters “Xiao Wen” and “Xiao Chuang,” the performance vividly showcased ICCI’s interdisciplinary learning, global perspective, and industry-integrated education model—core elements that define the ICCI experience.
Chapter Two: Advancing Research, Connecting the World
The second chapter spotlighted ICCI’s achievements in talent development, global collaboration, research innovation, and the construction of interdisciplinary lab clusters—underscoring its commitment to building a future-ready creative ecosystem.
A vibrant joint performance by students and faculty, featuring guitar and Latin dance pieces such as Low, Samba pa ti, and EI Matatan, showcased the diverse talents and creative spirit of the ICCI community.
Vice Dean Ke XUE announced the latest round of funding recipients from the International Society for Cultural and Creative Industry Studies. Dean Weimin ZHANG, Party Secretary Ting HAN, Director Ding CHEN of the China (Shanghai) Online Audio-Visual Industry Base, and Professor Terry Flew of the University of Sydney—former President of the International Communication Association—presented certificates to the selected project leaders.
This year, the Society focused on the role of AI in building resilient creative ecosystems. From a competitive global pool, seven outstanding projects were selected. Since its founding in 2020, the Society has supported 23 international research initiatives, generated over 60 academic outputs, and helped shape a distinct Chinese discourse in cultural and creative industry scholarship.
Chapter Three：Driving Innovation Through Global Research and Collaboration
Dean Weimin ZHANG presented the ICCI Outstanding Industry Mentor Award to Bo JIA, Chairman of DeBund Group, in recognition of his continued support for ICCI’s industry-driven education model.
Through its partnership with DeBund Creative Park, ICCI launched the Innovation Fund Course—a pioneering initiative that merges academic credit with startup funding. The course empowers students to apply their creativity and entrepreneurial thinking in real-world settings.
In 2025, ICCI further expanded its mentor network by appointing prominent industry leaders:
● Feng LI, Executive Vice President, Shanghai Museum Association
● Zhibing QIAO, Founder, Tank Shanghai
● Hong XIAO, Chairman, Perfect World Holding Group
Appointment letters were presented by Xin ZHAO, Deputy Party Secretary of SJTU.
The ceremony also featured a highlight performance of the Peking opera classic Ode to the Pear Blossom (Líhuā Sòng) co-presented by renowned Jinghu master Ping CHEN and acclaimed director and ICCI Distinguished Professor Xuehua HU—a vibrant fusion of tradition and innovation that captured the spirit of cultural crossover.
Chapter Four: A Decade of Impact, A Future in Motion
AIGC Video《You, Ten Years from Now》
A short film titled You, Ten Years from Now, produced by first-year students using AIGC, paid tribute to the graduating class—demonstrating ICCI’s emphasis on integrating creativity and emerging technologies into real-world practice.
Graduation certificates and degrees were awarded by leadership from SJTU’s Graduate School and Humanities Division, alongside ICCI faculty including Weimin ZHANG, Ting HAN, Ke XUE, Xuehua HU, Geoffrey Alan RHODES, and others.
A student band, known for its standout performance at last year’s commencement, returned to the stage with live renditions of “The First Day” and “Yellow.”
The ICCI Alumni Association was officially launched. Feng ZHAO, Deputy Party Secretary of ICCI, announced the first alumni council members. Appointment letters were presented by Weiwei HU, with the association flag conferred to its first president, Weimin ZHANG. To date, over 400 ICCI alumni are now making global impacts across industries.
In a symbolic fusion of creativity and technology, a digital recreation of SJTU’s founding president Shengxuan HUAI appeared on screen for a “dialogue across time” with ICCI students and faculty—highlighting ICCI’s interdisciplinary approach across science, art, and management.
The ceremony also marked the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement between ICCI and the Dunhuang Municipal Government, represented by Weimin ZHANG and Mingchen WEI. The collaboration will focus on talent development, product innovation, brand building, incubation platforms, and global outreach.
In addition, ICCI announced a new partnership with the Palace Museum Creative Department, with joint initiatives in education, research, product development, and a special Shanghai exhibition, Guozi Heritage.
The ceremony closed with a musical finale featuring a student-led stage production, group performances by Chinese and international students, and a vocal medley by ICCI’s top singers—bringing the evening to a vibrant and emotional close.
On the morning of March 29, Shanghai Jiao Tong University held its 2025 Graduate Commencement Ceremony at the Fok Ying Tung Sports Center on Minhang Campus.
President and CAS Academician Kuiling DING delivered an inspiring address titled “Life Without Limits: Break Through and Go Forward.” He encouraged graduates to embrace curiosity, challenge boundaries, and pursue interdisciplinary thinking. He called on students to aim high while remaining grounded, to find direction in a changing world, and to contribute to building a better future.
At noon, ICCI hosted a graduation ceremony for Party member graduates at the Red Sun Square, Xuhui Campus. Party Secretary Ting HAN encouraged students to carry forward ICCI’s spirit of responsibility and innovation, and to become agents of positive change. Dean Weimin ZHANG reminded graduates to uphold ICCI’s core values of Sincerity, Professionalism, and Innovation, and to stay committed to serving both the nation and the global creative economy.
Graduates and faculty gathered afterward for a commemorative group photo.
In parallel, ICCI hosted the 7th International Conference on Cultural and Creative Industry Cooperation and Development, themed “New Productive Forces, New Economic Drivers, and a New Creative Ecosystem.”
The forum brought together scholars and industry leaders from over 20 leading global institutions. Topics included AI-driven cultural innovation, digital transformation in education, and the digitization of intangible cultural heritage. Nine thematic sub-forums and a metaverse experience zone explored ethics, human-AI interaction, and innovation across research and industry.
The forum aimed to build a global, interdisciplinary platform for education, research, and industry integration, fostering creative talent equipped with both technological acumen and cultural vision.
To conclude the day, ICCI hosted its 10th Anniversary Exhibition and Creative Market, showcasing achievements in talent development, academic programs, research, industry partnerships, and community engagement—offering a full picture of ICCI’s progress over the past decade.
