Tianjin University to mark 125th anniversary

Tianjin University is to celebrate its 125 birthday on Oct 2, according to a press conference held on Sunday. Founded in 1895, it is considered the first modern university in China.

A number of smaller-scale events will be held on celebration day. There will be an exhibition reflecting the many achievements and world-changing ideas born within the university's walls and based on the country's and people's needs; two high-end forums on university culture and course development respectively; and the final of an alumni-led innovation and entrepreneurship competition.

A bespoke architectural lightshow and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) show are also to be expected to top off the day's events.

The university will also present a 12.5 hour live video stream showing off its campus and covering all the activities.

The university shoulders its social responsibility by offering to help to eradicate poverty through education.

It has shared its resources and achievements with universities in less developed areas including Lanzhou Jiaotong University and Qinghai Nationalities University.

The university's alumni have contributed greatly to the development of the country. They include Lin Zhiyuan, the engineer responsible for the national flag hoisting equipment used during the founding ceremony of New China; Yu Yuanjun, who devoted his whole life to the treatment and preservation of Dongting Lake; and Yuan Guolin, one of the founders of the Three Gorges Project in China.