On Aug 29, Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) welcomed 4,318 new undergraduate students of the Class of 2026 simultaneously across its three campuses in Beijing, Zhuhai and Jiaxing, as young students from across the country arrived to begin a new chapter of their academic journeys.

At the orientation site, BIT President Jiang Lan greeted the new students and their families, extending a warm welcome to all.

Jiang expressed appreciation for the faculty and student volunteers working on the orientation service sites. Noting that 18 is the prime age for striving, he encouraged the new undergraduates to embrace the opportunities and challenges brought by the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, and to think deeply and explore boldly.

On the Beijing campus, landmarks such as the Yan'an Spirit Stone and the orientation theme wall became popular photo spots for new students and their parents, while volunteers and staff members guided arrivals through every step of the check-in process.

The Zhuhai campus, focusing on a "one-stop, forward-looking and immersive" orientation, set up a career experience zone to help the freshmen clarify their development direction from the very start of their university life, alongside club interaction areas showcasing student organizations in science, technology, culture and sports.

At the Jiaxing campus, the BIT PoliTO Joint College, jointly established with Politecnico di Torino of Italy, welcomed its first 120 new students. With smart classrooms, laboratories and fully equipped residential and dining facilities in place, the college has also built shared kitchens in the student dormitories where students can cook together and organize class activities.

This year's orientation was marked by smart and caring service: an upgraded intelligent enrollment system enabled face-recognition check-in and instant campus card issuance, while the upgraded AI digital assistant "Beixiaoli", available around the clock, answered students' questions both online and on interactive screens across the campus.

The university will further guide new students through their transition to university life, supporting them to discover their passions as they begin their own BIT stories.