Distinguished Guests, Esteemed Educators, and Dear Graduates of the Class of 2024,
尊敬的各位嘉宾、教育同仁、亲爱的2024届毕业生们：
Today, as the morning light pierces through the clouds above the Petronas Twin Towers, and the glimmer of the Klang River reflects upon the faces of those in pursuit of knowledge, we gather to witness not just the legacy and rebirth of a university, but a cross-Pacific dialogue in education.
As the very first bloom of hibiscus from Star Teenagers International Group’s educational endeavor in Southeast Asia, the inaugural graduates of Kuala Lumpur University of Science and Technology (KLUST), you carry within you the genetic code of “Resilience, Action with Knowledge, Shared Prosperity, and Transcendence.” With this, you will embark on a global journey shaped by and for Generation Z.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of KLUST, I extend my warmest congratulations to you all, and in this unforgettable moment, I would like to share with you some guiding principles for the journey ahead.
今天，当双峰塔的晨曦穿透云层，当巴生河的波光映照求知者的脸庞，我们共同见证的不仅是一所大学的传承与新生，也不仅是你们作为一所新生大学的首届毕业典礼，更是一场跨越汪洋大海的教育对话。作为星青年国际集团教育版图在东南亚绽放的第一朵木槿花，吉隆坡科技大学的首届毕业生们，你们将带着”自强·知行·共荣·超越”的基因密码，开启属于Z世代的全球征程。我代表吉隆坡科技大学董事会向你们致以最热烈的祝贺，同时在这个令人难忘的时刻，与各位共享几句走向未来的人生箴言。
1: Unyielding Self-Reliance: Reshaping the Resilience of Life in the Age of Algorithms
一、自强不息：在算法时代重构生命韧性
As GPT-5 redefines the landscape of knowledge production and quantum computing approaches its next breakthrough, I noticed one word that appears most frequently in our graduates’ theses: “uncertainty”. This brings to mind the ancient wisdom of Malaysian batik craftsmanship—artisans never sketch in advance on the fabric. Instead, the wax knife and silk dance together in dynamic balance.This is the essence of modern resilience: not resisting change, but cultivating the meta-capacity to navigate uncertainty with grace and strength.
当GPT-5正在重塑知识生产，当量子计算突破在即，我注意到毕业生论文中出现频率最高的词汇是”uncertainty（不确定性）”。这让我想起马来西亚峇迪蜡染的古老智慧——工匠们从不在布料上预先打稿，而是让蜡刀与丝绸在动态平衡中共舞。这恰是当代自强的真谛：不是与变化对抗，而是培养驾驭不确定性的元能力。
At the smart agriculture of Anhui Lvhai Vocational School of Business in China, we teach students to use blockchain technology to trace the origin of agricultural products. In KLUST’s Intelligent Construction Laboratory, you simulated the resilience of buildings under tropical storms using BIM technology. These experiences have gifted you with a survival philosophy far more precious than that of previous generations—like the flora of the Southeast Asian rainforest, you’ve learned to reconstruct your roots amid storms and to maintain cognitive clarity amidst the flood of data. Remember this: true strength lies in those who can stay grounded in reality within the metaverse, and who preserve the warmth of humanity in the age of AI.
在中国安徽绿海商务学院的智慧农场里，我们教学生用区块链溯源农产品；在吉隆坡的智能建造实验室，你们用BIM技术模拟热带风暴下的建筑韧性。这些经历赋予你们的，是比父辈更珍贵的生存哲学——像东南亚雨林植物般，在风暴中学会重构根系，在数据洪流中保持认知定力。记住：真正的强者，是那些能在元宇宙中保持现实感、在AI时代守护人性温度的人。
2: Unity of Knowledge and Action: Cultivating a Problem-Solving Mindset
二、知行合一：打造解决问题的行动基因
In your graduation theses, I read practical reports on using drones to monitor mangrove ecosystems and saw proposals applying BIM technology to the revitalization of Penang’s historic districts. These works reminded me of the Ming Dynasty philosopher Wang Yangming’s epiphany at Longchang Post Station—“To know but not to act is not truly to know”. In the educational philosophy of Star Teenagers International, the laboratory is a battlefield, and the community is a classroom.
诸位毕业论文中，我读到用无人机监测红树林生态的实践报告，看到将BIM技术用于槟城老城改造的解决方案。这让我想起中国明代思想家王阳明在龙场驿站中的顿悟——”知而不行，只是未知”。在星青年的教育哲学中，实验室就是战场，社区就是课堂。
At the “Yangtze River Delta Digital Innovation Hub” we established in Hefei, students spent six months tackling real-world challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises. Meanwhile, your participation in the “Smart Urban-Rural Initiative” on the Malay Peninsula tested theoretical models against the rigors of monsoon storms. This embodies the true core competence of future talents: transforming the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals into executable code, and turning differential equations from the classroom into practical solutions for reducing carbon emissions. As you step beyond the university gates, remember—be a “problem solver,” not a “solution dreamer.”
我们在合肥建立的”长三角数字创新工场”，让学生用半年时间解决中小企业实际难题；你们在马来半岛参与的”智慧城乡计划”，让理论模型经受住了季风暴雨的考验。这正是未来人才的核心竞争力：把联合国SDGs目标转化为可执行的代码，将课堂上的微分方程变成降解碳排放的实际方案。当你们走出校门，请继续做”问题终结者”而非”方案空想家”。
3: Collaborative Sharing: Building a Cross-Civilizational Dialogue System
三、合作共享：建立跨文明的对话系统
In your graduation projects, I was delighted to witness the fusion of diverse civilizations: the ventilation wisdom of traditional Malay kampung houses meeting the structural aesthetics of Chinese chuandou-style architecture, and the intricate patterns of Indian mandalas gaining new life through parametric design. This echoes anthropologist Xiang Biao’s concept of “proximity”—that true internationalization is not about abstract ideals, but about enabling deep, practical cooperation between civilizations on real-world problems.
在各位的毕业设计中，我欣喜地看到多元文明的交融：马来传统甘榜屋的通风智慧遇上中国穿斗式建筑的力学美学，印度曼陀罗图案通过参数化设计焕发新生。这印证了人类学家项飙所说的”附近性”——真正的国际化，是让不同文明在具体问题上深度握手。
We are currently building the “Maritime Silk Road Education Alliance” as well as the China-ASEAN International Cooperation Community for Digital Economy and Industry-Education Integration. Through these initiatives, Anhui students will design low-cost water purification systems for Sabah, while their Malaysian peers will contribute to green infrastructure projects in Xiong’an New City. This cross-border collaboration is actively breaking down the “clash of civilizations” predicted by Huntington.
Remember: when collaborating with Silicon Valley engineers, be as adaptive as the tides of the Strait of Malacca dancing in step with the monsoons; and when embarking on entrepreneurial ventures under the RCEP framework, strive to become the “human API” for cultural translation.
我们正在构建的”海上丝路教育联盟”及中国东盟数字经济产教融合国际合作共同体，让中国学生为沙巴州设计低成本净水系统，让马来同学参与雄安新城的绿色基建。这种超越国界的协作，正在打破亨廷顿预言的”文明冲突论”。记住：当你们与硅谷工程师协作时，要像马六甲海峡的潮水懂得与季风共舞；当你们在RCEP框架下创业时，要成为文化转译的”人肉API”。
4: Cultivating Inner Virtue and Outer Leadership: The Character Development of Digital Natives
四、内圣外王：数字原住民的品格修炼
In this era overwhelmed by deepfake technology, I am reminded of the Malay proverb, “Bersatu kita teguh, bercerai kita roboh” — “United we stand, divided we fall.” The concept of “inner virtue” no longer belongs solely to the scholar-officials’ personal cultivation but has evolved into the algorithmic ethics of digital citizens. When you develop facial recognition systems, can you preserve privacy spaces for street vendors? When designing recommendation algorithms, will you take the initiative to filter out hate speech?
在这个科学技术迅猛发展的时代，我想起马来谚语”Bersatu kita teguh, bercerai kita roboh”（合则立，分则垮）。”内圣”不再是士大夫的独善其身，而是数字公民的算法伦理：当你们开发人脸识别系统时，能否为街头小贩保留隐私空间？设计推荐算法时，会不会主动过滤不良言论？
“Outer leadership” is no longer the authoritarian power of feudal lords but resembles Zheng He’s fleet sailing to the Western Oceans seven times—not to conquer, but to engage in dialogue. Look to your predecessors—some have used AR technology to restore the historic Chinese guild halls in Melaka; others have established cross-border industry-academia-research platforms in the Yangtze River Delta and Greater ASEAN regions. This new era’s spirit of leadership is about imbuing technology with humanistic care and empowering business with a force for good.
“外王”也不是封建王侯的霸权，而是像郑和船队那样，七下西洋不为征服而为对话。看看你们的学长——有人用AR技术复原马六甲古城的华人会馆，有人在长三角、中东盟建立跨国产学研平台。这种新时代的”王者之气”，是让科技具备人文关怀，令商业充满向善力量。
五、迎接未来：成为临界变革的造浪者To the Future: Become the Trailblazers of Transformative Change
As you stand at the pivotal moment of graduation, you are poised at the crossroads of three converging worlds: the tangible reality of our planet’s urgent call for carbon neutrality, the boundless frontier of the metaverse reshaping how we live and connect, and the profound inner journey toward purpose and meaning.
Remember this: the true hope for humanity’s future lies in the powerful blend of cultures and ideas—like the young Malay holding The Art of War on a Kuala Lumpur light rail, or the engineer in Hefei’s quantum lab softly humming poetry. It is in these moments of harmony between tradition and innovation, between East and West, technology and humanity, that you will spark the waves of change. Go forth as creators, visionaries, and compassionate leaders who will shape a better world.
站在毕业临界点，你们将面对三重世界的交汇：现实世界的碳中和承诺、元宇宙世界的规则重构、内心世界的意义追寻。但请记住：吉隆坡轻轨里捧着《孙子兵法》的马来青年，合肥量子实验室中哼着班顿诗的工程师，这些文化混血的瞬间，才是人类文明的希望所在。
The “Digital Zheng He Initiative” and the Alumni Entrepreneurship Pilot “Star Innovation Support Program” currently being developed by Star Teenagers International, will provide you with a vital platform to engage in cross-civilizational innovation and experimentation. Whether it is leveraging blockchain technology to preserve and protect the intangible cultural heritage of Nyonya cuisine recipes, or developing low-cost ecological monitoring systems for the South China Sea, these endeavors exemplify the boundless possibilities of innovation. We do not seek mere followers, but courageous and insightful “asymmetric innovators.” Just as the durian does not cease to grow despite its distinctive aroma, true creativity is never confined by existing evaluation frameworks.
星青年教育正在筹备的”数字郑和计划”和校友创业护航启明星计划，将支持你们开展跨文明创新实验：可能是用区块链保存娘惹菜谱的非遗密码，可能是开发低成本的南海生态监测系统。我们不做完美的追随者，而是更期待勇敢的”非对称创新者”——就像榴莲不会因为有人厌恶臭味就放弃生长，真正的创造从不在意现有评价体系。
Dear esteemed alumni of IUKL, KLUST and young wave-makers,
各位可尊敬的吉建大吉科大校友们，年轻的造浪者们：
As you gaze upon the Strait of Malacca from the heights of Genting Highlands, remember that this sea has witnessed some of the greatest dialogues between civilizations. As you witness technological marvels in the Yangtze River Delta, never forget the ancient wisdom embedded in the spirit of the Huizhou merchants.
Carrying the four-dimensional imprint of Kuala Lumpur University of Science and Technology — resilience as flexible as water, action as swift as light, empathy as flowing as the monsoon, and character as steadfast as the banyan tree — go forth and build a city of ideals even grander than the Petronas Twin Towers.
当你们在云顶高原眺望马六甲海峡时，请记住这片海域曾见证过伟大的文明对话；当你们在长江三角洲见证科技奇迹时，莫忘掉徽商精神中的契约精神。带着吉隆坡科技大学的四维印记——像水一样柔韧的自强，像光一样迅捷的知行，像季风一样流动的共情，像榕树一样稳固的品格——去建造比双峰塔更崇高的理想之城。
Finally, please allow me to conclude today’s speech with a message adapted from the Malay Pantun tradition:
最后，请允许我用改编自马来班顿诗体的寄语结束今天的讲话：
The tide rises in the South China Sea, recalling Jia Geng,
Sparks of hope pass on through those far from home.
With wings of knowledge and action, breaking through the clouds,
Inner cultivation and outer transformation compose a new chapter.
潮起南海思嘉庚，
星火相传异乡人。
知行双翼破云际，
内修外化上新程。
May you guard humanity in the world of algorithms, build bridges in an era of division, and become your own beacon amid the vast uncertainties. Stand firm within the Belt and Road community of shared destiny, lift the torch high, forge ahead through the waves, walk hand in hand with the times, and create a bright future in the approaching golden century that belongs to you.
愿你们在算法的世界里守护人性，在割裂的时代架设桥梁，在不确定的汪洋中成为自己的灯塔。在一带一路人类命运共同体中站稳脚跟，举起火炬，劈波斩浪，与时代同行，在即将到来的黄金世纪中开创属于自己的美好未来！
Thank you all!
谢谢大家！
陈孝云教授
吉隆坡建设（科技）大学 校长
Prof. Chen Xiaoyun
Chancellor, Infrastructure University Kuala Lumpur (IUKL) / Kuala Lumpur University of Science and Technology (KLUST)