The graduation anthem echoes in early summer, as Prof. Peretz Lavie, the founding Chairman of GTIIT's Board and former President of Technion, traversed continents to bless the departing graduates. Six years after his last visit, he returned to this university—once a blueprint he helped design, brimming with emotion.

From a vision on paper to a thriving hub of innovation, Lavie reflected deeply on GTIIT’s journey during a heartfelt discussion with faculty and staff members. As one of the principal promoters in its inception, he shuttled tirelessly between Israel and China, dedicating himself to this pioneering educational partnership. “This is not something that can be done overnight,” he remarked. ‘What we did here is we took the Technion spirit and transferred it to Shantou. So the program is a Technion program. And the degree as well as the quality of the studies are the same as the Technion."

Ten years of cultivation has yielded extraordinary harvests: Among the Class of 2025, over a hundred graduates have secured 300+ offers from top global universities, with ~60% admitted to top 10 institutions. These soaring numbers validate GTIIT’s academic achievements—where Technion’s pioneering spirit thrives in China, forging a model for transnational educational excellence.

“Education, is about how you educate students, to be pioneers, to be entrepreneurs, to have the ambition, to make breakthroughs.” Lavie said with resonant conviction to the educators present, “In my opinion, tools to solve future problems, leadership skills, and meeting of minds are the three ingredients that universities should adopt in order to educate students to be such leaders.”

Technion’s 100-year innovative education fueled Israel’s tech dominance. Lavie envisioned GTIIT, forging the breed of elite engineers and scientists and committed to the “Do it” spirit, emerging as a key catalyst for Guangdong's and China's economic advancement.

In fact, a growing number of GTIIT graduates are making their mark on high-tech platforms, becoming key players in high-quality economic development. Latest statistics show that over 80% of employed alumni work in strategically vital sectors like semiconductors (chips), new energy, biopharmaceuticals, and chemical engineering—many holding R&D or engineering positions at Fortune 500 companies and industry leaders, directly aligning with the development of new quality productive forces. Additionally, approximately 85% of alumni are employed in China's most dynamic innovation hubs, including the Greater Bay Area, Yangtze River Delta, and emerging first-tier cities.

Employment Destinations of GTIIT Graduates (Partial List)

“GTIIT's mission, first, is to educate the future leaders of technology, or fighters, to install them the spirit of curiosity, of achievement, and to provide them with tools in order to push forward the economy.” stressed Lavie, underscoring university's reciprocal duty to society, “Universities are financed by society, and should give back to society. To help the society is also the essence of GTIIT.”

During his brief visit, Lavie engaged in several cordial discussions with GTIIT's leadership, faculty members, and students. "The students here like what they do and are happy with the studies. They see the difference between GTIIT and the average Chinese universities," he observed.

At the commencement ceremony, he encouraged graduates to build their futures with their hard-earned knowledge and cultivated Chutzpah forged at GTIIT. To GTIIT itself, he offered his warmest wishes for its continued growth, impact, and success as it solidifies its position as a beacon of excellence and innovation in global education.

Text/Photos: GTIIT News & Public Affairs