On April 11, the 2026 HNU Homecoming Day was held simultaneously across four campuses: Haidian, Danzhou, Mission Hills, and Yazhou. Under the theme “Rivers Return to the Sea for Alma Mater; Great Paths Lead Far for New Glory”, the event featured more than 10 supporting activities, including a job fair, an alumni products exhibition and a football match. It drew Hainan University alumni from home and abroad back to campus, to catch up on old times and discuss future development.

The day’s celebrations officially kicked off at 8:30 a.m. with the opening ceremony of the Homecoming Day, followed immediately by the campus health run themed “Run for the Free Trade Port, Set Sail for the 15th Five-Year Plan”. Leading the pack were five faculty members, all world or national champions: Gu Yuanyuan (rowing), Wu Qiang (windsurfing), Liu Zhaohe (martial arts), Jiang Tong (basketball) and Jiang Hengnan (track and field, sprint). More than 1,500 participants, including alumni, faculty and students, set off in an orderly stream, tracing the university’s growth with every step.

The stream of runners wound along the campus main roads. They paused at the Motto Stone to reaffirm their guiding ethos, glided past Zhiyuan Building to revisit their formative student years, and strolled along Dongpo Lake, laughter mingling with the morning breeze. The run embodied HNU’s answer to the national call to build a Healthy China. With every stride, they showcased vitality, and embodied the uplifting, enterprising spirit of the times.

On April 11, HNU holds the Opening Ceremony of the 2026 HNU Homecoming Day and the “Run for the Free Trade Port, Set Sail for the 15th Five-Year Plan” Campus Health Run. (Photo by HNU Alumni Affairs Office)

The Campus Health Run. (Photo by HNU Alumni Affairs Office)

Meanwhile, the 7th Alumni Enterprises Job Fair opened as scheduled at HNU Muti-Functional Gym, in a warm, well-ordered setting. Jointly hosted by 142 nationwide alumni enterprises, Chengmai County Human Resources and Social Security Bureau and Chengmai County Employment Bureau, the fair offered 2,841 high-quality vacancies aligned with Hainan FTP’s key industries, and delivered solid results: 1,485 preliminary employment intentions and 358 signed formal employment agreements. During the fair, the representatives of alumni enterprise had in-depth exchanges with students, sharing career experience and industry outlooks. This fully reflected both deep bond of alumni for their alma mater and the enterprises’ commitment to social responsibility.

Through this initiative, HNU and its alumni enterprises have built a direct campus-to-career channel, effectively boosting graduates’ employment and long-term career development in Hainan, and injecting sustained talent momentum into the Hainan FTP in the year of special customs operation.

The 7th Alumni Enterprises Job Fair. (Photo by HNU Alumni Affairs Office)

During the event, the university also organized a series of themed activities, including alumni enterprise product exhibition & fair, football match, tennis match, AI-generated short video contest, cultural/creative products & photography exhibition, alumni choir concert, and reunion lunch and gathering. Parallel activities were also held at Danzhou, Mission Hills and Yazhou campuses, fostering a vibrant, interconnected atmosphere across the university's four locations. Alumni drew inspiration for the future by revisiting the university’s history, witnessed its development through sci-tech innovations, and rekindled their affection for HNU through cultural and artistic immersion.

Alumni Cup football match. (Photo by HNU Alumni Affairs Office)

Alumni Cup tennis match. (Photo by HNU Alumni Affairs Office)

Alumni choir concert. (Photo by HNU Alumni Affairs Office)

Reunion lunch at campus canteen. (Photo by HNU Alumni Affairs Office)

Parallel activities in Danzhou campus. (Photo by HNU Alumni Affairs Office)

This gathering of ten thousand alumni was more than a sentimental homecoming; it was a vivid practice of Hainan University’s commitment to advancing national strategies and pooling strengths for development.

Building on this momentum, HNU will deepen alumni engagement, unite its global alumni network, and press forward in its pursuit of world-class excellence, thereby contributing HNU’s vision and vigor to the Hainan Free Trade Port and the nation’s progress.

Translated by Ye Kechen

Proofread by Feng Jun