A message of hope in a time of COVID-19

He adds that the world would need to rely on today's youths to solve some of the most perplexing and challenging problems of the time.

"There is a phrase in Hebrew called tikkun olam, which means that it is your responsibility to lead the world to a better shape than when you came into it," he says.

With public gatherings banned during the peak of the viral outbreak, holding virtual ceremonies was the way students could graduate as scheduled.

Even though the pandemic has come under control in China, many institutions are still considering whether to hold physical events.

DKU was among the first to hold online graduation ceremonies in China.

Wang Shuyi, director of graduate programs and recruitment at the university, says that the school had designed the process so that students would be involved in the ceremony as much as possible instead of just being people sitting in front of their laptops.

For example, when it came to the conferring of degrees, the professor in charge of the program appeared on one half of the screen and students, when called upon, showed up on the other half. The graduates could also have a picture taken with their professors through a screen shot.

Graduates were invited to record video clips that recounted their years of study at the university and expressed their good wishes. These videos were then played during the online commencement ceremony.

A clip of their online ceremony received 530,000 views on YouTube as of June 2, according to DKU.

Another institution that went virtual was Shanghai Jiao Tong University, which held an online graduation party in March. During this event, students praised those who have contributed to the fight against the pandemic and commemorated the years they spent together through songs and poems.

Fudan University in Shanghai, which celebrated its 115th founding day on May 27, also held a series of online celebrations that were attended by alumni from around the globe.

Through a mini-program on WeChat, the alumni could tour the four campuses of the university, with views of more than 20 key spots available.

Viewers could also write down their best wishes for the alma mater and these words were then showcased at the signature old school gate, teaching building and library through a virtual map.

Contact the writer at zhouwenting@chinadaily.com.cn