Veritas College is a residential college of

Shantou University Shantou University (; abbreviated STU), a key comprehensive university under the provincial Project 211 program in Guangdong, was founded in 1981 with the approval of the State Council. It is the only public university that receives funding from ...

. It was established in July 2008, the first

residential college A residential college is a division of a university that places academic activity in a community setting of students and faculty, usually at a residence and with shared meals, the college having a degree of autonomy and a federated relationship wi ...

in mainland

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

.至诚新闻
Yangcheng Evening Post. Retrieved May 2, 2008Veritas College Home Page.
Shantou University. Retrieved November 27, 2014 Veritas College's purpose was to organize various academic and community activities with the expectation of enriching the educational experience and extra-curricular life of the residential students.汕头大学
Shantou University. Retrieved November 27, 2014 This change from a traditional dormitory format was intended to encourage residential students from different majors to socially network, share knowledge and ideas, develop interpersonal relationships, and strengthen their confidence, independence and sense of social responsibility.
Education. Retrieved September 30, 2012

Motto, Flag and badge

The motto of Veritas College is 诚，敬，谦，和. In English, this fairly translates as "Sincerity, Respect, Modesty, Harmony."

Location

The college is located in

Jinping District Jinping District () is the central business district and the seat of Shantou prefecture-level city in the Guangdong Province of Mainland China. The site the district stands on is the old city of Shantou established by Emperor Hongwu of the Ming D ...

Shantou Shantou, alternately romanized as Swatow and sometimes known as Santow, is a prefecture-level city on the eastern coast of Guangdong, China, with a total population of 5,502,031 as of the 2020 census (5,391,028 in 2010) and an administrative ...

Guangdong Province Guangdong (, ), alternatively romanized as Canton or Kwangtung, is a coastal province in South China on the north shore of the South China Sea. The capital of the province is Guangzhou. With a population of 126.01 million (as of 2020) ...

, near the east gate of

Courses, camps and activities

Veritas College provides not only living accommodations, but also a place for learning and sharing. At Veritas College, residential students come from a range different colleges and majors. Veritas College has its own student union and clubs, which serve as a platform for students to make friends, share experiences, and learn from each other. The college also provides students additional extracurricular courses and camps.

Student Union and Other Organizations

Student Union

Founded in 2008, the Student Union hosts various activities to serve students. The most famous and popular activities are the welcoming and farewell parties. There are 8 departments, that help the Student Union work efficiently in all aspects. The president and council of the Student Union are selected by all student residents.

Ivy League

Founded in 2009, the Ivy League club is a volunteer organization. It has a council with a president and two vice presidents. The leadership council helps run the whole organization, including 7 departments and a volunteer group. The most popular activities involve assisting high school students, working with young children, a summer camp, and the TEDx Talk at STU.

The Youth League Branch

The Youth League Branch of Veritas College is associated with the China Communist Youth League. The Youth League aims to educate the youth on, and promote, the values of the Communist Party.

Monitors

Founded in 2008, the monitors are special representatives of Veritas College. The monitors usually are junior students. They serve as role models in academic, moral, and other personal aspects. They are selected to guide the freshmen in adapting to college life, and also serve as mentors. Monitors themselves are trained and supervised.

The Party Branch

The Party Branch of Veritas College refers to the campus branch of the Chinese Communist Party. Usually its activities are closed to its own members.

The ''Veritas College Magazine''

Founded in 2008, this is a magazine for all student residents. It features articles about college life. It is published at the beginning of the semesters, and is produced by a group of journalists and editors.

Clubs and Societies

The Polar Star Outdoor Expedition Club

Founded in 2013, the Polar Star Outdoor Expedition Club is a club for students who enjoy outdoor activities, such as climbing mountains, camping, etc. Every two years, the club holds a Chief ATP Camp to train members in teamwork and survival skills.

Lingxi Psychology Club

Founded in 2010, the club aims to provide professional psychology information and cultivate students' interest in mental health. The club is directed by instructor Dong-ping Jiang, who has a master in psychology.

Debate Team

Founded in 2008, Veritas College's debate team participates in regional and national tournaments.

Traditional Studies Club

Founded in 2009, the Traditional Studies Club was founded to enable students to participate in traditional culture studies. Members study Confucianism, Taoism, Laozi, traditional Chinese poems, etc.

Deyi Gu Qin Club

Founded in 2010, the Deyi Gu Qin Club is a club devoted to studying a traditional Chinese instrument, the Gu Qin. The club also holds the Gu Qin Culture Study Camp every year.

History

The concept of residential colleges originated in

Cambridge University , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

, UK, but

Hong Kong University The University of Hong Kong (HKU) (Chinese: 香港大學) is a public research university in Hong Kong. Founded in 1887 as the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese, it is the oldest tertiary institution in Hong Kong. HKU was also the fir ...

(HKU) pioneered the first example in greater China. Professor Li Dan brought this concept to Shantou University after visiting HKU, which led to the establishment of the first residential college in mainland China. Other universities in mainland China have been motivated by Veritas College's example, and are starting their own residential colleges. After only one year of operation, the student response to Veritas College at Shantou University was overwhelmingly positive.汕头大学有望推广住宿学院
Guangzhou Post. Retrieved May 14, 2009 Because of ongoing student and faculty feedback, Shantou University has committed to establishing more residential colleges on the campus.

References

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Education in Shantou Educational institutions established in 2008 2008 establishments in China