2025 Graduation Ceremony
The 32ndGraduation Ceremony of Shenzhou Open University of TCM (SOU) was held at SOU main campus in Amsterdam on 3 October 2025.
The ceremony was attended by Mr. Zhilin Dong, SOU president, as well as teachers, graduates and their families and friends.
Welcome by Rob van Hees
Welcome to everyone to the 2025 graduation ceremony.
On behalf of Mr Dong, director of Shenzhou Open University of TCM and Dan Tan, Academic dean of the programme, I warmly welcome everyone: the representatives of the professional associations NVA and Zhong, whom I will introduce to you in a moment, our dedicated teachers and last but not least, the Graduates and their guests.
Students and guests of the graduation ceremony
I am Rob van Hees, study coordinator, and I will guide you through the programme this afternoon. I will therefore briefly go through the programme, while also introducing the speakers.
In the first part of the afternoon, the graduates will be addressed by representatives of the professional associations and teachers of Shenzhou. The second part of the afternoon will then be followed by the graduation ceremony with congratulations from teachers and the taking of pictures.
So let me introduce to you the our special guests who will speak this afternoon:
- Dan Tan, Dean of Shenzhou Open University of TCM.
- Barbara Jenner, Board member from the professional association NVA and Caroline Albers, executive member from NVA.
- Angie Calor-Man, Secretary Board member of the professional association Zhong and Lisanne van Beek, office employee from Zhong.
- Senior teacher Mr. Toine Korthout, who will speak on behalf of the teachers and examination committee.
- and finally, Mrs. Helen Tay, who will speak on behalf of the graduates.
Dr. Dan Tan
Dean of SOU
Today we gather to celebrate a profound milestone in your lives: the conclusion of years of dedication, study, and a deep passion for Traditional Chinese Medicine. As your Dean, it gives me immense pride to stand before you. You are carrying forward a legacy of healing that has flourished for thousands of years.
The path to this moment has not been easy. It has taken long nights of study, countless hours of practice, and a deep commitment to understanding the human body and spirit. You have learned to look beyond symptoms, to listen to the body’s quiet messages, and to treat each patient as a unique individual. This is what makes Chinese medicine so powerful and so relevant today.
Of course, the years ahead will bring challenges. You may face doubts, or even obstacles, in bringing TCM into the heart of modern healthcare. But I urge you: remain steadfast. Be confident in the knowledge you have gained. Keep learning, keep growing, and keep innovating. Medicine is ever-evolving, and from today, you are part of that evolution.
The great physician Sun Simiao once said: “To heal a patient, one must first calm their spirit, and guide them with virtue.” Let compassion, patience, and humility guide your practice. I have no doubt you will make a lasting contribution to your communities.
But today is not only a celebration, it is also a moment for gratitude. Think of your families, your friends, your teachers and coordinators—all those who have supported you along this journey. Their belief in you has been the cornerstone of your success.
And now, graduates, please rise and give them the loudest round of applause of the day!
Once more, on behalf of Director Dong, congratulations Class of 2025. May your path be filled with wisdom, your practice with purpose, and your life with the joy of healing. Continue to succeed, to innovate, to flourish, and to thrive in the field of Chinese medicine.
Thank you.
Barbara Jenner , NVA
The beauty of Chinese Medicine has entered your life for good
Thank you for your invitation, for inviting my colleague Caroline Alberts and myself. My name is Barbara Jenner. I am a board member of NVA, the Dutch Association of acupuncture and also a therapist of Chinese medicine.
Fifteen years ago, I opened my own Tuina and acupuncture clinic in Haarlem. Family and friends survived my first needles and Tuina techniques, I had felt their pulses, looked at as many tongues as possible and talked about liver qi stagnation, blood deficiency and running piglets… People around me had a hard time keeping up, since I started using different words, but mostly from a different perspective.
Angie Calor-Man, Zhong
Traditional Chinese Medicine does not belong to one person alone
First, Mr. Dong and Ms. Dan Tan, thank you for inviting us to celebrate this wonderful moment.
Most importantly, congratulations to you, the graduates of 2025!
Today is a day of joy, a day of pride, a day to honor your hard work, your perseverance, and your passion for Traditional Chinese Medicine.
My name is Angie Calor-Man, secretary general of the Dutch association NVTCG Zhong. Together with my colleague Lisanne from our office, we warmly welcome you into our professional community.
Helen Tay, Student (Graduate)
We came here because we were drawn to the healing power of these traditions
It is truly an honor to stand here today on behalf of my fellow graduates of Acupuncture, Tuina, Herbal Medicine & Western Medicine. With this, I would like to thank Dr. Dan Tan, our Academic Dean, for this opportunity.
When we began this journey, many of us carried a mixture of excitement and uncertainty. We came here because we were drawn to the healing power of these traditions – the precision of acupuncture, the art of Tuina, the depth of herbal medicine, and the wisdom behind them all. We also came with an appreciation for how these approaches can integrate with Western medicine to offer more holistic care. And most of all, the hope of helping people in a more holistic way.
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Met meer dan 30 jaar onderwijservaring achter ons, hebben we een uitstekende reputatie in ons vakgebied opgebouwd, waar zowel de school als de alumni trots op mogen zijn







