On the afternoon of February 27, a grand donation ceremony for the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Jiahe Fund was held.

Cheng Minghe, a member of the Board of Trustees of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), co-founder of Mindray Medical, and an SJTU alumnus who earned his bachelor's degree in Biomedical Instrumentation in 1985 and master's degree in Biomedical Engineering in 1988, has donated US$15 million (approximately 100 million yuan) to his alma mater. The donation will be used to advance medical-engineering integration, industry-education synergy, and the enhancement of clinical teaching capabilities.

The ceremony was attended by Yang Zhenbin, Secretary of the CPC Committee of SJTU; Ding Kuiling, President of SJTU and Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); Hu Weiwei, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Committee of SJTU; Zhang Ansheng, Full-time Deputy Director of the SJTU University Affairs Committee; Wu Zhengyi, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Committee and Vice Dean of SJTU School of Medicine; Yang Ming, Assistant to the President and Director of the Party and Administration Office, as well as heads of relevant functional departments and schools of the university. Also present at the event were guest representatives including Yang Zhenyu, Founding Managing Partner of Hanyuan Asset; Sun Chuanchun, Executive Director of Ruiyuan Fund; and Liang Peiji, Professor at the SJTU School of Biomedical Engineering. The ceremony was hosted by Hu Weiwei.

A Century-Old Family Bond with SJTU

Cheng Minghe's bond with Shanghai Jiao Tong University is deeply rooted in his family heritage. His father Cheng Jianmin graduated from the SJTU Department of Transportation and Hoisting Machinery in 1956; his mother Zhou Jiakeng graduated from the same department in 1959. Alongside Cheng Minghe himself, who enrolled in the university in 1981, his wife Yao Jia was also his classmate in the biomedical instrumentation program.

Numerous other family members are also part of the SJTU community: his maternal grandfather Zhou Yingcong, who served as an adjunct professor at the SJTU Department of Shipping Management in 1950; his uncle Cheng Jianguo, a 1960 graduate of the Department of Transportation and Hoisting Machinery Manufacturing; his aunt Cheng Mulan, who graduated from the Department of Radio Engineering in 1962; and his aunt-in-law Liu Jingchen, who enrolled in the SJTU Department of Mechanical Manufacturing in 1954.

Two Decades of Giving Back: His Legacy Across the SJTU Campus

Cheng Minghe's name has appeared repeatedly in his alma mater's donation history. From 2005 to the present, he has supported more than 10 initiatives at the university, with total donations amounting to nearly 300 million yuan to date. His contributions are visible across the SJTU campus:

"My maternal grandfather was a professor at SJTU, and my parents, uncles, aunts and aunt-in-law are all SJTU alumni. I grew up surrounded by the SJTU community," Cheng Minghe said in his speech. "During my year at the School of Medicine, I took more than 30 courses and completed clinical rotations through every department of the hospital. Looking back now, I am deeply grateful for that experience. Every piece of knowledge I learned there has been put to use in my later career. From now on, I will have more time to dedicate myself to living up to the university motto: When you drink water, never forget its source; love your country and bring honor to your alma mater."

His journey of giving back began in 2005, when he and his classmates set up an alumni scholarship and grant program for the School of Biomedical Engineering. Over the past two decades, his support has expanded from scholarships and grants to faculty development, campus safety, and the construction of major research platforms, addressing critical needs in the university's development at every stage.

A Forward-Looking, Long-Term Commitment to Development

In front of all attendees, Cheng Minghe and Ding Kuiling signed the donation agreement on behalf of the two parties.

With this new contribution, the US$15 million Jiahe Fund will expand its scope with two new key initiatives: to support the SJTU School of Medicine in establishing the Jiahe Outstanding Physician Award, to honor medical educators who excel in both clinical practice and classroom teaching; and to continue supporting the construction of the Health Innovation Building, to provide a high-quality platform for advancing medical-engineering integration.

Yang Zhenbin extended his sincere gratitude to Trustee Cheng Minghe on behalf of the university. He noted that the high-quality development of a university cannot be achieved without the continuous efforts of all its teachers and students, nor without the trust and support of its vast alumni community and all sectors of society. He emphasized that alumni represented by Cheng Minghe have promoted the university's rapid development through their consistent and tangible contributions to their alma mater.

Ding Kuiling remarked that while SJTU continues to achieve faster development and its alumni continue to expand their career horizons, the university motto of never forgetting the source when drinking water has always forged a close bond between the university and its alumni. He added that the newly established Jiahe Fund will provide long-term, sustainable support, with a focus on frontline education and talent cultivation, as well as comprehensive support for interdisciplinary development and platform construction, laying a solid foundation for high-level scientific research and high-quality talent training at the university.

The story of Cheng Minghe and his family is an epitome of the enduring bond between Shanghai Jiao Tong University and its alumni. Their deep affection for the alma mater is woven into the dawn and dusk by the Siyuan Lake, engraved in the lights of the teaching buildings, and enshrined in the honor of every Jiahe award certificate. Those who step into this campus in the years to come may not come across their names, but they will surely understand the profound, time-honored spirit of never forgetting the source when drinking water.