99 students from more than 50 universities around the UK arrived on Yuquan Campus of Zhejiang University over the weekend of March 27th and 28th to attend a 3-week long STUDY CHINA program.

In the coming days, the students will take Chinese language classes, attend lectures covering the topics ranging from history to calligraphy and economy, practice Tai-ji and Chinese Gong-fu, visit the university laboratories and both joint venture and private enterprise, tour around the city and its neighboring area and participate in the social activities with local students. In short, they will have plenty of opportunities to learn about China and make friends.

An opening ceremony, hosted by Prof. Wang Li, the Dean of the International College was held in the International Conference Center on Zi-jin-gang Campus, which marked the official launch of the program.

Prof. Yang Wei, the President of the university attended the ceremony to extend his warm welcome to the students from the UK universities. He delivered a heart-warming speech to the students, in which he recalled the days he spent in the UK as a visiting scholar. He also introduced the students his feelings and impressions about the city of Hangzhou and the important role Zhejiang University plays in the province and the country. He encouraged all the students to seize the precious chance to study hard the language and see more and gain first-hand experiences about the university, the city and the country, its people and culture.

Following President Yang, Mr. Samuel Watts, a student from the University of Warwick, spoke on behalf of all the students participating in the program, expressing their thanks to the warm welcome from Zhejiang University and their feelings, hopes and expectations on the coming program.

STUYD CHINA is a UK government-funded program managed by the University of Manchester open to undergraduates in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

(By XU Xiaohang)