Source: China Daily

From May 24 to 27, the “Experience China” – The 3rd Yangtze River Delta Student Academic Symposium and Social Practice Program, sponsored by the China Scholarship Council (CSC) and hosted by Zhejiang University (ZJU), was held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. Under the theme “Smart Delta · Modernization Together,” the program established a high-level, interdisciplinary, and immersive platform for exchange, integrating academic discussions with first-hand exploration of Chinese modernization.

More than 150 Chinese and international students and faculty representatives from 24 universities across the Yangtze River Delta gathered at Zhejiang University. Participants came from 40 countries, including China, Germany, Russia, Singapore, Pakistan, Malaysia, and Zimbabwe. Over the course of four days, they explored academic innovation, promoted cultural exchange, and gained deeper insights into China's development through academic presentations, poster exhibitions, field visits, and AI-powered learning experiences.

Academic Exchange: Breaking Boundaries Through Dialogue

The program featured keynote presentations by experts from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Zhejiang University. Parallel sessions were organized in science and engineering, medicine and pharmaceutical sciences, agriculture, life and environmental sciences, and humanities and social sciences, where Chinese and international students engaged in in-depth discussions within their respective disciplines. Outstanding research achievements were also presented through a unified academic poster exhibition, highlighting the participants' academic excellence. Jiang Yuqi, a student from Zhejiang University, shared: “The exchange was more than just listening to presentations. It allowed me to see the diverse perspectives that researchers from different cultural backgrounds bring to the same scientific questions.”

Yasin Amara Sekou S Dra, a doctoral student from Mali at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, shared a remarkable coincidence: one of the judges evaluating his presentation was the very Zhejiang University professor who had sent him his admission offer years earlier. He called on young people from China and around the world to strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration and work together to address global challenges.

Experiencing China Through Practice: Understanding China Through Green Development and Digital Innovation

Beyond academic exchange, immersive field activities enabled participants to step outside the classroom and gain a deeper understanding of China. In Yucun Village in Anji, Zhejiang, students experienced firsthand the philosophy that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.” Sidorova Kristina, a Russian master's student at Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, said the visit gave her a profound appreciation of the vitality of China's rural revitalization. The participants also explored the ancient streets and picturesque landscapes of Jiande, where Chinese and international students walked side by side. Zhou Xingxing from Zhejiang University was particularly impressed by the cross-cultural interactions throughout the journey: “Young people from different countries can always find common ground through shared moments of beauty.” The delegation also visited the Future Learning Center at Zhejiang University, where they experienced cutting-edge innovations including AI agents, intelligent agricultural robots, and AI innovation workshops, gaining first-hand insights into how artificial intelligence is transforming talent cultivation.

Moving Forward Together: Building Bridges Across Cultures

“We come from different countries and different universities, but these four days of shared experiences have become some of our warmest memories in China,” said Angelica Tiora (Yu Minger), an Indonesian student at Zhejiang University.

Since its launch, the program has attracted nearly 400 Chinese and international students. By using academic exchange as a bridge and cultural exchange as a bond, it has enabled young people from diverse backgrounds to deepen mutual understanding while fostering the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind. According to the organizers, the program will continue to encourage more Chinese and international students to experience the achievements of Chinese modernization firsthand, tell China's stories well, share China's voice with the world, and contribute to stronger people-to-people connections between China and the international community.