On November 6, the opening ceremony of the 2024 “Global Nankai” International Exchange Month and the 4th Overseas Study Exchange Education Exhibition kicked off at the Balitai Campus. Chen Jun, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Vice President of Nankai University, and Wang Junyan, head of the International Cooperation and Exchange Office of the Tianjin Municipal Education Commission, delivered speeches at the event. The events brought together nearly 600 faculty and students from six universities in Tianjin at Nankai University to focus on the cultivation of high-caliber talents with an international perspective and share global high-quality educational resources.

On behalf of the university, Chen Jun offered warm congratulations on the holding of this event and extended heartfelt gratitude to the relevant organizations and institutions for their support and help. He pointed out that Nankai University follows the idea of open education, attaches great importance to the opening up of education, and strives to establish a global competency building system for young talents with Nankai characteristics. On the occasion of the 105th anniversary of Nankai University and the 120th anniversary of Nankai schools, he hoped that the faculty and students would act bearing in mind the national “14th Five-Year Plan” and the two centenary goals, and contribute their strength as young people to the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation, and the “building of a community with a shared future for mankind”.

In the speech, Wang Junyan said that in order to promote the high-standard opening up of education, it is necessary to improve strategies, find the starting point to participate in global education governance, and play a positive role in raising the international visibility of China’s education. She encouraged the students to be patriotic, resolve to make the country stronger, work to serve the country and discover and tell well China’s stories in the process of cultural exchanges and mutual learning as outstanding young people in the times. 

Liu Shujing, representing Nankai University and a participant in the first Nankai Wenzhong Scholarship Program, shared her thoughts and gains from studying at the University of Oxford, and called on fellow students to acquire knowledge, build moral character, enhance capability, and embrace an international perspective while studying abroad, so as to serve the motherland and globalization.

In the “Inspirational Lecture” section of the Education Exhibition, Ma Xing, Assistant Vice President and UK Business Director of New Oriental Vision Overseas, gave a presentation on “Career Planning for College Students”. By citing massive data, detailed cases and work practices, he informed the students of the demand for talents with an international perspective in the world today, gave professional advice in terms of timeline, academic background, selection of majors, and documentation, and encouraged them to seize opportunities to actively integrate into the world and enhance their global competitiveness.

This year’s Education Exhibition consists of five modules: “Inspirational Lecture”, “‘Global Nankai’ Overseas Study Empowerment Program”, “Information on Overseas Universities”, “Application for Study Abroad and Planning” and “Career Planning Consulting”. Fifteen activity areas are linked by “Vision Overseas Exploration Boarding Pass”. It helps students set clear goals for overseas study, customize overseas study plans, and establish their own career development models through services such as drawing of career rainbow, MBTI test, language proficiency test, and optimization of Chinese and English resumes.

During the event, participating faculty and students shared their feelings and experiences based on their work and study experiences. A Nankai University student expressed gratitude to the university for providing the opportunity to learn about overseas study and exchange in advance. During the event, they were exposed to the educational philosophies and learning methods used in different countries, which opened their minds. A faculty member from Tianjin University of Science and Technology said that the students had face-to-face communication with the admissions officers of many prestigious overseas universities during the event, which gave them a new understanding of preparations for study and language after admission to university, the selection of target universities and majors, and the future career planning. A student from Tianjin University said that participation in the event made them more resolved to press forward with scientific research and tell China’s story well in the international sphere. A student from Tianjin Foreign Studies University said that the event made me aware of the possibility of interdisciplinary learning and becoming an interdisciplinary talent with foreign language competence.

It is learned that this “Global Nankai” International Exchange Month event is the first brand and systematic exchange project launched by the university to meet the needs of dedication to public interests and acquisition of all-round capability. It is committed to broadening the global vision of teachers and students and enhancing their cross-cultural communication ability. This exchange month event is geared toward partner schools, faculty and students of the university, foreign experts, etc., covering over 20 activities related to foreign parties, including this year’s Overseas Study Exchange Education Exhibition. It is committed to providing teachers and students with personalized, featured and diversified exchange experience.

Relevant persons in charge of the Graduate School, the Student Affairs Department, the Youth League Committee of the university, the Academic Affairs Department, the Office of International Affairs and the College of Foreign Languages participated in the event.

（Edited and translated by Nankai News Team.)