Renmin University of China (RUC) hosted the 2023 International Summer School Opening Ceremony on July 3rd in Beijing, China. Over 400 individuals, including International Summer School teachers and students, along with representatives from various RUC schools and departments, participated in the event both online and in-person. Lin Shangli, President of RUC, and Wang Yi, Vice President of RUC attended the opening ceremony, which was presided over by Wu Jian, Director of the Academic Affairs Office.

The International Summer School is reopened offline after undergoing upgrades. More than 80 teachers from 21 countries and regions will offer courses, and more than 3,400 students worldwide will participate. The program will feature a series of lectures by global masters, an optimized general education curriculum system, and a wealth of specialized subject camps.

Lin Shangli extended a warm welcome to the faculty and students from around the world participating in the International Summer School. He noted that the summer school is dedicated to attracting top-notch teachers and students for study and exchange and promoting RUC’s faculty and students’ global engagement. It serves as a crucial means for RUC to build a world-class university, foster international exchanges, and expand interdisciplinary interactions. The 2023 International Summer School returning to offline allows teachers and students worldwide to gather in Beijing, enhancing exchanges, broadening horizons, and deepening understanding.

Lin Shangli emphasized the importance of social investigation and research for talent development at RUC. Through summer school exchanges, teachers and students can learn about China’s ongoing transformation through vivid real-world stories. He expressed hope that participants would gain new insights, inspiration, and research directions during their three-week stay while enjoying a fulfilling and pleasant time in Beijing.

Wang Yi introduced the 2023 International Summer School’s background, highlighting its significance for RUC’s international strategic plan. The program offers students a unique international learning experience and provides teachers with academic exchange opportunities. It also demonstrates RUC’s open and inclusive stance towards the international community. Wang Yi focused on the International Summer School 2.0 and the reformed curriculum system.

Wu Jian officially inaugurated the 2023 RUC International Summer School.

C. Mohan, a member of the US National Academy of Engineering, a foreign member of the Indian National Academy of Engineering, and a fellow of ACM/IEEE, spoke as a teacher representative. Professor C. Mohan shared his experiences in international academic and cultural exchanges and encouraged young students to actively engage in international studies. He expressed hope that students participating in the International Summer School would learn from global experts, scholars, and peers while enhancing their intercultural communication and interdisciplinary learning skills.

Wang San’gui, a professor at RUC’s School of Agriculture Economics and Rural Development and Director of the China Anti-Poverty Research Institute, taught a course titled “China’s Experience in Eliminating Absolute Poverty”. He noted that participating in the International Summer School would enable students to gain a more systematic understanding and deeper insights into China’s successful eradication of absolute poverty.

Johann Dicken, an undergraduate student at the University of Geneva, Switzerland, spoke as a student representative. He praised the International Summer School for providing students worldwide with a wealth of learning resources and expressed his excitement about participating in person. He looked forward to fully experiencing Chinese culture and benefiting from exchanges with teachers and students from around the globe.

Luo Xi, a 2021 undergraduate student from RUC’s School of International Studies, also spoke as a student representative. Drawing from her own experiences, Luo Xi shared her understanding of the International Summer School’s significance as a platform for international academic exchange and cultural communication. She conveyed her joy in participating in person and her eagerness to engage with students from diverse cultural backgrounds, both domestic and international, over the next three weeks.

Since 2009, the International Summer School has successfully held 13 sessions, offering 1,528 courses. A total of 1,662 teachers from domestic and foreign universities have participated in teaching, and 36,641 RUC students and 4,812 off-campus students have engaged in coursework.

To further enrich the curriculum system and enhance the International Summer School’s quality, RUC has upgraded and reformed the curriculum system, including the establishment of a global masters’ lecture series, optimization of general education modules, and the introduction of specialized subject camps. RUC seeks to leverage the 2023 International Summer School to continually improve foreign exchange and cooperation levels and elevate the quality of international talent training.