The Sichuan University “2019 University Immersion Program” (UIP) opened on the evening of June 30th in the gymnasium of Jiang’an Campus. 184 professors and 600 students from 144 world-class universities in 31 countries and regions, including Harvard University, Oxford University, Stanford University, University of Chicago, University of Pennsylvania, Tohoku University of Japan, participated in the ceremony together with Sichuan University teachers and students. Chairman Jianguo Wang of the university council, President Yanrong Li, SCU administrators of Shijing Yan, Ping Cao, Lin Zhang, Zhi Tu, part of SCU faculties, students and international student representatives attended the opening ceremony. Vice President Shijing Yan presided over the opening ceremony.
Yanrong Li delivered an address on behalf of the university, welcoming teachers and students from across the world. He said that Sichuan University is a comprehensive university with a long history and a complete set of liberal arts, sciences and medicine disciplines. With a policy of openness and inclusiveness, it is influential at home and abroad. In the process of building a world-class university, SCU hopes to broaden its students’ horizon, enhance their international competitiveness and global competence by virtue of an international education which is characterized by a wider range, more types and a higher level. He further indicated that over the past eight years of UIP, SCU has invited more than 1,000 renowned professors and 2,500 international students to the program, offering SCU students over 1,000 courses taught in English. In the meantime, SCU also encourages students to “reach out”. Since last year, SCU has launched the "Dachuan Vision" program for overseas visits of college students, which pay for more than 3,000 students each year to make short-term visits and do internships in international organizations. He hoped that students would enhance friendship, enlighten wisdom, explore the frontier in UIP, and spend a happy time together in Sichuan University.
In his speech, Professor Joachim Schachtne, President of Technische Universitaet Clausthal ( Clausthal University of Technology ),Germany, said that Sichuan University is the top ten university of China in terms of comprehensive strength and an important partner of Technische Universitaet Clausthal. For a long time, the two universities have had many successful co-operations in teaching and scientific research. More than 800 teachers and students have participated in the exchange programs and joint training. He welcomes SCU teachers and students to visit Clausthal University of Technology.
Professor Ilya V. VOROTYNTSEV of University of Nizhni Novgorod, Professor Xun Wang of Tsinghua University, Professor Igor Lukšič of University of Lubljana, Slovenia, Professor Peter Steiner of the University of Pennsylvania and student Shu Zhu of SCU Wu Yuzhang Honors College spoke as representatives of teachers and students respectively. They congratulated on the opening of the UIP and expected that UIP would promote the cultural exchange, mutual understanding and friendship among youths from different countries, enabling all to make progress together.
Jianguo Wang presented banners of SCU “2019 University Immersion Program” to Daniel Amezcu of Tecnológico de Monterrey and student Jie Zhao of SCU School of International Studies at the opening ceremony. The "2019 University Immersion Program" was officially launched in the countdown of teachers, students and the intelligent robot Little Uni.
After the opening ceremony, the Tibetan ethnic dance "The Sound of the Valley" opened a grand gala performed by Chinese and foreign teachers and students, where the Chinese and foreign cultures converged and blended.
Experts and scholars from across the world will provide SCU teachers and students with nearly 200 courses in English and several academic lectures within the next two weeks. The courses will cover many disciplines of liberal arts, technology and medicine. The UIP has not only advanced professional information, but also rich and colorful general education courses. It will meet the various needs of different students. Another highlight of UIP this year is that the university has also invited academicians and well-known professors from Peking University, Tsinghua University and Fudan University to attend, offering open lectures of "Famous Teachers' Seminar" to students. At the same time, the school will also carry out a series of wonderful international exchange projects to allow nearly 600 international students to exchange ideas and interact with tens of thousands of students of Sichuan University, sharing knowledge and cultures.
