On December 30th, the closing ceremony for the China-US youth exchange program “Jilin-US Research Camp”, organized by the China Scholarship Council (CSC) and co-organized by Jilin International Studies University (JISU) and Saint Peter’s University (USA), was held at the China Pavilion in JISU Global Village.
The 15-day “Jilin-US Research Camp” included a 12-day exchange program in Changchun and a 3-day program in Beijing. In Changchun the American students have had various activities, for example, they attended cultural lectures introducing Chinese traditional customs, cuisine, festivals, and Northeast China culture; they experienced Chinese intangible cultural heritage through workshops at the China Pavilion in JISU Global Village, including paper-cutting, Tai Chi Fan, and movable-type printing; they explored Chinese tea culture in teahouses and learned to make tanghulu (candied fruit skewers); they immersed themselves in Jilin’s winter culture through skiing at Pure Crescent Lake National Attraction 5A, admiring ice sculptures at Changchun Ice and Snow Wonderland, participating in large-scale wilderness activities, and watching Chagan Lake winter fishing; they discovered Changchun’s both natural and urban landscape by visiting the FAW Hongqi Cultural Exhibition Hall, Changchun Northeast Tiger Park, Changchun Zoological and Botanical Park, and shopping districts like the “The Hill” (Zhe You Shan). Throughout the program, they engaged in cross-cultural dialogues with JISU student volunteers, sharing perspectives on campus life in both countries, which significantly enhanced mutual understanding and friendship between Chinese and American youth.
At the closing ceremony, the American students shared their unforgettable experiences and heartfelt reflections in Changchun, presented their learning outcomes, and received Certificates of Completion for the Research Camp conferred by JISU.
Following the closing ceremony, the American delegation will proceed to Beijing for a 3-day research program. They expressed heartfelt gratitude for the “Jilin-US Research Camp”, emphasizing that it had not only enriched them with knowledge and joyful memories while deepening their understanding of China, but more significantly, fostered profound friendships. Looking ahead, they eagerly anticipate expanding collaboration with JISU across broader fields, strengthening this enduring bond to inject fresh vitality into China-US cultural exchanges.
The Research Camp exemplifies the achievements of JISU’s international exchange initiatives and marks a significant milestone in advancing the internationalization of education. Leveraging this momentum, JISU will further expand global partnership programs to broaden the international horizons of faculty and students while enhancing their cross-cultural communication competencies. JISU remains unwavering in its commitment to cultivating globally competent talents, elevating international education exchanges to new heights, and making greater contributions to writing a new chapter of excellence in China-US educational and cultural engagement.
