Intl students gain new insights into Shanghai achievements

A group of 160 international students studying at universities from the Yangtze River Delta region embarked on a three-day educational trip to Shanghai on July 7.

As 2018 marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up, the activity was held to showcase the latest achievements of the Yangtze River Delta region, especially Shanghai.

At the Zhangjiang National Innovation Demonstration Zone, the students visited several bio-pharmaceutical companies and learnt about advanced medical technologies, such as medical big data and the capsule endoscopy, a procedure using tiny cameras to record internal images for gastrointestinal diagnoses.

The students were also shown around prestigious universities in Shanghai, such as Shanghai Tech University, Shanghai Maritime University, and Donghua University.

"I hope to become an envoy, promoting cultural and scientific exchanges between China and Italy," said Carlo Dragonetti, who graduated from East China Normal University last month.

The Italian graduate became an online sensation in China after claiming at the graduation ceremony that, hot water, which is highly praised by Chinese people as "a healthy beverage", is also his miracle treatment.

At the Yangshan Deep Water Port, an automated cargo wharf in Shanghai, students got the opportunity to onboard the "Cosco Shipping Aries", China's first 20,000 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) container vessel.

The students also visited several landmarks, such as the Bund and the 632-meter-tall Shanghai Tower, and were treated to the spectacular night views of the Huangpu River.

The activity was launched by educational departments in the Yangtze River Delta region – Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui – to enhance communication among international students and increase their understanding of the region.

Enjoying rapid economic development, high-quality educational resources, and a vibrant atmosphere, the Yangtze River Delta region has attracted a great number of international students in recent years.

A total of 138,600 students from about 190 countries and regions registered at the local 190 higher learning institutions in 2017, accounting for 28.33 percent of the national total.