On January 8th, 18 delegates from the Student Council of Ivy League Schools visited Shandong University and attended a symposium during which they exchanged views with delegates from SDU on topics of traditional Chinese culture, communication between students of both sides and the innovation and employment of university students.
The symposium was held in the Chinese Culture Experience Hall of Shandong University. Chinese delegates introduced two goals of SDU, namely building SDU into a university for carrying forward the traditional Chinese culture and building Shandong University into a world-class university at a preliminary level by its 120th anniversary. They also showed foreign students their methods for training talents in SDU, the development of student organizations and the improvement of students’ employment condition.
Harvard student Akshay Sharma said that the Adult Ceremony in Ancient China that they reenacted was quite impressive. He would like to bring back his own paper-cut crafts and work of Chinese brush writing to his friends in the U.S. After his visit, he was convinced that China is a nation rich in civilization.
Yale student Kevin M. Boehm hoped that students from both sides could continue exchange and cooperation in order to draw upon each other’s merits and give the full play to the important role of students themselves in the process of promoting communication between different cultures.
Jessica Barragan, who comes from Cornell University, hoped that students from both sides could continue their correspondence so as to find out a proper way to promote cultural exchanges.
Liujing, president of Postgraduate Union of SDU, expressed her pride in receiving the U.S. students. She had also visited the Ivy League as a member of a Chinese student delegation.
Before the symposium, all student representatives visited the Museum of Shandong University and the Chinese Culture Experience Hall of Shandong University. Through their visit, the delegation came to better understand the profound Chinese culture with a long history and the strong cultural background of SDU.
In addition, the delegation participated in a series of cultural activities including the lecture of traditional Chinese literature which was given by Huang Yuzhang，doctoral supervisor from the Advanced Institute for Confucian Studies, performances given by student clubs of SDU and other activities.
They were deeply impressed by the diverse culture in SDU. This symposium promoted the communication and understanding between students from the two countries, and fostered cultural activities on an international level.
Written by: Zheng Zhipeng
Photo by: Peng Xin, Hanxu
Edited by: Ben Hammer, Jing Zizhao