The 2026 SJTU International Academic Summer Camp took place from July 5 to 14. Co-hosted by Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) and the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in China and organized by the SJTU School of Foreign Languages, the ten-day program brought together 20 students from Fatima College of Health Sciences, UAE, for immersive academic engagement. Covering medical research, clinical training, academic lectures, institutional visits and cultural immersion activities, the camp built a key platform for young UAE participants to learn about China’s educational development, experience traditional Chinese culture, and strengthen youth exchanges between China and the UAE.
The closing ceremony took place on the afternoon of July 13 at Baichuan Hall, SJTU International Center. Attendees included H.E. Muhannad Alnaqbi, Consul General of the UAE in Shanghai; Liu Weidong, Vice President of SJTU; Yin Haitao, Director of the International Affairs Division; Zhu Yifan, Party Secretary of the School of Foreign Languages; Tao Qing, Vice Dean of the School of Foreign Languages, as well as representatives from the UAE Consulate General in Shanghai and medical experts from affiliated hospitals of SJTU School of Medicine.
On behalf of the University, Liu Weidong congratulated all UAE faculty and students on completing the camp’s training sessions and thanked the UAE Consulate General in Shanghai for its long-standing support for China-UAE educational collaboration. He noted that participants from both sides inspired one another and built lasting friendships through academic discussions and cultural experiences, demonstrating the openness and cooperative spirit of young people. He encouraged the students to share the knowledge and insights gained at SJTU back home, serve as youth ambassadors for bilateral educational and cross-cultural exchange, and help strengthen people-to-people ties between China and the UAE.
Consul General Muhannad Alnaqbi praised SJTU for its thorough preparation and thoughtful arrangements for the program. He said the camp offered a valuable opportunity for young UAE learners to learn about China’s advanced clinical practices and traditional Chinese culture. He expressed hope that the program would serve as a new starting point for future cooperation in faculty and student mobility, medical training and cultural dialogue. He also encouraged participants to value their learning experience, share their takeaways, promote regular youth exchanges, and consolidate grassroots friendship between the two countries.
Zhu Yifan delivered a program review at the ceremony. She introduced the camp’s dual-track framework integrating medical practice and cross-cultural immersion, and summarized participants’ progress in clinical training, academic exploration, cultural learning and interactive dialogue. The ceremony featured a custom recap video jointly filmed by UAE attendees and edited by SJTU student volunteers, which documented memorable moments of the ten-day exchange.
At the closing session, the head of the Fatima College of Health Sciences delegation presented traditional Emirati souvenirs to all host and organizing parties to acknowledge their efforts in delivering the camp. The gifts symbolized the friendship built during the program and shared expectations for closer China-UAE educational cooperation. The closing ceremony concluded smoothly in a warm atmosphere.
Hosted in the year of SJTU’s 130th anniversary, the summer camp is a key initiative under the University’s “Global SJTU” branding. It serves as an important window for international youth to learn about China’s progress in medical education and traditional Chinese culture, representing effective cross-border exchange in medicine and civilization. The event also reflects the School of Foreign Languages’ practical achievements under its “Global Competence” Party-building initiative. The School actively supports regional and country studies, global communication, the Healthy China Initiative and student development, fostering talents with strong global competitiveness.
Moving forward, SJTU will expand cooperation with universities and institutions in the UAE. The University will advance mutual understanding and friendship between Chinese and Emirati youth through collaboration in medical education, academic research and cultural exchange, contributing to closer people-to-people connectivity and the development of a global community of health for all.