To deepen cross-cultural exchanges and academic interactions between Chinese and American universities, and expand international channels for talent cultivation, a 12-member faculty and student delegation from Drew University of the United States recently visited BNUBS for exchange activities.

The School of Business at Drew University attaches great importance to students’ international experience and actively promotes transnational and cross-cultural exchanges and learning. It has launched short-term exchange programs targeting China, which focus on core areas including China’s financial market, business innovation and economic development. Through diverse activities such as enterprise visits, academic seminars and university-to-university exchanges, the programs help American students understand China’s economy and business ecosystem, and build a platform for cross-cultural communication between young students from the two countries. This visit is a key activity under the university’s overall international cooperation strategy.

The exchange event consisted of three major parts: institutional introduction, academic lectures, interactive discussions between teachers and students, and campus cultural experience.

To begin with, Xie Jia from the Office of International Exchange and Cooperation extended a warm welcome to the delegation. She introduced the historical heritage, development journey and comprehensive strength of Beijing Normal University and BNUBS, as well as the school’s disciplinary development, talent training initiatives and featured English-taught programs. She elaborated on the application requirements, training models and career advantages of these programs. Later, Associate Professor Li Kun delivered a special academic lecture entitled Finance in China: History, Trend and Impact on City Development. Reviewing the evolution of China’s financial sector, the lecture systematically sorted out its development history and current trends, and conducted an in-depth analysis of how the upgrading of the financial industry empowers urban construction and economic transformation in China. Combining profound theoretical insights with practical relevance, the lecture explored differences and cooperative opportunities in financial development between China and the United States with detailed content and forward-looking perspectives. It helped American students gain a clear understanding of China’s financial system and the logic of urban economic development, and was well received by all participants. Following the lecture came the free discussion session. Seven outstanding local students from BNUBS and eleven students from Drew University engaged in in-depth exchanges covering academic studies, research work, differences between Chinese and foreign education, personal growth, cultural customs and other topics. Breaking down geographical and cultural barriers, students shared learning experiences, exchanged insights and discussed academic questions. In a relaxed and harmonious atmosphere, they enhanced mutual understanding and reached consensus, fully demonstrating the fine demeanor of young scholars from both countries.

After the forum, staff members of BNUBS led the delegation on an immersive tour across the campus. They introduced cultural landmarks, educational facilities, learning environments and campus traditions, allowing visiting students to experience the university’s profound humanistic heritage and rigorous academic atmosphere firsthand. The tour was followed by a dinner at the student canteen, where the delegation tasted campus food and experienced daily campus life in an all-round way.

Well-organized and fruitful, the visit brought a rewarding experience to all members of the Drew University delegation. They spoke highly of BNUBS’s thoughtful arrangements and high-standard academic exchanges. They noted that they had gained a great deal from the trip. They not only learned about BNUBS’s distinctive educational features and international programs, but also obtained intuitive perceptions of the current development of China’s finance and economy as well as the charm of campus culture, which greatly deepened their understanding of China’s financial environment, campus atmosphere and cultural traditions.

Note: Founded in 1867, Drew University is a prestigious century-old private liberal arts university in the United States. Located in Madison, New Jersey, it is close to New York, a global financial and commercial hub, enjoying superior geographical location and abundant industrial and internship resources. Covering an area of 186 acres and surrounded by forests and green spaces, the university is known as "the University in the Forest", boasting a tranquil academic environment as well as convenient access to urban resources. Drew University is committed to high-quality liberal arts education and features small-class teaching with a faculty-student ratio of merely 11 to 12:1, which facilitates in-depth academic interaction between teachers and students. It offers more than 50 undergraduate majors and a wide range of postgraduate programs across humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, business leadership and other fields. The university ranks among the top 100 liberal arts colleges nationwide in the U.S. News & World Report rankings and is listed in The Princeton Review’s Best Colleges in America. It boasts prominent international education characteristics, with a high proportion of international students among all U.S. undergraduate institutions.

Contributed by Office of International Exchange and Cooperation

Edited by Xie Jia

Reviewed by Hu Conghui