As part of the U’s internationalization effort in 2008, two students were sent to an annual forum in China to discuss economic and political changes.
Xiaoyu Xu and Zhu Wang returned from the Dragon 100 Young Chinese Leaders Forum after visiting multi-billion-dollar, worldwide corporations and discussing the rapidly growing Chinese economy with businessmen and 17 other students from around the world.
The U sponsored Xu, a pharmacy graduate student, with airfare to attend the week-long event in late August.
At the forum, Xu talked about the United States economy and her experience in public administration. She said the Chinese could further the global and Chinese economy.
“During this program, you could not only learn a lot from the first-hand experience and see China’s development through your own eyes, but also you could establish a solid friendship with 100 delegates, as well as the alumni organization and past delegates,” she said.
Wang, a mathematics doctoral student, also attended the event and said the forum showed her a lot of opportunities for students in China with international knowledge.
“We visited businesses and history museums,” Wang said. “I learned more about China and met with government officials.”
Xu said a panel discussion with Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office officials gave her a chance to ask about intellectual property protection in China, especially in drug development. Xu’s graduate research in cancer drug development makes the property protection an important topic for any career she might want to establish in China.
Originally from China, Xu decided to study at the U after hearing about the university during the 2002 Winter Olympics. She said her plans are to return to China after graduation and possibly manage a pharmaceutical company.
Fusheng Wu, director of the U Confucius Institute, said the institute funded Xu on the trip because they thought she would benefit from the experience.
“Xu’s nomination was supported by President Young, so funding her trip is our way to help promote the president’s effort at internationalizing the U,” he said.
The students stayed from Aug. 22 to Aug. 30 and traveled to Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta Region in Guangdong Province, China.
Wang said she thinks the forum was a valuable experience.
“It’s been crazy trying to catch up with my classes because I missed two weeks of school, (but) I’ve met a lot of friends there,” she said. “There were 100 Chinese people there from all over the world.”
This is the first time U students have attended the forum.
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