From May 29 to June 13, SBC-USST held its international summer school with the theme Cross-Cultural Fusion: Crafting the Future with Tech and Business. The summer school featured a rich variety of activities, including academic courses, cutting-edge technology innovation lectures, AI and 3D printing courses and hands-on practice, entrepreneurship projects, visits to benchmark enterprises, and experiences of traditional Chinese culture and urban landscapes, which attracted 15 international students from partner universities, including Liverpool John Moores University, University of Huddersfield, and Leeds Beckett University. The participants came from Ireland, Poland, Romania, Italy, and the UK.
At the welcoming ceremony, Professor Rupert Ward, Executive Dean of SBC, warmly welcomed the students and lecturers and briefly introduced the college's achievements in cooperative education and international exchanges in recent years. Dr. Robyn Pyne, Associate Dean of Global Engagement from the School of Engineering at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), Sara Rioux, Head of Operations at LJMU's School of Engineering, Clover Xiao, China Engagement Officer at LJMU's China Office, Dr. Lee Henderson, Head of School of Business and Management at SBC, Dr. Adrian Chong, Head of School of Engineering and Computing at SBC, along with staff from the departments of Academic Administration and Student Management and SBC student volunteers attended the ceremony. They then visited the historical museum and library at the Fuxing Road campus.
Academic Exchange from Classroom to Enterprise
In the classroom, Dr. Jeffery Wang and Dr. Neville Lam from the School of Business and Management shared their experiences in the business field. Using examples from internationally renowned companies like IBM, ITW, Apple, and Tencent Music Entertainment Group, they systematically explained topics including corporate financing, brand marketing, and intellectual property protection. Through rich case studies and engaging interactions, they guided students in brainstorming and critical thinking. Dr. Muhammad Nisar from the School of Engineering and Computing examined various sensor types (e.g., LiDAR, cameras) and processors (e.g., microcontrollers, AI) analyzing their advantages (precision, adaptability) and limitations (cost, computational power) for effective robot performance in diverse environments with the students. Dr. Ella Fan elaborated on the innovative applications of 3D printing technology in the industrial field, introducing two popular technologies, Stereolithography (SLA) and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). She led students in comparing older and current models of 3D printers and together, they printed a stamp pendant with the SBC logo.
The international summer school and SBC students, organised by the College, visited three companies: JCB (Shanghai) Ltd., Halma Asia Pacific Production and R&D Centre, and Hearst Magazines International (China). They interacted closely with the experts, executives, and business leaders in the engineering and media fields, gaining insights into how these companies drive technological innovation, tackle challenges with innovative spirit, and embody craftsmanship with dedication and professionalism.
ShowcasingSpirit of Innovation and Entrepreneurship through Peer Collaboration
Students from LJMU’s Racing Team’s Formula Student and those from SBC’s RoboVigor, and AgriRomer and optimised the innovative projects of each SBC student team, the robot for competition and the integrated agricultural robot with successful team collaboration. On June 5, led by CAI Hui, Deputy Party Secretary and Associate Dean of SBC, they went to Shanghai Normal University for a results presentation, which is a part of the third Liverpool in Shanghai Culture Day, celebrating the partnership between Shanghai and Liverpool first twinned 25 years ago.
We planned to produce an omnidirectional wheel chassis with features of omnidirectional movement, high-speed rotation, and agility. During the assembly, we encountered problems such as excessive accuracy error of parts and missing of small parts. Through brainstorming and manual part processing with summer school students, we successfully completed the assembly in a short time. A member from RoboVigor introduced.
AgriRomer is an agricultural robot designed for harvesting oyster mushrooms, capable of watering, pesticide spraying, and harvesting. The Summer school students optimized the gripper of the robot which reduced damage during harvesting with their solid academic skills. When Sam and Bradlay were presenting our AgriRomer, its functions, and advantages at the Shanghai Normal University, we were deeply moved by their great passion. Although we were teammates for a few days, we believe that we will continue to work together and improve the project in the future. An AgriRomer team member said.
Immersive Experience of Chinese Culture from Multiple Perspectives
Three lecturers invited by SBC offered cultural experience classes in calligraphy, paper-cutting, and Tai Chi for the summer school students. The students visited the Jun Gong Road campus to see the library, Hujiang International Cultural Park, and intelligent classrooms. In the calligraphy class, the teacher, with over 40 years of experience, guided my hand stroke by stroke, teaching me the unique charm and profoundness of this traditional Chinese culture. I learned the meaning of courage and perseverance, which are values I will carry for life. Ignace Kitu from the UK said. Pawel Przedaszek from Poland, whose exquisite paper-cutting work won praise from all, said excitedly: Paper-cutting is a delicate art. Polish paper-cutting, namely wycinanki, is also famous for its bright contrasting colors and symmetrical craftsmanship. Chinese and Polish paper-cutting have similar techniques but distinct artistic styles. The summer school students and SBC student volunteers visited landmarks such as Yuyuan Garden, Chenghuang Temple, and Shanghai Tower, immersing themselves in Shanghai's cultural essence and deepening friendships between the Chinese and international students.
The successful conclusion of this international summer school received unanimous praise from students and lecturers of the UK partner universities. And SBC will continue to uphold its overarching themes, Responsible Leadership, Enterprise and Innovation and Cultural Empathy, leveraging high-quality international educational resources to tell China’s story well in the exchange and mutual learning of multiple cultures, and to elevate the development of Sino-foreign cooperative education.
