On the morning of July 7, 2025, the 2025 Jinxiu Jiangsu International Summer School, hosted by the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education and organized by Hohai University, was grandly inaugurated at the Information Building. This summer school focuses on the theme of Water Disaster Prevention and Control under Climate Change. University President Zheng Jinhai attended the opening ceremony, along with leaders from relevant university departments and all participating Chinese and international faculty and students. The summer school successfully attracted nearly 40 outstanding young students from France, Norway, Thailand, Myanmar, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, demonstrating a diverse student body and distinctive international characteristics.
At the opening ceremony, Zheng Jinhai warmly welcomed faculty and students from around the world. He emphasized that this summer school, as one of the academic activities celebrating the university's 110th anniversary, focuses on Water Disaster Prevention and Control under Climate Change to promote academic and cultural exchanges between China and other countries. He also introduced Hohai University's century-old water conservancy features, disciplinary advantages, and achievements in international cooperation, expressing his hope that participants would gain valuable experiences through two weeks of lectures, field visits, and cultural activities. Finally, he particularly recommended Nanjing's historical and cultural sites and wished the summer school a complete success.
Yu Weidong, an official from the International Cooperation and Exchange Division of the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Education, stated at the ceremony that Jiangsu, as a major educational province, always welcomes global students with an open attitude. He noted that Hohai University's hosting of this summer school on Addressing Water Disasters under Climate Change brings together top faculty and combines academic discussions with cultural experiences. He looked forward to in-depth exchanges between Chinese and international students, mutual learning, and the continuation of transnational friendships.
Zhang Jianyun, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Director of the Yangtze River Protection and Green Development Research Institute, said in his speech that the intensification of global climate warming has seriously threatened human life, ecological environments, and economic development, most of which are water-related. The international summer school focusing on water disaster prevention under climate change will provide an important platform for global participants to exchange strategies and technological innovations. He hoped everyone would spark ideas, jointly enhance response capabilities, and contribute to sustainable development.
After the opening ceremony, Xu Chongyu, an academician of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters and the Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences, delivered a keynote speech titled Hydrology and Hydrological Models: Current Developments, Challenges, and Future Prospects.
In addition to inviting renowned domestic and international experts as instructors, the summer school also organized courses on traditional Chinese culture, such as Chinese martial arts and Jintan paper-cutting, as well as visits to the Memorial Hall of the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders, the Six Dynasties Museum, and energy technology companies. Through the organic combination of academic experiences and cultural experiences, the program allows international students to appreciate the quality of Chinese higher education while deeply experiencing the unique charm of Chinese culture and the developmental vitality of contemporary China.
The Jinxiu Jiangsu International Summer School is an important brand activity for Jiangsu's educational international exchanges. This year marks the third consecutive year the university has hosted the Jinxiu Jiangsu project, and the university strives to make it an important platform for showcasing the charm of Chinese culture and promoting friendly exchanges among global youth, enabling more outstanding international students to understand a real, multidimensional, and comprehensive China through this window.
