Mountain Luojia, the water of East Lake

More than 500 new international students from all over the world

with a thirst for knowledge

gathered together at Wuhan University

to accept the youth invitation by Mountain Luojia.

From September 9th to 12th

the new international students participated in

the opening ceremony and a series of orientation activities.

Let's start a new life together at WHU!

【Opening Ceremony】

On September 9, the opening ceremony of the School of International Education was held in the 423 Lecture Hall. The ceremony was attended by Lei Shifu, Secretary of the Party Committee of the School; Wang Aiju, Dean of the School; Zhou Cuiyun, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Vice Dean of the School; Chen Taotao, Vice Dean of the School; Chen Zhiyu, Vice Dean of the School; Cheng Lele, Vice Dean of the School; Pan Jie and Liu Xinyang, officers of the Exit-Entry Administration Bureau of Wuhan Municipal Public Security Bureau; and Wang Qianqian from the Teaching and Research Office of the School. The ceremony was hosted by the tutor Bao Yanran.

Wang Aiju, Dean of the School of International Education, delivered a welcome speech. On behalf of the school, Dean Wang warmly welcomed international students from all over the world to Wuhan University. She shared stories of outstanding international alumni who know and love China, introduced the School of International Education's philosophy of “sharing, innovation, and excellence,” and inspired the international students' enthusiasm and confidence in starting a new stage of study and life. Dean Wang hopes that the new students will get to know and love China, and strive to achieve and surpass themselves at Wuhan University.

Maksim, a Russian undergraduate student, spoke on behalf of the new students. Maksim said that Wuhan University is not only a world-renowned international university with a beautiful campus and a profound cultural heritage, but also a place where students can learn and grow together. He hoped to cherish the platform and resources provided by Wuhan University, learned with his classmates, and contributed to creating a better future for the world.

Sami, a representative of the new postgraduate students and a Pakistani national, gave a speech. Sami said that he was honored to continue his studies at Wuhan University, a place where he could continue to learn, grow and challenge the boundaries of knowledge. He would work hard to make breakthroughs in the field of research, while strengthening exchanges, gaining a deeper understanding of Chinese culture, and striving to be a messenger of Chinese and foreign cultures and a bridge of friendship between China and the rest of the world.

Jasmine, President of the Wuhan University International Students Union (WISU), gave a presentation on the setup, responsibilities and activities of WISU. WISU is dedicated to helping international students to solve various problems they encounter in their studies and lives, and organizing a colorful series of activities. She called on new students to actively join WISU and dedicate their own strengths to it.

Subsequently, the school held a series of orientation activities for undergraduate and continuing education students, as well as master's and doctoral students, to help new students to fit into the study and life at Wuhan University as soon as possible.

【Safety Education】
Zhou Cuiyun, deputy secretary of the Party committee and deputy dean of the school, introduced the history and conditions of the university, as well as its rules and regulations, to international students. She introduced the history of the university and the School of International Education, the campus environment and the rich campus life, to help new students better understand the university and the school. She also introduced the relevant management regulations of the university and the school, and gave safety tips to students based on certain key areas, warning them of things that happen around them. She hoped that all the students would have a safe, fulfilling and enjoyable campus life.

Officer Liu Xinyang of the Exit-Entry Administration Bureau of the Wuhan Municipal Public Security Bureau gave a lecture on laws and regulations. Officer Liu introduced the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Control of Exit and Entry and related laws and regulations to international students using videos and case studies, reminding them to abide by Chinese laws and regulations, be wary of illegal residence and employment, and watch out for scams.

Instructor Cheng Long from the Wuhan Limin Fire Prevention Center gave a lecture on fire safety. Using typical examples, practical exercises and video contents, Instructor Cheng reminded international students to raise their awareness of fire safety, master fire safety knowledge, enhance their abilities to prevent fires, sound the alarm and escape, and pay close attention to fire safety in key places such as dormitories and classrooms. Students should start with the little things and start with themselves.

【Academic Guidance】
Ms. Wang Qianqian from the Office of Teaching and Research at the school introduced the responsibilities of the offices, students' training and teaching arrangements, including the way to login to the course selection system, the course selection process and precautions, HSK certificate requirements, etc., so that new students can understand the relevant regulations and requirements for student status management, familiarize themselves with the operation process of the learning system, and better adapt themselves to university life.

Ms. Yao Xuefei, a librarian from the Academic Services Department of the library, gave a systematic introduction to the ways to use library resources and the precautions to take, including the library's usage rights, electronic resource database searches, and an introduction to library services. As a key resource for studying at school, understanding and mastering the skills of using the library is crucial for international students' study and life. This lecture laid a good foundation for the new students' upcoming studies.

Undergraduate and Postgraduate Academic Guidance Salon

Professor Ji Li from the School of Journalism and Communication gave advice to international students based on her many years of teaching, research and student guidance experience, using keywords such as “respect, understanding, and making friends”. Professor Ji shared stories about guiding international students and communicating with them, reminding everyone to respect and understand the differences between cultures in their study and life, to learn to put themselves in others' shoes and understand others, and also to make friends, communicate actively, cherish valuable learning opportunities, make good use of learning resources, and not waste their youth.

Mr. Zhou Xining, a teacher at the School of International Education, quoted “Learn and practice from time to time” from the Analects of Confucius to encourage new international students to cherish their time of study and constantly improve themselves. Mr. Zhou advised students to actively make Chinese friends and actively participate in academic and cultural activities on campus, during which process they actively experience and fit into the excellent traditional Chinese culture, and feel the rich campus life.

Li Wen, a representative of senior undergraduate students, shared her experiences of university life. She said that at Wuhan University, students not only acquire knowledge, but also become more independent and mature. Everyone is not only a recipient of knowledge, but also a seeker and innovator of knowledge. We should be brave in trying new things and expanding our social circles. She wished her younger schoolmates a bright future at Wuhan University.

At the end of the salon, the teachers patiently answered the students' questions about learning and life, and the on-site communication was enthusiastic.

Postgraduate Academic Guidance Salon

Professor Wang Aiju, Dean of the School of International Education, gave a talk entitled “Exploring your academic life at Wuhan University” in which she emphasized the importance of tutors in learning and research. Dean Wang discussed with the new students on the significance of respecting teachers and valuing education under the context of Chinese culture. She reminded the students to respect their teachers, communicate sincerely, study diligently and efficiently, take the initiative to report to their tutors on the progress of their studies and research, and establish a good teacher-student relationship with their tutors. The students were deeply inspired by Dean Wang's advice, and they also hoped to achieve even more outstanding results through their own efforts.

Associate Professor Ghamgeen from the School of Electrical Engineering and Automation, according to his many years of working and living experience in China, provided a series of professional learning advice for graduate students. He said that international students should maintain close communications with their tutors, develop a professional learning plan, balance academic research with course work, and face challenges bravely. In addition, Mr. Ghamgeen also shared learning resources and encouraged everyone to learn to actively seek out various resources to improve themselves, and he looked forward to the students who would gain a lot from their studies at Wuhan University.

Lafu, a representative of senior doctoral students, shared his experiences of studying and living, hoping that all junior students will make full use of the platform and resources provided by the school, focus on their research fields, enjoy the rich campus life, and learn to actively seek help when they encounter problems. He hoped that everyone would bloom to the fullest and write a wonderful life.

At the end of the salon, teachers and students had an in-depth exchange and discussion on scientific research and paper publication. The students also hoped to receive more guidance in their studies in the future.

Psychological and Cross-cultural Adaptation

Ms. Zhu Qingfei from the Mental Health Education Center started with the topic of “culture shock”. Understanding the psychological and cultural disorientation of international students when they first arrive in China, Ms. Zhu encouraged everyone to learn cross-cultural communication skills, such as speaking up and finding language partners, to understand and respect cultural differences and actively fit into the group. She also shared the story of a student from Cambodia who joined the Wuhan University Psychological Association to serve his classmates. In terms of adapting to academic difficulties, Ms. Zhu encouraged everyone to overcome language barriers and learn to deal with competitive pressures. Finally, she shared resources for psychological assistance and wished everyone a happy and enriching intercultural experience.

Ms. Zeng Qiao-chu from the Mental Health Education Center shared and introduced three aspects: common psychological challenges among international students, self-help psychological adjustment techniques, and on-campus psychological service resources, combining her own research with her experience of communicating with international students. She hoped that everyone would strengthen their language skills, establish a social support system, enhance their understanding of Chinese culture, improve their cross-cultural communication skills, learn time management and task management, and seek professional help when necessary. She also wished everyone a happy and enriching life as an international student.

Dear new international students,

no matter where you come from,

your journey has officially begun.

May you achieve your goals and live up to your youth

and write your own wonderful chapter

at the foot of the Luojia Mountain!