On October 12, China Education Daily—China Education News Network published an article titled “Contributing to the World Through Growth in China: Chengdu University’s Practice in Cultivating International Art Students Enhances its International Education Brand”, highlighting our university's practice in cultivating international art students. In recent years, Chengdu University has gradually established an international art talent cultivation framework that is “oriented toward ASEAN and extending globally.” Through an integrated educational approach that combines professional and cultural education, it helps students enhance their cross-cultural understanding, collaboration and creativity, enabling them to become “bridge talents” connecting China with the world.

The original text is as follows:

Contributing to the World Through Growth in China

— Chengdu University’s Practice in Cultivating International Art Students Enhances its International Education Brand

In Laos, two young graduates of the College of Chinese & ASEAN Arts (CCAA), Chengdu University (CDU), met again on the same railway line several years later. One is Lawan, a graduate of the Class of 2020, who now serves as an assistant train conductor for international passenger services on the China-Laos Railway; the other is Jinlong, a graduate of the Class of 2024, who currently works as an engineer on the China-Laos Railway. They once studied in Chengdu, Sichuan, and have now returned to Laos to begin their careers along this major railway artery connecting China and Southeast Asia.

Railways, media, streets, design studios, colleges and universities, theaters… In recent years, more and more international students have set out from CDU to explore the wider world. According to statistics, CCAA of Chengdu University has trained more than 900 international art students from over 40 countries to date, with ASEAN students accounting for over 80%. This has gradually established an international art talent cultivation framework that is “oriented toward ASEAN and extending globally.”

What kind of educational model can help young people from different countries grow into “bridge talents” connecting China and the world? “We not only bring young people from around the world to China; more importantly, we help them grow in China and then go out into the world,” said Yu Junjian, Dean of CCAA. Contributing to the world after studying in China — this is the outcome the college hopes to achieve in international talent development.

Professional Education: Fostering the Confidence to Go Global

Guo Kenru, a young Malaysian, graduated in 2021 with a master’s degree in Visual Communication Design from CDU, and was admitted to Nanjing University of the Arts to pursue a Ph.D. From a newly arrived international student in Chengdu, to “Class Monitor Guo”—a name familiar to his classmates, and then to “Dr. Guo,” his role has continually evolved, yet his academic journey in China has never been interrupted.

Guo Kenru’s growth reflects a principle that CDU has consistently upheld in its international student education: internationalization must be built on professionalism.

“International students are not ‘special guests’ on campus; first and foremost, they are students receiving a comprehensive university education,” said Zhou Xiaoji, Executive Vice Dean of CCAA. He explained that the college has integrated international students into its professional talent cultivation system and, in recent years, has continued to recruit foreign experts in fields such as piano, string instruments, design, and film and television animation to contribute to talent development, allowing teachers and students from different cultural backgrounds to interact and exchange ideas in professional classes.

Students' post-graduation career destinations are the truest yardstick for measuring education quality. Zhou Xiaoji said that what companies and projects truly need today are not just people with a specific professional skill, but local talents who understand the society of their home countries, are familiar with Chinese language, culture and work practices, and are capable of cross-cultural communication.

Among the college's international students, Lawan graduated in 2020 and Jinlong in 2024. Despite their different academic backgrounds and graduation dates, they both chose to participate in the construction of the China-Laos Railway when they entered the workforce.

Why are these graduates in such high demand? “They share a common trait: they have experience living and studying in both their home country and China,” said Chen Jun, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Chengdu University Committee and Director of the Publicity Department. She added that an international student who has lived and studied in Chengdu for several years can serve as a natural bridge between the two countries.

“International students not only complete their professional training on campus, but also gain an understanding of Chinese work practices, social norms, and cultural logic through real social interactions, such as volunteer work, corporate internships, and hands-on training,” said Chen Jun. She noted that CDU regards “practice as the path” as a key part in its international student education, linking classrooms, the city, society, businesses, competitions, and artistic practices, and forging international students’ “ability to connect” through a wide range of real-world practice scenarios. When graduates join major Belt and Road Initiative projects and overseas branches of Chinese companies, they are able to adapt quickly and play a unique bridging role.

Cultural Education: From Nurturing the Soul to Inspiring Creativity

After returning to Serbia, graduate Yana once sang “I Love You, China” with deep emotion on the streets of Belgrade, and the video of the performance has received many likes online.

“Language can be tested, professional competence can be graded, and competition awards can be tallied, but a young person’s understanding of and feelings for another country often become truly visible only after they have left that country,” said Li Jian, Director of the Office of International Cooperation and Exchange at CDU.

Why would a young foreigner be willing to express their emotional connection to China of ? “The college emphasizes ‘cultural immersion’ in its international student education,” explained Xu Zhiqiang, a professor at the School of Film, Television and Animation of CCAA. On campus, international students attend classes alongside their Chinese peers and discuss their academic questions with lecturers; on the streets of Chengdu, they participate in voluntary activities, experience traditional Chinese festivals, and observe how a Chinese city functions… It is these small, everyday experiences that touch the hearts of young international students.

To make “cultural immersion” systematic and regular, the college has also drawn on its two national-level “Understanding China” Outstanding Courses — An Overview of China and Art Chinese — along with the provincial-level ideological and political education flagship project, "Haicheng Zhihua", to  extend the "Great Ideological and Political Course" to the front lines of urban foreign affairs and social practice. Wan Qun, Deputy Director of the International Department at CCAA, said the college hopes to bring about a profound shift: moving from “letting international students hear Chinese stories” to “letting international students come to know China on their own, and then share their own understanding of the country.”

Thai student Ma Shuqing completed her master’s degree in Art and Design at CDU. After she returned to Thailand, she combined the design skills she had learned in Chengdu with the traditional indigo dyeing techniques of Thailand’s Hmong people, and launched her own designer brand, Lanai. Like Ma Shuqing, wave after wave of international students are returning to their cultural traditions with fresh professional perspectives—their study experiences in China have led to a renewed encounter with Thai indigo dyeing, Vietnamese lacquer painting, Southeast Asian architecture, and local cultural resources, giving rise to new works, new brands, and even new entrepreneurial opportunities.

“Education for International students in China is not a one-way cultural influence, but rather a new capacity for creation,” said Zhou Ying, President of CDU. He noted that developing this capacity requires consistently prioritizing “integration” in international student education, helping them to find points of connection and transformation between two cultural experiences, and ultimately develop the ability to understand, collaborate, and create across linguistic, cultural, and national boundaries.

(China Education Daily—China Education News Network Reporter: Chen Zhaohe;   Correspondent: Ran Yisong )

Original Link: Contributing to the World Through Growth in China—Chengdu University’s Practice in Cultivating International Art Students Enhances its International Education Brand

Editor: Min Xiuling   Executive Editor: Lyu Jia