On a vibrant spring Friday on its Shanghai campus, Shanghai Ocean University brought global cultures together under one roof, hosting its eighth annual International Culture Festival alongside Chinese Language Day to celebrate the rich tapestry of backgrounds that make up its student community. The day-long event filled campus grounds with interactive experiences from across the globe, featuring authentic international cuisines, live traditional performances from multiple regions, and immersive cultural exhibitions that let attendees explore global heritage firsthand.
Addressing the gathered students and organizers, Jiang Min, vice-president of Shanghai Ocean University, reflected on the institution’s seven-decade legacy of welcoming global learners. Over 71 years of international education programming, the university has hosted students from 116 different countries around the world, building a long-standing tradition of cross-cultural exchange that shapes its academic community today.
Jiang emphasized the university’s commitment to fostering global harmony, expressing her hope that every international student studying at the institution would embrace their role as a cultural envoy. Through their connections and experiences, she noted, students can help turn the vision of harmonious coexistence and shared prosperity across all five continents into a tangible reality.
For Benter Anyango, a Kenyan doctoral student completing her research at the university, the event is a reflection of the far-reaching impact of studying in China. Beyond the classroom, Anyango explained, the experience of studying at Shanghai Ocean University offers international students far more than academic knowledge and expanded professional networks. It equips them with the unique tools and perspective needed to build meaningful bridges between less economically developed nations, growing emerging economies, and the world’s most advanced economic powers, creating connections that drive mutual progress long after graduation.