(By Gao Xiang, Journalist and Zhu Xugang, Correspondent) 

In alignment with the spirit of important replies from President Xi Jinping’s to the international student community, School of International Education and School of Pharmacy jointly held the Second “East Lake Forum” International Student Academic Exchange Seminar on October 11-12. Focusing on pharmaceutical sciences, this year's forum established a high-level exchange platform for international students, promoting professional dialogue and mutual learning among civilizations. Over a hundred international students specializing in pharmaceutical fields from 13 universities in Wuhan gathered at Huazhong University of Science and Technology to discuss cutting-edge topics and explore the future of global health. The opening ceremony was presided over by Professor Chen Rong, Dean of School of International Education.

Professor Li Yan, Vice Dean of Tongji Medical College, delivered an opening address. She emphasized the college’s long-term commitment to cultivating medical talents and advancing international exchanges, expressing hope that international students would serve as bridges in international pharmaceutical collaboration and contribute to global health. Mr. Yu Lei, Section Chief of the International Cooperation and Exchange Office of Hubei Provincial Department of Education, highlighted that the seminar represents HUST’s concrete effort to implement national policies on international education in China, contributing to the enhancement of the “Study in Hubei” brand.

During the forum, Professor Kong Li from School of Pharmacy delivered a report titled “Frontier Progress and Applications of Biomimetic Drug Delivery Systems”, sharing the latest achievements in the field. Professor Xu Chuanrui, Vice Dean of School of Pharmacy, analyzed the current state and globalization trends of the pharmaceutical industry by integrating academic and industrial perspectives. Cheng Xianzhi, a Chinese student from School of Pharmacy, shared his scientific research outcomes, while two MBBS international students from School of Basic Medicine, Tan Zi Yee and Chaowpawee Chotibunt, presented their gold award-winning project from a national medical innovation competition.

Following a preliminary selection process, 16 research projects by international students were presented on-site. During the evaluation, Wajid Hussain from Wuhan Textile University received “The Best Reporter” award, while Abdullah Faris from Huazhong University of Science and Technology and Ashenafi Assefa Gebremariam from Huazhong Agricultural University were awarded First Prize in the poster presentation session. 

On the morning of October 12, participating faculty and students visited the Jiuzhou Shangyi TCM Clinic to learn about innovations in traditional Chinese medicine and industrial development, deepening their understanding of China’s pharmaceutical culture.

In a post-forum interview, Professor Chen Rong stated that, leveraging the university’s strengths in engineering and medicine, the forum deepens education for international students to understand and befriend China, supports the “Double First Class” initiative and global development strategy, and cultivates young future leaders with a deep appreciation for China, thereby promoting Sino-foreign exchanges. Guided by the principle of “promoting knowledge through learning and promoting action through knowledge”, the forum aims to build a sustained platform for exchange and assist HUST in becoming a preferred destination for outstanding young talents worldwide.