Zhejiang University’s SDG Global Summer School unveiled
“The SDGs are a common vision for humanity and a series of actions to benefit people and our planet,” stated Prof. HE Lianzhen, vice president of Zhejiang University, during the virtual the opening ceremony of the 2nd SDG Global Summer School held on July 31st.
Themed on “SDG for a Shared Future”, the Summer School has gathered over a thousand young students from 82 countries and regions around the world, who will be exploring innovative paths towards a sustainable future together over the next fortnight.
In her welcome address, Prof. HE Lianzhen emphasized the significance of sustainable development amidst global challenges, highlighting ZJU’s commitment to the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through its sustainability action plan “A Global ZJU for Social Good (Z4G)”.
“I hope you will translate what you have learned in the Summer School into actions, participate and work together on the road to sustainable development, take on a greater mission, and strive to be builders of world peace, contributors of global development, maintainers of international order, and promoters of human civilization,” she urged students.
Prof. CHU Chiheng, deputy director of the Office of Global Engagement, delivered the first lecture to the students, sharing ZJU’s explorations and achievements in sustainable development in terms of education, research and green campus.
“Under the framework of Z4G, in 2022 we held the first SDG Global Summer School,” he said, highlighting that the Summer School this year has been upgraded with the theme “SDG for a shared future”, embodying the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind.”
Building upon the inaugural one, the Summer School 2023 offers five academic modules, including Carbon Neutrality, Inclusive Development, Smart City, Data Visualization and Networked Autonomous Systems, aligned with 7 sustainable development goals. 14-Day Tasks, a non-curricular cultural activity, is also arranged as a complement to help student to gain insights into China and have a better understanding of Zhejiang University.
With the captivating opening ceremony, students from five continents have embarked on a two-week journey towards sustainability under the mentorship of world-class professors from ZJU and its partner universities, including Cambridge University, Imperial College London, University College London, Yale University, UC Santa Barbara, University of Waterloo, the Laboratory of Climate and Environmental Sciences (LSCE), Singapore University of Technology and Design, and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Get ready for enriching multicultural experiences!