In 2016 Winter Vacation, three first-year students and five sophomores, sponsored by the School of Engineering Sciences (SES), Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), went to the United States to participate in two three-week academic programs.
The students, divided into two groups, attended University of California Berkeley (UCB) Winter School in San Francisco, California and the Language & Culture STEP (Short Term English Program) in University of Washington (UW) in Seattle, Washington, respectively. They experienced academic life in top universities and Sino-US cultural differences, and further firmed their brief that “ Aim high, down to earth.”
R. Zhang, sophomore, and freshmen Z. Liang, F. Zhang, K. Liu took 30-hour lectures in the UCB Winter School, ranging from American culture to technology and entrepreneurship. Not only have students gained knowledge from lectures, but they were also impressed by local students’ self-planning ability integrated-development. The students also paid field visits to the Stanford University, top enterprises in silicon valley and Museums etc.
Meanwhile, sophomores S. Liu, C. Wang, Y. Wang and C. Lu attended the STEP program (UW), during which they lived with local families. The four had 15-hour lectures per week, with abundant interaction with professors and international students. After class, the students field-visited Microsoft campus, Boeing Everett Factory, Space Needle, Pike Place Market, EMP Museum, etc.
The two groups of students reported that they have broadened their horizon, learned more about American culture, and acquired deeper understanding of science and innovation.
The School of Engineering Science will continue sponsoring students to both short-term and long-term exchange programs in first-class universities.
