Financial muscle

Among the first few Chinese universities to receive foreign students, it is still well regarded for its longstanding inclusiveness and openness thanks to its international events, introducing renowned foreign experts, including economist and Nobel Prize winner Eric Maskin, and forging partnerships with the London School of Economics and Political Science, the National University of Singapore, Tilburg University and Macquarie University.

"We are also optimizing the faculty structure by recruiting more teachers with an international work and education background," she adds. "Such internationalization efforts help to boost the university's quality of education, academic reputation and international influence."

Wang has also been engaged in promoting international programs for nearly two decades, and she shares a tip for forging quality partnerships with foreign universities and institutes－to ensure effective communication with university leaders, department directors and professors before signing the agreement.

Separately, the university initiated a two-week summer school in July where students could listen to the speeches of experts from different fields, and be trained to apply for internships in the European Union and other international organizations, as well as visit enterprises or governmental bodies there to get practical experience.

For instance, she says that law majors could study economic cases at a court and finance majors could go to an incubator to find out how to start a fintech company from scratch.

As this year also marks the 70th anniversary of the university, she says it is the right time to articulate the university's vision for the future.

"We aim to develop the university into a center of international research and diverse cultures, but it can't be done at one go. So, it might take another 10 years to reap what we sow now," she says.

Contact the writer at xingwen@chinadaily.com.cn