On 25 July 2025, the two-week“CQMU Study and Culture Tour 2025”summer camp concluded with a celebration of song and dance by both international and Chinese students. Organised by the Office of International Cooperation and Exchanges and the College of International Education of Chongqing Medical University (CQMU), the programme has attracted nearly 600 overseas participants from around the world since its inception a decade ago. This year, nearly 70 students and faculty members from universities in the UK, Canada, Belgium, South Korea, Sweden, Malaysia, Bulgaria, Russia, and other countries took part in this memorable international exchange experience at CQMU.
Throughout the programme, participants visited key locations such as the First Affiliated Hospital of CQMU, the National Key Laboratory of Ultrasound Medicine, and the Chongqing Human Life and Health Museum. The visit to the intelligent library at the Yuanjiagang campus allowed participants to experience how technology enhances medical education.
Many international guests expressed acknowledgement upon witnessing the widespread application of CQMU’s original technological achievements in clinical settings.
A highlight of the camp was the introduction of a new curriculum package, featuring five academic packages: Metabolomics, Chinese Culture, Public Health, Paediatrics, and Dentistry. These courses provided personalised learning options for participants from diverse academic backgrounds and allowed them to experience the high standards of CQMU’s medical education and research. In the hospital's cutting-edge laboratories and classrooms filled with the scent of medicine, medical students from different countries engaged in scholarly dialogues, transcending geographical boundaries.
CQMU’s College of Exercise Medicine and the College of Foreign Languages designed traditional cultural experience sessions, where participants explored Tai Chi’s balance of strength and gentleness, practiced Chinese calligraphy with flowing brushstrokes, and painted round fans to the rhythm of Chinese language. International students left heartfelt marks on rice paper, experiencing the true artistry of Chinese calligraphy for the first time. The joy on their faces as they completed their first characters, under the careful guidance of instructors, was evident.
Outside the campus, the city of Chongqing revealed its vibrant cultural landscape to the international participants. The cobbled streets of Ciqikou Ancient Town told the story of local culture, while the ancient carvings of Dazu Rock Carvings spoke of artistic legends. The Memorial Hall of the Palace Museum Collection's Evacuation to the South in Chongqing showcased the cultural preservation efforts of China. During the“Family Day”, international participants shared warm moments as they made dumplings at local volunteers' homes, with flour-covered smiles and tea-filled conversations bridging the gap between languages and cultures.
At the closing ceremony, certificates were awarded to the students by Mr. Xie Yonggang, Director of the Publicity Department of the CPC CQMU Committee, Ms. Yang Kunrong, Director of the Student Affairs Department, and Zhang Mi, Deputy Director of the Office of International Cooperation and Exchanges. Students and faculty shared their experiences of the past two weeks, describing the novelty of their first acupuncture experience, the warmth of learning to use chopsticks with the help of volunteers, and the awe-inspiring views of Chongqing’s mountainous landscape. The volunteers, too, experienced personal growth, transitioning from the nervousness of first-time interactions to the deep emotional bonds formed during the farewell.
Under the farewell gala spotlight, participants of different backgrounds held hands as folk songs and traditional dances shared the stage with performances by Chinese student volunteers. Malaysian participants presented a traditional dance, while faculty and students from Russia performed a choral piece, bringing together the evening’s most memorable moments of cultural exchange. As the final notes played, unspoken goodbyes were replaced by heartfelt embraces.
Since its first iteration in 2011, the“CQMU Study and Culture Tour”summer camp has grown into an important platform for international education. It facilitates cross-cultural communication and offers opportunities for CQMU students to connect with the world. As the international students and faculty departed, carrying memories of Chongqing's spicy cuisine and CQMU’s academic achievements, new stories of international friendships were just beginning to unfold.
(Translated by AI)
