At 8:00 pm on July 10 (Beijing Time), the closing ceremony of Tsinghua Global Summer School 2022 (GSS 2022) was held and concluded by Professor Li Jinliang, Dean of the International Office, Tsinghua University. Enoch Wong, Schwarzman Scholar, Senior Manager of Online Education & International Development at Tsinghua University, and Assistant Secretary-General of the Global MOOC and Online Education Alliance, and Katherin Thouvenin, a Class of 2022 French postgraduate from the School of Journalism and Communication, Tsinghua University, co-hosted the ceremony.
Professor Li Jinliang addresses the closing ceremony
Professor Li first extended his congratulations and appreciation to all GSS students. He said that in the past 7 days, they had completed the GSS program together with more than 1,000 excellent peers worldwide and had exchanges with top scholars in various fields at home and abroad.
He summarized the program with four characteristics: international, interdisciplinary, innovative, and interpersonal. He pointed out that the core aim of the GSS 2022 was to create a community with common aspirations that transcended borders and cultures, and trained global citizens. He hoped that the GSS 2022 could inspire students to think about critical global issues, better understand the opportunities and challenges in the world, and instill a spirit of innovation and a desire to contribute to the world.
Professor Li also sent the invitation to all GSS students, welcoming them to further their study or research in China, in Beijing, and in the University when possible.
• Announcing the Winners
Professor Li Jizhen announces the GSS SDG Hackathon winners
Professor Li Jizhen, Associate Dean of the School of Economics and Management, Tsinghua University, and Representative Professor of the GSS SDG Hackathon, announced the SDG Hack team awards. This year, the GSS SDG Hackathon featured a total of 11 hacks; only one team out of each hack could participate in the final. During the final, five teams were announced as the winners, including Hack 2: Circular Agriculture; Hack 3: Synthetic Ammonia Reuse Based on N2 + 3H2 ⇋ 2NH3; Hack 4: Old-Young Co-housing; Hack 6: Green Tourism; and Hack 8: FORESTwin App-An Interactive Approach to Restore and Preserve our Nature. Subsequently, those five teams gave presentations at the ceremony.
After the presentations, a short video of GSS 2022 was played, reviewing unforgettable moments with all participants. During the 54-hour program in the past seven days, through masterclasses, workshops, SDG Hackathons, and other cultural events, students have engaged in a unique interdisciplinary learning journey covering such topics as economics, sociology, medical care, education, climate change, and healthcare. In addition to enhancing teamwork, innovation and sustainable development capabilities, GSS students strengthened their understanding and connection with China and with Tsinghua University.
Several student representatives of the GSS 2022 shared their experiences and thoughts on the closing ceremony.
GSS students share their experience
Philipp Ehner from Germany said that what he enjoyed most about the Global Summer School and Hackathon was that he was able to interact with people from various cultural and disciplinary backgrounds. He also understood that “if we want to achieve a healthy planet and sustainable development, we have to implement changes at the local level”. That was the inspiration he has got from the Hack 5 “How to Build a Sustainable Lifestyle?” he participated in.
Samuel Marashli, also from Germany, shared that his team was really international, with teammates from China, Indonesia and the US. Samuel believed that the theme of the GSS this year “A Healthy Planet for Sustainable Development” considered the current situation with climate change, the different approaches that different countries are taking, and the position of the West and the other countries. It expanded his knowledge and he found it very interesting and happy to exchange some ideas with others.
Fredrick Okoth Otieno from Kenya mentioned that it was a fortune to meet people from different parts of the world and build such an amazing team in the Global Summer School and Hack 5. He thanked all the speakers to inspire the young generation to think better, think more, and come up solutions for the future.
Koida Ulyana from the Republic of Belarus said she had a lot of fun during the Hackathon with her teammates brainstorming for new ideas and exploring her chosen subject more deeply. With this year’s GSS Summer School theme “A Healthy Planet for Sustainable Development”, she believed that the project they proposed would not only find out effective solutions, but also aim to preserve the earth’s health and stability, in order to help reach even higher goals in the future.
Miyu Kakoi from Japan said she was greatly interested in the SDGs, and the GSS 2022 and the SDG Hackathon helped her recognize the importance of a healthy planet and sustainable development. To achieve this goal, human beings should not only think about it, but also take action.
Some GSS students have a group photo online
With the students’ sharing, Tsinghua Global Summer School 2022 draws to a close.
This year marks the third year of Tsinghua University Global Summer School online. Over the past three years, more than 3,000 outstanding young students have participated in the program. With openness and inclusiveness, Tsinghua Global Summer School has the aim of “independent learning, intelligent teaching, universal schooling, and high-quality education”, committed to helping young talents worldwide acknowledge a deeper understanding of the world and China in the post-COVID era, encouraging them to cooperate and innovate for achieving Sustainable Development Goals, and contribute to creating a better world.
Editors: John Olbrich, Li Han
