From July 20 to August 2, 2026, the International Summer School on "Chinese Food Science and Technology: Scientific, Sustainable, and Cultural Dimensions" was successfully held at the School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The program was co-organized by the Graduate School and the School of Agriculture and Biology of SJTU, attracting more than 40 participants from seven countries and regions, including Brazil, Norway, Singapore, Thailand, and India.

Opening Ceremony: Dialogues on the Frontiers of Food Science and Technology

On the morning of July 20, the opening ceremony of the summer school was held at the School of Agriculture and Biology. Zhao Feng, Director of the Internationalization Office of the Graduate School, extended a warm welcome to the participants who had traveled from afar, and introduced the university's international platform development and the deep research foundation of its food science discipline. Shi Chunlei, Head of the Department of Food Science and Engineering, encouraged participants to seize the opportunity for exchange and delve into the frontiers of food science and technology. Associate Professor Wang Meiyin from Singapore Institute of Technology, speaking as a faculty representative of the participants, encouraged everyone to stimulate innovative thinking through cross-national academic exchanges. Bai Ling from the School's Cooperation and Exchange Office introduced the School's graduate admissions programs.

Integrating Learning and Research: Two Weeks of Enriching Courses

Over the two-week program, participants experienced an academic journey rich in content and balanced between theory and practice. The curriculum covered frontier lectures on food proteins, food safety analysis, food synthetic biology, nanopore technology, flavor science, antimicrobial resistance, and nematode research. It also incorporated Chinese cultural experiences, with participants learning martial arts under the guidance of professional instructors.

The practical sessions were equally engaging. Participants visited the SJTU History Museum to appreciate the heritage of the 130-year-old university, the Qian Xuesen Library to learn about the spirit of a people's scientist, and the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center to understand the city's development trajectory. They also traveled to the Yili Group in Suzhou Industrial Park for a field visit, gaining firsthand experience of innovative practices in the modern food industry. In addition, participants conducted market research on topics related to food and beverage development driven by new materials or technologies, laying a solid academic and market foundation for their final presentations.

Achievement Presentations: A Successful Closing Ceremony

On the afternoon of July 30, at the closing ceremony and achievement presentation session, participants were divided into eight groups and delivered academic presentations and defenses in English, focusing on directions such as novel food materials, precision fermentation, and sustainable food development. Faculty members Shi Chunlei, Sheng Yi, and Cao Yiping served as expert reviewers and provided professional comments on each presentation.

Yin Shan, Vice Dean of the School, extended his best wishes to the participants who had successfully completed the program, encouraging them to transform the frontier knowledge and cultural experiences gained into innovative momentum for their future research, further studies, or career paths. A participant representative from Singapore Institute of Technology shared the gains from this cross-cultural research exchange, noting that the program effectively broadened their international academic horizons. Finally, all participating experts presented certificates of completion to the participants.

Deepening Cooperation: Continued Momentum for Youth Development

This year marks the eighth consecutive year that the School of Agriculture and Biology has hosted the International Summer School. Over the past seven years, the School has consistently deepened international cooperation, using student exchanges as a bridge to open channels for collaboration with overseas universities and to cultivate outstanding international students. This summer school is one of the School's important practices in deepening international education, advancing interdisciplinary training, and implementing industry-education integration, and it received strong support from the SJTU Graduate School. Looking ahead, the School will continue to leverage its disciplinary strengths to build more open and diverse academic exchange platforms, gathering greater global wisdom to advance the development of its related disciplines.