Xuzhou Medical University in Xuzhou, East China's Jiangsu province has been making efforts to help international students learn more about China and make friends with natives.
The university has organized the students to participate in Chinese language-related events, such as speech and singing contests, to improve their language skills. Activities including food festivals and sports games have also been held on campus to enhance their exchanges with Chinese students.
To help international students better understand Chinese history and culture, the university has held tours of cultural venues such as the Xuzhou Museum and the Museum of Stone Relief from Han Dynasty (206 BC-220), and hosted celebrations during traditional Chinese festivals.
International students are also encouraged to volunteer at children's homes, nursing homes and communities.
During the 2022 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, foreign students at the university experienced winter sports at a local gymnasium and learned to sing the theme song of the games "Together for a Shared Future".
According to Duan Wei, deputy director of the university's Department of International Cooperation and Exchange, Xuzhou Medical University started to offer education to international students in 2005 and has since educated over 800 students from more than 50 countries, including India, Malaysia, and Ghana.
