The 2026 HUST Global Summer School commenced on July 5, with its opening ceremony attended by President You Zheng and Vice President Zhang Yonghui.

Zhang Yonghui extended a warm welcome to young students from around the world, provided a brief overview of HUST's development, and reflected on the growth of the Global Summer School over the past three years. This flagship program has become a hallmark of HUST's openness and collaboration with the global community, with this year's program attracting over 2,400 students and scholars from both China and abroad, paving the way for even greater opportunities in cross-cultural dialogue and academic cooperation.

During the faculty representative speeches, Georgios Karalis, Lecturer at the National Technical University of Athens and a European faculty member at HUST's China-EU Institute of Clean and Renewable Energy, recounted his 15-year collaboration with HUST. Marking the 20th anniversary of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Greece, he noted that this year's summer school integrates cultural exploration with academic advancements, creating a platform for mutual learning and exchange among young people from both countries.

Chen Rong, Dean of HUST's School of International Education, encouraged participants to take their academic and cultural insights back to their home countries, and welcomed them to return to HUST in the future to deepen transnational academic ties.

During the student representative speeches, Nina Maria Tocci, a PhD student from the Polytechnic University of Turin, shared her impressions of her first visit to China, expressing admiration for China's advancements in digitization and innovation, as well as the warmth and friendliness she experienced from HUST’s faculty and students.

Guo Hongming, an undergraduate from HUST’s School of Life Science and Technology, reflected on his experience at last year’s summer school in France, illustrating the sentiment that "science has no borders when diverse perspectives converge".

You Zheng, Zhang Yonghui, and representatives of the organizing teams, including Chen Rong; Zhang Fen, Chair of the Committee at School of Mechanical Science and Engineering; Luo Xiaobing, Dean of the China-EU Institute of Clean and Renewable Energy; Liu Wei, Chair of the Committee at the School of Integrated Circuits; and Liu Yaran, Chair of the Committee at the School of Economics, launched the 2026 HUST Global Summer School.

The Global Summer School initiative was launched in 2023 in line with the "HUST Global Development Strategy 2030", and has become a vital platform for promoting international academic exchange and collaboration after four years of development. This year's school offers four major course modules: the fundamental science growth partnership program, the engineer training camp, the "Discover at HUST" summer program for international students, and the Chinese culture immersion camp. These include 35 sub-programs in which 191 experts and scholars from 21 countries and regions deliver lectures.

The event was attended by representatives, faculty members, and organizers from 29 participating departments and institutions, including the School of International Education and the School of Life Science and Technology, as well as officials from the Office of International Affairs, Office of Undergraduate Education, and Graduate School, along with over 200 students and faculty members from 15 countries, such as the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.