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Every summer vacation, there are dozens of programs, both within China and abroad, covering various subjects and motifs. Many UIC students take the opportunity to participate in the programs that they are interested in, and gain a lot from all these wide ranging activities.

The 2012 summer vacation saw hundreds of students take part in summer programs; they experienced teacher training in undeveloped regions of China, took courses in Hong Kong Baptist University, spent many happy hours with Cambodian children, took summer courses abroad, and joined internships in the United States…A substantial summer full of joys and gains left our students impressed with their experiences.

A quick review of some fascinating activities:

Summer Program in Hong Kong Baptist University:

The annual HKBU summer program attracted 331 students this year. There were 20 different courses for students, as well as outdoor activities, and in addition to routine arrangements, students had the opportunity to experience the new social activities in this year’s program. The HKBU summer program has always been popular with UICers, since all courses are taught by professors of HKBU, and credits are counted at UIC.

Overseas Summer Courses:

According to the International Development Office (IDO), 169 UIC students undertook overseas summer courses in 10 universities and colleges in the USA, France, Canada and Korea. Students not only took courses in different disciplines, they also experienced the local culture, customs, languages, and teaching styles in person. Many students reported that they gained a lot from the program; the courses as well as experiences offered them a wide range of understanding of foreign cultures and opportunities for reflection.

Internships in the United States:

Organized by the Four Point Education Coordination Office (FPECO) and the Division of Business and Management (DBM), 130 students went for internships in cities in China like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong. Through the Metropolitan Attachment Programme facilitated by cooperation between UIC and HKBU, 50 students went across the ocean and took internships in Chicago, Atlanta, Washington DC and other big cities in the United States.

WPEO Summer Programs:

The Whole Person Education Office (WPEO) organized several programs for students, covering volunteer services, environmental protection, and exploration. This summer, 32 UIC students and 11 staff joined WPEO and the A Dream Cherity Foundation (a Shanghai-based organisation) to travel to Guizhou, Sichuan, Liaoning, Guangdong, and other provinces in China to share short-term training courses for thousands of elementary and secondary teachers. All participants were divided into groups to offer training courses to elementary and secondary teachers. Through the face-to-face communication and sharing, teachers of undeveloped regions got to know many up-to-date teaching methods and concepts, and consequently gave their young students a better education.

As the very first summer program in UIC, volunteer services in Cambodia contributed its fourth service for local children. 14 UIC students spent their summer vacation with street children in Cambodia, offering their passion and kindness to nearly 200 children of 6 different regions. Through activities like painting, music, games and oral English, the program was of great help to improve the children’s communicative ability in English, and their potential in arts.

In addition to all of these activities, there were other wonderful programs this summer, like the Dive and Ocean Culture Trip to Taiwan and the Exploration Camp to Switzerland. Students in UIC enjoyed a colorful and meaningful summer by involving themselves in all kinds of programs, and harvested the treasure of knowledge and experience.