From July 1 to July 14, 2024, the two-week "Plant Development and Future Agriculture" International Summer School was successfully held at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. This marks the fourth summer school organized by the School of Agriculture and Biology, aimed at expanding international influence, enhancing international students' understanding of our school, and promoting our international graduate programs. The summer school received support from the China Scholarship Council and the university.

The program attracted 32 outstanding students from countries such as Singapore, Thailand, Egypt, Japan, Mongolia, and Pakistan. These students are currently studying at world-renowned universities, including University College London, Nanyang Technological University, National University of Singapore, Singapore Institute of Technology, Chiba University in Japan, and Kasetsart University in Thailand.

This year's International Summer School focused on "Plant Development and Future Agriculture," addressing the critical issue of seed industry bottlenecks and responding to the national call to accelerate agricultural modernization and strengthen the seed industry. Positioned as an international summer school for disseminating cutting-edge agricultural science and technology, the program aimed to connect with the forefront of international academic research and focus on the most advanced scholarly achievements. Leveraging the college's high-quality resources, the summer school offered ten specialized courses covering topics such as plant hormones, developmental regulation mechanisms, and high-yield breeding.

Over the two-week period, the students were taught by a distinguished team of professors, including Du Juan, Kang Chunying, Zhou Junhui, Bernhard Grimm, Wu Guozhang, Zhang Jingjin, Hou Yingnan, Wang Chuande, Yin Shan, Yin Ruohe, and Song Shiren. These courses were designed to be accessible and rich in international characteristics, providing the students with an engaging and in-depth learning experience.

The International Summer School also arranged three field visits and practical courses. Participants were taken to national-level bases such as the Shanghai Yangtze River Delta Regional Ecological Environment Change and Comprehensive Management National Field Science Observation and Research Station and Chenshan Botanical Garden for on-site visits. These visits provided participants with opportunities to experience the development of smart agriculture and understand local agricultural features. Additionally, the program included one Chinese culture course and two Tai Chi courses to enhance students' understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture.

The closing ceremony of the International Summer School was held on July 12 in the lecture hall of the School of Agriculture and Biology. The event was hosted by Wang Zhihao from the Office of Cooperation and Exchange. In his speech, Party Secretary Hou Shibing of the School of Agriculture and Biology praised the students for their learning achievements, thanked the teachers and staff for their hard work, and wished the students continued excellence in their future studies and research with the knowledge and experiences gained from the summer school. Gao Hongbo, Assistant to the Dean, introduced the school and its graduate programs, while Xue Xundan, the supervisor of international graduate programs from the Graduate School, introduced the university's graduate programs and expressed hope to see everyone again at the School of Agriculture and Biology and SJTU. During the ceremony, students shared their reflections, and certificates were awarded to those who completed the courses.

Against the backdrop of the national strategy of "building a strong seed industry," the School of Agriculture and Biology hosted the International Summer School on Plant Development and Future Agriculture. This program covered a diverse range of activities, including courses, lectures, seminars, and cultural tours. The rich and varied organizational methods catered to students of different grades and regions, thereby enhancing the school's international influence, increasing international students' understanding of our school, and effectively promoting our international graduate programs.