When Malaysian student Yew Jing Yee (Jolin) stepped onto Tsinghua University's campus for a summer program, she uncovered more than academic opportunities – she discovered a cultural bridge linking her heritage with China's innovation landscape. The electronics major, who now studies at Beijing's prestigious university, describes her journey as 'a love letter to cross-cultural understanding.'
'From night markets in Kuala Lumpur to tech labs in Beijing, I wanted to see how traditions evolve alongside innovation,' Jolin told myglobalnews.net. Her 2023 enrollment followed years of fascination with China's technological advancements and rich history, sparked during her initial summer program experience.
Data from China's Ministry of Education shows international student enrollment rebounding to pre-pandemic levels, with Southeast Asian students like Jolin representing 15% of the growth. Her story reflects a generation leveraging STEM education to address global challenges: 'I'm learning circuit design in Beijing to someday power smarter cities in Kuala Lumpur.'
Cultural enthusiasts take note – Jolin's favorite discovery was China's intangible cultural heritage preservation efforts. 'Seeing AI document ancient crafts shows how technology can be culture's ally,' she remarked, referencing Tsinghua's digital archaeology initiatives.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
