RUC International Summer School (ISS) launched its opening ceremony at the 1st Lecture Hall of Run Run Shaw Hall on June 29th, 2009. Prof. Ji Baocheng, RUC President, Prof. Yuan Wei, RUC Senior Vice President, Prof. Ma Junjie, Vice Chairman of the University Council, Prof. Chen Yibing, RUC Vice President, Prof. Yang Huilin, RUC Vice President, Ms. Hue Huanbai, RUC Vice President, attended the opening ceremony.

Deans of RUC Schools, Heads of RUC administrative offices, representatives of ISS teachers, all the ISS international students and part of ISS Chinese students enjoyed a happy and unforgettable opening ceremony that chaired by RUC Vice President Prof. Yang Huilin.

President Prof. Ji Baocheng gave a brief congratulatory speech at the ceremony. He said that it was a great initiative to launch the ISS for strengthening RUC course construction, updating talents-training module, improving faculty’s quality and promoting the overall internationality of RUC. He also said that this summer marked the first time for RUC ISS which would continue in the years to follow. Finally, he made a best wish in English “I hope International Summer School will be successful”.

Senior Vice President Prof. Yuan Wei gave an English address at the ceremony. He mentioned that RUC would arrange the best ISS courses and organize various extracurricular activities for international students to experience Chinese culture, better understand the Chinese civilization, and increase the exchanges between RUC students and international students. RUC would focus on creating a cross-cultural, transnational and interdisciplinary international campus so as to help students to broaden their international views.

Prof. Jin Canrong from RUC School of International Studies, Prof. Cheng Zhongying from University of Hawaii, USA, Mr. Jann Christoph von der Putten, a German student from Helsinki University, Finland, Ms. NG So Mun, a student from Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and Ms. Wei Wei, from RUC School of International Studies, gave their speeches and hoped to learn more about the Chinese people, history and culture through ISS, and would like to bridge for a better communication between RUC and world leading universities.

It was reported that a total of more than 2200 students attended the RUC ISS 2009, of which there were 2056 RUC students and 185 international students from more than 30 countries such as America, France, Germany, Finland, Belgium, Hungary, ROK, and so on. Experts and professors from 26 international universities such as Connell University, Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston University, University of Hawaii, Oxford University, London University, Nottingham University, University of Toronto, University of Windsor, Copenhagen University, Hokkaido University, and from domestic famous universities such as Tsinghua University, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University, would teach courses at ISS. The ISS would last 4 weeks from June 30th to July 24th. There were 57 courses totally, and except for Chinese language courses, all the other courses will be taught in English. RUC would also provide social practices, internship training and international exchange activities for students during the ISS.