Between January 22 and February 4, 2024, a group of 14 undergraduate and graduate students from the USST, which included students from the Business School, participated in the Oxford Prospects Programmes (OPP). The team was led by Pu Yingying, deputy secretary of the Party Committee of USSTBS, and Liu Weiwei, director of the Department of Transportation System Engineering. The programme was expected to strengthen the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2019 between USST and the Oxford Prospects and Global Development Institute (OPGDI), and to foster academic exchanges and collaborations in the fields of economics and management.
Oxford Prospects Programmes
Oxford is the oldest university in the English-speaking world and has been at the forefront of cutting-edge thinking and shaping the world. It has been ranked No.1 in the world in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings for seven consecutive years from 2017-2023. The University of Oxford has a strong faculty team, with 83 Fellows of the Royal Society and 125 Fellows of the British Academy. In its nine centuries of history, Oxford has nurtured many outstanding leaders in various fields, including 6 British kings, 30 British prime ministers, many foreign heads of government, over 70 Nobel Prize winners and numerous world-renowned writers and scientists.
The Oxford Prospects and Global Development Institute (OPGDI) of Regent’s Park College, University of Oxford stands united with other academic communities. An intellectual winter scheme is designed for academically gifted university students from overseas. During this period, students from more than 20 prestigious universities across China participated in the program, they studied and lived together at the University of Oxford for two weeks. The structured schedule introduced students to British life and culture, as well as the opportunities available for postgraduate study and careers in Oxford and throughout the UK.
Faculty and students participating in the 2023 Oxford Prospects Winter Programme
Interdisciplinary Academic Lectures: Exploring Diverse Research Fields
The Oxford Prospects Winter Programme attracts many students due to its interdisciplinary teaching approach. The programme consists of 5 modules, 20 research fields and over 90 topics. The lecturers are professors and scholars from different departments of the University of Oxford, and students also have the opportunity to study with academicians and experts from various industries. The students of USSTBS chose two modules, namely Business-Finance-Management and Maths-Computer Science-Engineering: the former covers topics such as sustainability, digital transformation, quantitative economics, game theory, cryptocurrencies, innovation and entrepreneurship, labor market, the political economy of international business, and the challenges of multilayered systems, while the latter deals with issues such as how the use of big data will drive innovation in smart cities, what are the better sources of energy for a low-carbon future, and how will artificial intelligence help smart manufacturing realize personalized production, etc. These courses guide students to gain a deeper understanding of social phenomena and explore a series of topics like decision-making, market economy.
Interdisciplinary academic lectures
The academic lectures are taught in English, and students are provided with course videos and class notes. After each lecture, a 1-1.5 hour discussion is organized to answer students' questions and review their assignments. The assessment of this session consists of attendance, regular performance, two class assignments, an academic presentation and a course report. Our students obtained excellent results through their active efforts and they were all awarded the OPP Certificate of Completion.
USSTBS students made a course report
Students are awarded the Certificate of Completion
Academic Workshops: Enhancing Research Skills
Academic workshops are one of the key parts of the Oxford Prospects Winter Programme. These workshops help students develop their critical thinking skills and research abilities, as well as clarify their academic and career goals. Professors from the University of Oxford prepared various content, covering practical skills such as academic presentations, English essay writing, CV making and university application tips. Then students could choose what they prefer, for example, the round-table forums with Oxford students and alumni, film production workshops…which would provide valuable opportunities for learning and communication. At the end of the programme, the individual project report and the creative project completed by USSTBS students were awarded the TOP5 trophy.
Exchanges with Oxford Professors 1
Exchanges with Oxford Professors 2
The round-table forum with Oxford students and alumni
Students were writing a short film script
Students were making a short film
USSTBS students were awarded the TOP5 trophy
Cultural Experience: Exploring British Culture and Life
During the study period, students experienced the culture and historical traditions of the United Kingdom. They visited various historical and industrial landmarks such as the British Museum, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Tower Bridge, Silverstone Museum, the birthplace of William Shakespeare and Windsor Castle. Additionally, activities such as the Oxford Ball Evening and the Oxford Formal Dinner gave the students a deeper understanding of the lifestyle of the UK.
Windsor Castle visit
Silverstone Museum visit
Oxford Formal Dinner
Exchanges and Cooperation: Expanding Collaboration Opportunities
Pu Yingying and Liu Weiwei, staff and faculty members of USSTBS, had in-depth exchanges with administrators and scholars from Worcester College, Regent's Park College, and Wolfson College of the University of Oxford. They discussed topics such as global economic governance, cultural exchange, social policy, and business ethics. These exchanges helped widen the research perspectives of our faculty and students and laid a solid foundation for long-term collaborations. During the visit, the two teachers also took time to visit the University of Cambridge and paid a visit to the Xu Zhimo Memorial.
Group Photo with OPGDI
Exchanges with international experts
Cambridge University visit
Cambridge University visit
Xu Zhimo Memorial
Summary and Prospect
The Oxford Prospects Winter Programme provided our students with a platform for international exchanges. It deepened the partnership between USST and the University of Oxford. Through interdisciplinary lectures, workshops, and cultural activities, students made friends from around the world, which would help develop an international mindset and contribute to their future career development. This activity is also a practical step by USST in response to the national strategy of developing the country through science and education and strengthening the country through human resource development. It demonstrated positive progress in the internationalization of education in the Business School.
Translated and reviewed by: Nie Rui