Exeter students embark on cultural odyssey through international summer school

Students have embraced the opportunity to immerse themselves in Chinese language, literature, and culture thanks to an annual summer school with one of the University’s most esteemed global partners.

Twenty-four students travelled to China last month for the 2025 Exeter-Tsinghua Joint Institute for Global Humanities International Summer School, hosted by the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures (DFLL) of Tsinghua University.

A packed two-week programme saw the students learning about Chinese art and poetry, as well as visiting several iconic cultural destinations, including the Great Wall.

“In today’s increasingly interconnected world, intercultural communication has become an essential skill for every university student,” said Professor Li Li, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Global Engagement in HASS and the co-Director for the Joint Institute. “The International Summer School provides our students with a fantastic opportunity to experience the cultural rhythms of China firsthand, gain new perspectives, and become ambassadors of cross-cultural understanding.”

A total of 22 undergraduates and two postgraduate students travelled from Exeter for the summer school, where they met counterparts from Tsinghua and several students from other international universities.

After an opening ceremony, the students spent several days learning about Chinese cultural life, the different language systems and dialects of China, Classical Chinese poetry, and the evolution of Chinese art through the ages.

Complementing the Tsinghua teaching was a session on magical realism, provided by Professor Felicity Gee, Associate Professor of Modern Literatures and Avant-Garde Studies in the Department of English and Creative Writing. The students were also taken on tours of Tsinghua’s facilities and learned some of the foundational movements of Tai Chi.

Stepping out of the classroom, the cohort enjoyed a packed itinerary of cultural visits, including to the Capital Museum of Beijing and the Yangtze River. In the second week they travelled to the Juyong Pass, a renowned section of the Great Wall in Beijing. There, they conducted field surveys and observed facilities such as watchtowers and battlements, gaining insight into the structure’s engineering and terrain adaptation. They also learned about the steps being taken to preserve the UNESCO World Heritage site.

Evelyn Barker, who is studying Ancient History and Archaeology, said: “When I joined the summer school, I had few preconceptions about ‘what China is really like’. I embarked with an open mind, ready to integrate new learnings into my worldview. This experience has reshaped and expanded my global perspective. I especially hope to bring more of China’s essence back to the UK and am seriously considering settling down here in the future.”

“This summer school enriched me greatly,” added International Relations and Chinese student, Liam Savage. “Conversations with Tsinghua DFLL students and chats with the locals during excursions and meals were deeply gratifying. This personal approach has uniquely deepened my understanding of China and significantly broadened my perspective.”

The summer school is the flagship programme of the Exeter-Tsinghua Joint Institute for Global Humanities, which was inaugurated last year.