As the gentle chirping of the summer cicadas drifts across the UNNC campus, the chapter of academic pursuit quietly unfolds. From 13^th to 18^th July 2025, the five-day international summer school aimed at enhancing global literacy concluded successfully, guiding students from China University of Mining and Technology through the vast ocean of academic exploration with knowledge as their guiding light.

The University of Nottingham Ningbo China meticulously designed this summer school programme to customise an international growth path for outstanding students from the China University of Mining and Technology. The programme is centred around academic English courses offered by the Centre for English Language Education (CELE), focusing on developing academic reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills to enhance academic communication proficiency. Additionally, the Nottingham University Business School and the Faculty of Science and Engineering provided three professional courses as an extension and supplement to academic competence. Furthermore, the programme included extracurricular activities such as Movie Nights and oral practice sessions, allowing students from China University of Mining and Technology to immerse themselves in the academic atmosphere of UNNC, experience British-style education, and write a new chapter of growth during the summer school.

Opening Ceremony: Beginning a New Chapter of Learning

At the opening ceremony, Peter and Dougal, as course leaders, gave students a detailed overview of the course structure and objectives, outlining a clear plan for the summer programme. After the welcome speech, the summer school officially commenced.

Academic English Programme Experience

As the core module of the exchange programme, the Academic English module was delivered by a team of experienced instructors from the Centre for English Language Education (CELE) at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China. With a small-class teaching model, the programme creates an immersive learning environment, ensuring personalised instruction and engagement for students from China University of Mining and Technology.

From the team-building icebreakers at the opening ceremony to the analytical training on distinguishing academic and non-academic texts, from the enhancement of oral logic and writing standards to the effective application of the Cornell note-taking method, and from teamwork practices to planning academic presentations — the six-day course advanced step by step, focusing on core academic communication skills. Through immersive learning, students were able to break expressive boundaries and lay a solid foundation for future academic pursuits in an English-speaking environment.

Three Thematic Specialised Modules

This exchange programme featured three major thematic specialised modules: Accounting Information and Chinese Enterprise Innovation, Big Data and Artificial Intelligence, and Computer Natural Language Processing. These modules were taught by three distinguished professors: Dr. Qingsong Li, Senior Lecturer in Accounting from Nottingham University Business School; Assistant Professor Dr. Zheng Lu from the Department of Computer Science; and Chief Professor Dr. Xiangjian He from the Department of Computer Science and Technology. These modules enabled students to immerse themselves in cutting-edge academic topics—from decoding corporate financial systems to exploring intelligent technology applications and breakthroughs in language interaction algorithms—broadening both the depth and breadth of their knowledge and showcasing the multidisciplinary strength of UNNC.

Campus Characteristic Activities

The programme also offered a variety of enriching extracurricular activities. Students actively participated in special events such as oral communication sessions and Movie Nights, engaging in intellectual exchanges and immersive experiences that brought them closer together while allowing them to feel the open and inclusive atmosphere of UNNC.

Closing Ceremony

At the closing ceremony, Mr. Robert delivered a speech summarising the course journey and commending the students’ efforts and progress. Student representative Xiangao Li shared his reflections on the learning experience and personal growth. Finally, Mr. Peter and Mr. Dougal presented certificates of completion to all participants and took a group photo, bringing the summer school to a meaningful closure.

The summer school has come to a successful completion. During these five days of intensive academic engagement, students not only achieved steady improvement in academic English but also sparked new ideas through professional interaction and strengthened their innovative and practical skills through interdisciplinary collaboration. This comprehensive growth experience, which combines academic empowerment, practical training, and global perspectives, is empowering outstanding students from China University of Mining and Technology to embark on new journeys of academic advancement and career development with greater confidence.