From July 3rd to August 11^th2023, a group of sixteen undergraduate students from Zhejiang University (ZJU), representing ten different majors, participated in the Summer School Program organized by the University of California, Berkeley (UCB). This initiative was made possible through the coordination of Zhejiang UniversitySchool of Economics and was financially supported by the ZJU Che Yueqiao International Exchange Fund.

Students had the freedom to select courses based on their individual interests from a diverse array of over 600 summer courses. These courses encompassed a wide range of subjects, including psychology, behavioral economics, legal writing, job search skills, and etc.

UC Berkeley Summer Sessions is dedicated to providing high-quality, innovative academic courses and experiential educational opportunities during the summer months. With access to UCB's world-renowned faculty and teaching resources, ZJU students received exceptional service and gained valuable insights into their chosen fields of study.

One student, Yang Yunlong, majoring in Finance, enrolled in the course titled "Psychology and Economics." Throughout this course, he acquired the skills to analyze and construct economic models in situations where rational assumptions fail. Yang expressed his transformative experience, saying, "I used to naturally embrace the rational assumption until I attended the class. I discovered how frequently this assumption falls short in real-life situations. Exploring the world without this assumption has become an intriguing endeavor for me. I am now genuinely interested in this field and may even consider it for my future academic pursuits".

Interesting lectures

Yirui Li, a student majoring in Communication, chose the course Public Economics because of her future career planning. She was pleasantly surprised to find that this course not only taught her knowledge of economics, but also made her realize the importance of the humanistic concernduring global practices. “Faced with the difficulty of using a new language for learning and living, I have put in more effort than before. I have found that economics not only stays at the theoretical level, but is also an effective tool for helping poverty alleviation, balanced development, and so on. It has indeed improved the lives of thousands of people”, She said. This experience has strengthened her desire to devote herself to the field of economics.

Delicious food of UCB dining hall

Although various contradictions and conflicts still exist in the current global society, cultural knowledge exchange can always break boundaries and reunite people. This unforgettable journey also constitutes a unique and meaningful memory for all participants, bringing profound impacts on their future growth and development.

Lankmark of UCB

Zhejiang University has been partnered with the University of California, Berkeley for over 5 years. Each year ZJU has a group of approximately 20 undergraduate students attending the summer school program. The program enriches students’ international experiences and visions, which is also part of ZJU oversea training modules.