Background:

Program locations: Yunnan Province

Duration: 27 December, 2026 – 7 January, 2027

Study Language: English

Accreditation: 2 credits

Calculated as 1 credit per 16 contact hours (1 contact hour = 45 minutes)

Eligibility: Full-time undergraduate students from all disciplines are welcome. Students must have a good command of English.

Slot: 10

Testimonials:

This winter program allowed me to deeply appreciate the beauty of nature, providing a break from the hustle of the city. Our visit to the Bufang Apple Farm showcased a sustainable business model that not only protects the environment but also generates economic benefits. From this, I realized that economic development and environmental protection are not contradictory; through excellent business models, achieving a “win-win” outcome is entirely feasible.

— Shaotian Sun, Senior at GC

Through this course, we have gained a deep understanding that environmental conversation necessitates an integration of technology and ecology. By innovating our approaches, we can introduce advanced technologies into ecosystems, harnessing their power to address environmental challenges while preserving the natural ecological balance to the greatest extent possible. Such strategies will serve as sustainable models for future environmental efforts, ensuring the long-term well-being of our shared planet.

— Yifan Chen, Senior at GC

Background:

Program locations: Turfan and nearby areas, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region; Dunhuang, Gansu Province; Yinchuan and nearby areas, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region

Duration: 27 December, 2026 – 7 January, 2027

Study Language: English

Accreditation: 2 credits

Calculated as 1 credit per 16 contact hours (1 contact hour = 45 minutes)

Eligibility: Students should have completed at least one course in Chinese language or culture, or submit a personal statement in the application and receive approval from the instructor. Students must have a good command of English.

Slot: 10

Testimonials:

I really admire Prof. Xu’s statement on Chinese cultural boundaries: “We often have heavy stereotypes about Chinese culture, especially from the Ming and Qing dynasties. However, when discussing the broader context of Chinese culture, we need to be particularly cautious.” Through engaging with relics spanning thousands of years, the weight of history and the complexity of culture become clear. Simplistic notions like “the Silk Road is just silk and just a road” are corrected, allowing us to gain a deeper understanding of the richness of Chinese civilization.

— Zixuan Yang, Freshman at JI

We explore ancient sites with youthful enthusiasm. Whether riding bikes on Xi’an’s ancient walls, waving from the colorful cliffs of Danxia, or feeling the thrill of fast downhill slopes, these experiences are memorable. On the last day of 2023, we stopped at Xiaofangpan City. The sunset at Yumen Pass was late, but no one felt cold. As the last rays of sunlight in 2023 faded, Prof. Xu asked us, “How do you feel? Quite sentimental, right?” All I could think was, “Time flies, mountains and rivers are vast.”

— Hongfei Zhu, Freshman at JI

Background:

Program locations: Guangxi Autonomous Region

Duration: 4 – 15 January, 2027​

Study Language: English

Accreditation: 2 credits

Calculated as 1 credit per 16 contact hours (1 contact hour = 45 minutes)

Eligibility: Basic experience python (numpy, scikit-learn, pandas, etc.) is required

Slot: 10

Testimonials:

Though two weeks of study may seem brief, our journey from the basics of image annotation to model training has offered a profound glimpse into the research process of data science. It has provided me with an opportunity to actively pursue knowledge and exploration. The experiential learning gained from this immersion is invaluable for shaping my future career path. I eagerly anticipate engaging in further practical leaning experiences across various domains.

— Yerui Huang, Senior at GC

The two-day trip to Xishuangbanna was brief yet unforgettable. Upon returning to Kunming, we resumed our studies related to data. We further explored methods of detecting various animals and visualizing the data. Throughout this learning experience, we gained a wealth of knowledge on how to formulate questions, design models, solve problems, and present findings. In the future, we aim to apply the skills learned during the winter program to more projects.

— Jiachen Lyu, Graduated from GC

Background:

Program locations: To Be Decided

Duration: 27 December, 2026 – 7 January, 2027

Study Language: English

Accreditation: 2 credits

Calculated as 1 credit per 16 contact hours (1 contact hour = 45 minutes)

Eligibility: Full-time undergraduate students from all disciplines are welcome. Students must have a good command of English and need to bring their own digital cameras.

Slot: 10

Testimonials:

This experience is a blend of excitement and enrichment. We’re explored scheduled forest waterfalls, wandered through local markets at dawn, and embarked on lengthy bus rides to visit coffee plantations and remote tea-growing villages. Armed with our cameras, we capture the essence of unforgettable people and events, as well as the rich tapestry of local customs. Though photography, we gain a fresh perspective on the world around us.

— Jinhao Yu, Junior at GC

Instead of visiting the popular tourist spots, we aimed to explore the most authentic aspects of Yunnan. With our cameras in hand, we began to notice the interplay of light and shadow, experiencing the aesthetic impact of seemingly insignificant details. We sought out the most primitive landscapes and the most genuine local life. Looking back at each photo and recalling the stories behind them, we finally understood the true essence of ‘Exploring the World’.

– Haoyang, Junior at GC

Background: During this course, students will travel through urban and remote areas of China, engaging and learning about the practice of travel writing. They will place themselves in the middle of their stories as they ask difficult questions both of themselves and the places that they visit. Students will be asked to read several pieces in advance of the trip, and through daily writing exercises and engaging the local settings, they will uncover truths about life and culture, and with some luck, about themselves as well.

Program locations: To Be Decided

Duration: 27 December, 2026 – 7 January, 2027

Study Language: English

Accreditation: 2 credits

Calculated as 1 credit per 16 contact hours (1 contact hour = 45 minutes)

Eligibility: Full-time undergraduate students from all disciplines are welcome. Students must have a good command of English.

Slot: 10

Testimonials:

This fusion of travel and writing revealed a side of myself I often overlook. In my busy daily life, I tend to ignore my internal state. However, the stillness of the mountains and the act of reflection allowed me to perceive more delicate emotions of mine. I learned that travel is the catalyst for these feelings, and writing is the tool that captures them. I leave this course not just with better skills, but with the realization that I write to remember, and I remember so that I may truly live.

— Wenyan Zhu, Sophomore at GC

Background: This course explores images of Shanghai, a cosmopolitan and multifaceted urban environment, as envisioned by artists and intellectuals of different periods and nationalities that shaped the current individual and societal imagery attached to the city. This exploration leads students through the various artistic and intellectual movements that formed the city’s identity, spanning from the Art Nouveau period to the expansion of the digital era along with the sociological and philosophical concepts behind this ethos.

Program locations: Shanghai

Duration: 27 December, 2026 – 7 January, 2027

Study Language: English

Accreditation: 2 credits

Calculated as 1 credit per 16 contact hours (1 contact hour = 45 minutes)

Eligibility: Full-time undergraduate students from all disciplines are welcome. Students must have a good command of English.

Testimonials:

This lesson has equipped us with a new filter-from now on, our gaze upon the city consciously seeks out the artistic codes scattered in every street corner and alleyway. What we have learned is not how to define beauty, but how to discover the ways a city uses bricks, colors, lines, and space to compose its silent declaration.

— Megan Lee Rui Qin, NTU

When strolling through the old city of Shanghai, I saw ancient buildings standing in the cold wind and heard vivid stories that once took place there. It made me think that perhaps this is history’s way of teaching us to cherish.

— Shengkang Lin, Sophomore at GC