More than 30 foreigners from 17 countries celebrated the Chinese New Year at Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (SIAT), on the afternoon of January 9, the first Chinese New Year Event held this year for international students and staff.

"In the past 13 years SIAT made significant achievements. It has an open and excellent environment for foreign students and staff to study and work hard here,” said Vice President Zheng Hairong. On behalf of the Party and administration leaders of SIAT, Zheng extended his greetings for the upcoming Spring Festival, introduced the main work and development of SIAT in recent years, and shared his own experience of studying abroad.

Group Photo [Image: SIAT]

Professor Horst Voge and Professor Olaf Eichstadt, as representatives of foreign staff, described their experiences as international teachers working in the institute as well as their learning experiences and ways of doing scientific research with the foreign students.

"I am so glad to be a member of SIAT; there are plenty of opportunities for us,” said Adeleye Oluwatosin Adeshakin, the winner of this year's President’s Award of SIAT. Oluwarotimi Williams Samuel, a CAS-PIFI (CAS President's International Fellowship Initiative) winner of last year, also shared his 8-year research and life experience in China at the event.

Foreigners play a puzzle game together. [Image: SIAT]

After the meeting, participants went to the Shenzhen Reform and Opening-up Museum and Shenzhen Happy Coast for a visit. The surging tide of China's reform and opening-up has deeply impressed all the international friends, giving them a deeper understanding of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the development of Shenzhen.

“China's speed amazed the world,” said everyone present at the event. “It is indeed an honor to work and study in SIAT, so that we have the opportunity to witness and participate in the development of Shenzhen and China as a whole. We will spare no efforts to become excellent ambassadors for the dissemination and exchange of Chinese and foreign cultures!”

 Source: SIAT