July 18, 2025

Author: Chen Yichun

On July 14, Jinan University held the launch ceremony for its 2025 Summer Three Down to the Countryside social practice initiative and the Hundreds of Thousands of Projects youth task force. Nearly 2,000 students and faculty members, forming around 100 university-level key teams, will travel to counties across the province to support rural development through specialized practices focused on Lingnan characteristic industries, marine economy, Green Guangdong initiatives, and rural planning.

The participating teams include close to 200 students from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and overseas Chinese backgrounds, as well as international students. The university has also established nearly 20 Artificial Intelligence+ task forces dedicated to integrating social practice and volunteer services with local industrial development, driving technological application and innovation.

At the ceremony, Zhang Xiaoxin, Standing Committee Member of the University Party Committee and Vice President, presented flags to representatives of the teams. He emphasized that Jinan University has long leveraged its academic and talent advantages to achieve significant outcomes through grassroots engagement. He encouraged participants to treat practical experience as a vital part of their macro ideological and political education, translating social observations and research into actionable solutions that contribute to societal progress.

In the previous academic year, the university organized 153 university-level teams under the Hundreds of Thousands of Projects campaign, earning three provincial-level branded project awards and 11 model case accolades. In recent thematic competitions, Jinan University teams secured two first prizes, four second prizes, and one third prize, ranking among the top higher education institutions in Guangdong.

Notable projects included the International School's International Youth rural revitalization program, which integrates traditional cultural learning and educational support; the College of Life Science and Technology's Nongyun Dungang team, which helps upgrade local pepper and water chestnut industries through scientific research and standardization; and the College of Foreign Studies' Image youth team, which documents personal stories of rural revitalization through complimentary photography services for the elderly.