To deepen international exchanges and cooperation in vocational education and expand the depth and breadth of vocational education services in the coordinated development of the grain industry between China and ASEAN, a platform for transnational talent cultivation and cultural mutual learning was established. On October 14, the year-round project of the 2025 China-ASEAN Education Exchange Week—the China-ASEAN "Journey of a Grain" Youth Research Camp—officially opened at our university. Attendees included Yu Xiangxiang, Member of the University Party Committee and Vice President; Liu Jingguang, Dean of the International Education College; Li Wenye, Deputy Dean; Nong Wenjing, Director of the International Office of Thailand's Rangsit University; Tanakorn Promkotka, Teacher from the Agricultural Innovation College; Tarit Apisitthiong, Teacher from the Food College; and 20 Thai students. Chen Wenyi, Director of the Secretariat Office of the China-ASEAN Education Exchange Week Committee, attended online to provide guidance. Together, they embarked on a new path of transnational research cooperation centered on grain. The opening ceremony was hosted by Li Haihong, Dean of the College of Grain, Oil, and Food Science.
Yu Xiangxiang extended a warm welcome to the ASEAN teachers and students on behalf of the university. She emphasized that the university has always been committed to "promoting international education exchanges and deepening the integration of industry and education." She expressed hope that Chinese and Thai youth would take this research camp as an opportunity to deepen their understanding and enhance friendships while exploring grain processing technologies and experiencing the charm of grain culture, thereby injecting youthful vitality into educational cooperation and the coordinated development of the grain industry between China and ASEAN.
In his online speech, Chen Wenyi pointed out that China and ASEAN have vast potential for cooperation in the fields of food security and agricultural technology. He stated that this research camp is not only a vivid practice of educational exchanges between the two sides but also an important initiative to support the high-quality development of the regional grain industry. He expressed hope that the youth of both countries would use grain as a medium for mutual learning and exchange, gaining knowledge and growth through practical experiences.
Nong Wenjing shared the educational characteristics of Rangsit University in the fields of agriculture and food and emphasized the importance of mutual learning between Chinese and Thai education and culture. She encouraged the students to cherish this research opportunity, delve into the advanced technologies and experiences of China's grain industry, and translate what they learn into forces driving cooperation between the two countries.
Representatives from our university's teachers and students from Rangsit University also delivered speeches. The teacher representatives pledged to provide professional and patient guidance to help everyone unlock the mysteries of grain knowledge. The student representatives sincerely expressed their curiosity about Chinese culture and the grain industry, as well as their expectations for gaining knowledge and making friends.
As the organizer of this research camp, our university's College of Grain, Oil, and Food Science leveraged its professional expertise to create research content that combines "knowledge, practicality, and fun." On campus, the research group can experience intelligent grain processing simulation systems, participate in hands-on practices of rice and wheat flour processing, and learn about nutritional meal planning and high-value utilization technologies for grain and oil waste. Off campus, they will visit local enterprises such as Yantai Dale Feed and Lanbai Foods, as well as explore the Chinese Academy of Sciences Coastal Zone Research Institute and the Yantai Academy of Agricultural Sciences to discover the integration of scientific innovation and practical application in the grain industry. Additionally, special activities such as joint lectures on food safety by Chinese and Thai teachers, emergency rescue drills on Yangma Island, and practical training in cake making and beer brewing will further enrich the research experience, deepening the integration of theoretical knowledge and practical operations.
At the end of the opening ceremony, all leaders, guests, and representatives of teachers and students took a group photo, capturing this cross-border gathering moment. Subsequently, the research group visited the university's teaching buildings and training bases, experiencing the university's educational atmosphere and the distinctive features of its grain programs up close, laying the foundation for subsequent research activities.
This China-ASEAN "Journey of a Grain" Youth Research Camp is not only a transnational practice of educational exchange but also a cultural dialogue mediated by grain. In the future, our university will continue to deepen international cooperation, fully leveraging the professional advantages of the College of Grain, Oil, and Food Science to contribute more to promoting educational exchanges between China and ASEAN and supporting the high-quality development of the regional grain industry.
