Recently, a congratulatory letter from the University of East Anglia (UEA) in the UK was delivered to International College(IC), Xiamen University(XMU). The letter mainly introduced the outstanding performance of Chen Yiwei, a student of Class 2021 of IC : “His enthusiasm and collaborative spirit have earned him high praise from both faculty and peers, culminating in outstanding first-semester results (65.33% average).” What amazed the university even more was Chen Yiwei's remarkable performance in his master's application. He has received offers from top universities such as Imperial College London, University College London, the University of Sydney, the University of Hong Kong,  University of Glasgow and University of Birmingham.

In the letter, the course director of the Norwich Business School at the University of East Anglia regarded Chen Yiwei's success as a model of cooperation between both sides: "His excellent academic performance and positive attitude prove the solid foundation laid in International College of Xiamen University. We look forward to more outstanding students like him joining UEA and jointly writing a new chapter of cooperation between the two universities." Between the lines, it is not only a compliment to the student personally, but also a high recognition of the "century-old prestigious university, the first choice for studying abroad" - the International College of Xiamen University.

In April this year, at the SQA Partnership Appreciation Meeting held in Beijing by the University of East Anglia, Professor Stephen McGuire, the Vice-Chancellor of UEA, specially highlighted Chen Yiwu as a model of the cooperation between the SQA program and UEA. He highly praised the quality of talent cultivation of our university to the attendees.

Professor Stephen McGuire, Vice-Chancellor of UEA, and Professor Tao Tao, Dean of IC

Shining Bright on the World Stage

In September 2024, Chen Yiwu, armed with the solid foundation he had acquired at IC, embarked on his academic journey at UEA in the UK. As a top-notch institution in the UK and an important research center in Europe and worldwide, UEA has extremely high requirements for academic ability and practical literacy. However, Chen Yiwu soon demonstrated his capabilities: "He won unanimous praise from both teachers and students for his proactive participation in class, rigorous academic writing skills, and innovative group collaboration."

Beyond his academic pursuits, Chen Yiwai enthusiastically engaged in life in the UK, specifically at UEA and in Norwich. He actively participated in campus club activities and endeavored to integrate into the multicultural community, thereby injecting vitality into the UEA campus community.

Moreover, with outstanding academic performance and excellent comprehensive qualities, Chen Yiwu successively received master's admission notifications from top universities such as Imperial College London, University College London, and the University of Sydney. “These admissions are not only reorganization of my personal efforts, but also also a testament to the meticulous cultivation of both prestigious institutions," he said with emotion.

Choice: Plant the seeds of pursuing dreams atIC, XMU

In 2021, when Chen Yiwei first conceived the idea of studying abroad, choosing a reliable and high-quality path for further education became his primary challenge. "At that time, I was very confused about the study abroad process and the university selection. It wasn't until a friend introduced me to International College, Xiamen University that things became clearer," he recalled. He still vividly remembered the scene when he communicated with the admission officers: "The college's diverse study abroad programs, in-depth cooperation with overseas prestigious universities, and its excellent campus environment all convinced me that this was the best choice for me."

As the only overseas study training base authorized by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange(CSCSE) of the Ministry of Education in Fujian Province, IC has been cultivating thousands of students to pursue further studies in overseas prestigious universities since its establishment in 2005. The UK Higher National Diploma(HND) International Undergraduate Program chosen by Chen Yiwai involves completing the international foundation and professional courses in China for the first three years, and then connecting with the final year of the undergraduate program at an overseas cooperative university in the fourth year. This program not only saves students' study abroad costs but also builds a solid learning foundation through systematic language and professional training, lays a solid foundation for their studies.

Accumulation: The Craftsmanship of Teachers Fuels students’ Rapid Growth

The meticulous guidance from the teachers of IC was an important boost for his growth. "The help given by Teacher Tang Feng in the writing of GU2 report is something I still remember vividly ," he recalled. At that time, in order to polish an academic report, Teacher Tang Feng often used his spare time to provide detailed feedback and guidance, covering everything from the topic selection direction to the logical reasoning, from data citation to format standardization, and correcting it word by word and sentence by sentence. Eventually, this report achieved an excellent grade of "A".

The three years spent at Xiamen University were a crucial period for Chen Yiwu to comprehensively enhance his professional competence and overall qualities. "The curriculum here is very practical. It not only has theoretical depth but also closely aligns with industry practice," he said. He gave an example: The Business Management major covers core areas such as human resources, business strategy, organizational management, and marketing. Through systematic training with tools like 4P and SWOT in the "Marketing" course, he learned to analyze business phenomena from a professional perspective. The "Human Resources Management" course guided him to enhance leadership and teamwork skills in a targeted manner by integrating career planning.

The growth of an individual is the epitome of the nurturing efforts in IC

The story of Chen Yiwu is a vivid portrayal of students’ centered philosophy of education adopted by IC. Since its establishment in 2005, the college has witnessed numerous students entering the top 100 universities in the QS World University Rankings. Over the past two decades, the college has persisted and innovated, establishing a student-education system that "harmonizes the strengths of both East and West and nurtures international talents." Just as stated in the letter from UEA : "The success of Chen Yiwu demonstrates the outstanding qualities of students from the International College of Xiamen University."

When another batch of new students walked into International College of Xiamen University, Chen Yiwai's story has become a new inspiration - in this college that nurtures dreams, as long as one harbors passion and perseveres without slackening, the accumulated efforts will eventually converge into a starry sky that illuminates the future.