Shanghai Jiao Tong University's Global Challenge Program bears fruit

Editor's note: This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Over the past decade, Shanghai universities have been contributing to high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. This series of articles delves into the practical efforts of the universities, showcasing how their discipline-specific expertise and research capabilities empower international cooperation under the BRI and benefit people worldwide.

Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU)'s Global Challenge Program has been a significant contributor to efforts to develop the BRI.

The program aims to develop students' awareness of responsibility and patriotism, broaden their global vision, and enrich their international experiences. It consists of several projects where SJTU students collaborate with students from other countries to tackle universal challenges in underdeveloped regions. The program encourages in-depth research and the generation of feasible proposals to address these challenges.

Launched in May 2018, the program has seen 39 teams of more than 600 students and over 150 Chinese and foreign teachers from SJTU travel to more than 20 countries and regions, including Bulgaria, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Bangladesh.

One project under the Global Challenge Program focused on the development of an African Pharmacopoeia. Led by Professor Fu Lei from the School of Pharmacy, the team spent two years in Africa, developing standards for indigenous plant medicines and creating a database to support local medicinal research and standard-setting. This achievement laid the foundation for the development of an African Pharmacopoeia.

SJTU's presence in Bulgaria began in 2016 with the establishment of the SJTU Bulgaria Center. In collaboration with local institutions, the center has implemented three international projects, two of which focus on rural vitalization.

One of the projects led by Professor Che Shengquan from the School of Design involved investigating the current situation in rural areas in Bulgaria. In 2019, a team of SJTU teachers and students, along with Bulgarian students, conducted a comprehensive study on rural culture and analyzed the "Central and Eastern European 16+1 Agricultural Demonstration Zone". The aim was to provide valuable references for the vitalization of rural areas in both China and Bulgaria.