August 14, 2025——Our College of International Education(CIE) has received the 2025 "Study in China" Award for Excellence from the China Association for International Education for its project, "Multidimensional Explorations in Traditional Opera Culture for International Students."

Rooted in Wenzhou—renowned as the “Birthplace of Nanxi Opera”—this initiative makes full use of the provincial key research base Zhejiang Traditional Opera Research and Inheritance Center and WZU’s leading academic disciplines to tackle three common challenges international students face: understanding, engaging with, and promoting traditional Chinese culture. The program introduces a structured three-stage approach that moves from cultural immersion to theoretical learning and finally to performance practice.

Through partnerships with the Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau, Ou Opera Theater, and Yue Opera Theater, the project provides co-developed courses, brings intangible cultural heritage practitioners onto campus, and incorporates bilingual instruction and immersive field studies. These elements allow students to experience traditional opera holistically—by listening, learning, and performing.

Over the past ten years, original student productions such as “Rain in the South of the Yangtze,” “Dragon Soaring and Tiger Leaping,” and “Splendid Chinese Opera” have been showcased at high-profile events like the Ministry of Education’s “Experiencing China” and Zhejiang Province’s “Dreaming in Zhejiang” programs. These performances have attracted widespread attention from both domestic and international media outlets, including People’s Daily Online, Xuexi Qiangguo, Tide News, YouTube, and Facebook, amassing over 10 million views collectively.

Moving forward, CIE will strengthen its collaborative ties with local partners to enhance experiential learning. Through immersive opera courses and performances, we aim to help more international students gain a deeper understanding of China and develop a lasting connection with our culture. Our goal is to empower them to become cultural ambassadors who are not only knowledgeable about China but also genuine friends of the country.