This summer, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) welcomed over 500 young students from 59 countries to 2026 HUST Global Summer School.

Among them, 18 students from seven US universities took part in themed sessions on AI robotics, optoelectronics, design and manufacture of bio-inspired intelligent sensor and so on.

In the program of Optoelectronics, hosted by the School of Optical and Electronic Information, and the program of Sustainable Development of the Chinese Economy, hosted by the School of Economics, both sides jointly develop curricula and cooperation plans. US faculty members lead student delegations and participate in co-teaching, while students receive academic credits upon completion. The result is a model built on genuine two-way input rather than one-off visits.

The program of AI Robotics, organized by the School of Mechanical Science and Engineering, combined lectures by Chinese and international experts, covering AI and autonomous driving, intelligent agents in smart manufacturing, with intensive hands-on work. Students assembled intelligent logistics robots,  and worked through real engineering challenges such as encoder drift and sensor interference. Visits to high-tech enterprises complemented the classroom experience.

The US student program has now run for three consecutive years, enrolling students from universities including UC Berkeley, Columbia University and Purdue University. It is steadily becoming an important platform for science and technology exchange.

According to Professor Rong CHEN, Dean of the School of International Education and Professor of the School of Mechanical Science and Engineering, the program will broaden participation from US universities and build more regular exchange platforms for Chinese and American youth.