From 19 to 17 January 2022, the first online winter camp of the third session of the CAMPUS Asia program,T2KN Campus Asia Plus Online Winter Camp, concluded successfully. The winter campwas organized by the Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) and supported byTsinghua University (THU) in China, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) inROK, and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore. A total of 32 students from the four universities participated in the program. The winter camp, themed “new contribution of art, science, and technology in the new corona era,” covered a wide range of topics, such as science and technology integration, the new space economy, digital heritage, an intelligent battery, and so on, integrating the best educational resources of these top-notch universities. Activities were rolled out in various forms, including lectures, student group discussions, team projects, and presentations. The 3-day online learning event via e-platform attested to the fact that having lectures and discussions online was viable and effective, and young Asian students also developed a better understanding of each other and fostered friendship in the process.
Opening Ceremony
The opening ceremony of the winter camp was held on 17 November and moderated by Professor Masashi Shirabe of the Institute of Liberal Arts of Tokyo Tech. Professor Li Mengfrom the Department of Civil Engineering of Tsinghua University, Associate Professor Kim Shin-Hyun from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, and Professor Fan Hongjin from the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, NTU,gave opening remarks to welcome the students from the four universities. They also said that besides expanding their horizon, strengthening their capability in interdisciplinary learning, enhancing communication, and cooperating through cross-cultural teamwork projects, the winter camp was an excellent opportunity for students to learn more about the culture of neighboring countries and promote mutual trust and friendship with their Asian peers. Following thespeeches, all 32 participating students presented themselves.
Opening Ceremony of the Winter Camp
Lectures
Scholars and professors from Tokyo Tech, Tsinghua University, NTU, and KAIST gave students a series of fantastic lectures.
01
Inventing the New: The Emergence of Innovative Research through the Integration of Science and Art
Professor Kayoko Nohara from Tokyo Tech, specializing in translation study and science communication at Tokyo University of Technology,introduced STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics), an emerging discipline worldwide and a new focus of research. In her lecture, she invited students to design Japanese tea ceremony vessels in novel, useful and amusing forms to learn about the interaction of science and art. She pointed out that the social issues we were facing had changed significantly compared to those in the past. Thus, their solutions relied on the interplay of different factors, innovative research subjects, methods, and flexible attitudes. In this regard, integrating science and art as two creative cultures would be of significant importance.
Lecture by Kayoko Nohara of Tokyo Tech
02
Develop Futures Literacy and Design for New Future Well-being
Associate Professor Fu Zhiyong from the Academy of Arts & Design of Tsinghua University presented in full detail that a key approach to nurturing future talents with good qualities lies in combining art and science in exploring a diversified future. Such an approach should guide students with interdisciplinary backgrounds to forecast future demand, reflect their thought for the future in the design, use virtual reality to design future space life scenes, and visualize them with tool platforms of the virtual world to present an ideal future in various forms.
Lecture by Fu Zhiyong of Tsinghua University
03
Make Future Batteries Smarter
Professor Fan Hongjin from the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences of NTU introduced high demand for smart and flexible electronics by our generation and the generation to come. These electronics needed a smart, durable, and highly stable power source. Thus, lithium-ion batteries widely applied today face new challenges. Developing smarter and safer batteries compatible with various electronic devices was imperative. He elaborated on how to deal with these challenges and the most updated progress the industry made in developing aqueous batteries of high safety, printable paper-based batteries, andbatteries that could withstand overheating and high current charging/discharging.
Lecture by Professor Fan Hongjin of NTU
04
Digital Meets Heritage: What Can Digital Do for Heritage?
Professor Ahn Jaehong from KAIST pointed out that digital technology was exerting a huge influence on all walks of life in an information society. Our culture got reshaped or presented digitally, and this was particularly true for cultural heritage. He reviewed the technologies applied, relevant problems that occurred, and the current status in different subfields related to the digital estate. He shared his views on the perspectives and attitudes a researcher should take in digital heritage study.
Lecture by Ahn Jaehong of KAIST
Student-led Activities
Four student activities were carried out during the winter camp, each led by one of the four universities. Students introduced their countries' cultures, customs, and universities' unique features in these activities. The interesting and interactive activities broke the ice among the students and drew them closer to each other with small games such as guessing and reason games. Through the games, students better understood the culture of different countries and schools and promoted cross-cultural communication.
Student Representatives from the Four Universities Chaired the Activity Their Universities Led
Team Projects
Participating students were divided into five groups in the theme discussion, including students from four universities. Focusing on “New Contributions in the Integration of Art and Technology in the New Era,” they came up with the name for the team project. During the three-day lectures, interactive exchanges, and group discussions, students successfully completed the team project and reported to students and evaluation teachers in the form of a group presentation. Depending on the scoring and comment of project leaders from the four universities and the mutual evaluation of students, three teams stood out, winning the best display award, the award for being the most popular among teachers, and the award for being the most popular among students. Student representatives from the two award-winning teams gave their acceptance speeches, respectively, showed appreciation for team members for their dedication and cooperation, and expressed their heartfelt thanks to the teachers who worked hard to prepare for the winter camp.
Group Presentations
Ceremony for Award Winners and Certificate of Completion
Closing Ceremony
The first T2KN Campus Asia Plus Online Winter Camp was concluded successfully on the afternoon of January 19. Project leaders from the four universities delivered closing speeches and congratulated students for completing the three-day winter camp. This year’s winter camp has effectively strengthened intercollegiate exchanges with which students gained knowledge and friendship. The four universities have built a platform through “CAMPUS Asia” to encourage students to study, research, and exchange ideas. This program is a great opportunity for them to expand their horizons, strengthen their understanding of different countries and cultures in Asia, and enlighten them to promote the prosperity and development of Asia.
Group Photo at the Closing Ceremony
Student Reflection
Tian Dianzhe
School of Life Sciences
It is my great pleasure to participate in the CAMPUS Asia Online Winter Camp during the winter vacation and make friends with students from Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Singapore. The subject of this winter camp was “integration of science and art,” which aimed at improving the art appreciation and creative thinking of students who majored in science and engineering like me. I learned a lot not only from the lectures given by professors from the four universities but also from student activities where I cooperated with outstanding young fellows from other countries in Group 1. Teamwork improved my logical thinking and English expression. Later on, I hope to keep in touch with my foreign friends and continue participating in activities organized by CAMPUS Asia to gain more knowledge and foster friendship.
I am fortunate to participate in the winter camp of CAMPUS Asia, where I met amazing teachers and helpful friends, which was eye-opening. Although the camp lasted only three days with a tight agenda, we still learned about the countries' cultures and schools' differences. In a world loomed by the continuous COVID-19 pandemic and faced with a complex and ever-changing natural and international environment, the development of science and technology is supposed to be propelled by the nurturing of a humanitarian spirit. In contrast, cultural research is also underpinned by science and technology. The online international communication was a nice try. We had an in-depth and diversified discussion around this subject. It is fascinating to hear students from different cultural backgrounds share their opinions.
Han Jingyue
Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
Liang Yifei
Xinya College
The three-day online winter camp is beyond my expectation. Although it was an online event, the activities were meticulously organized and prepared. Relevant materials and souvenirs were delivered to us on time. Being in different countries did not stop us from wearing the unified T-shirt that made us closer. The lectures delivered by professors at the winter camp provided me with new insights into design, art, and technology. Student activities introduced me to countries that used to be alien to me. My group focused on “online learning of art and technology during the pandemic,” in the process of which I enriched my vision, practiced my English-speaking skills, and made some new friends. In conclusion, I was greatly impressed by the online winter camp. It is such a piece of unforgettable memory.
In this winter camp, I learned a new concept - thinking about the innovation of science and technology from the perspective of art. Teachers from four universities in China, Singapore, Japan, and South Korea brought us wonderful lectures, all focusing on how to create new inventions and improve existing technologies in a humanistic way of thinking so that technology can better serve human beings. In the process of using technology, I felt a profound artistic heritage. I teamed up with students from three other universities to complete the exploration of the future development of electric vehicles. Combining design and aesthetics, I proposed that against the backdrop of the pandemic, it was imperative to reduce carbon emissions by encouraging more use of electric vehicles and promoting vehicle sharing to strengthen the communication and collaboration between people to get the best travel experience. During this process, we engineering students who were shy gradually became talkative as we got to know each other. I learned a lot from team members, in particular their attitudes toward doing scientific research, and I felt their kindness and inclusivity. In short, this special online winter camp taught me to think of a problem from multiple perspectives and fostered a friendship. Thanks again to Tsinghua University and three other schools for the opportunity!
Li Ruyi
School of Environmental Sciences
Deng Zhiyu
Department of Precision Instrument
I am very honored to participate in this “CAMPUS Asia” online winter camp. During the three days, I got to know peers from the Republic of Korea, Singapore, and Japan and completed a group task together. They were enthusiastic, lively, and thoughtful and played a very important role in teamwork, which impressed me. Of course, another student from Tsinghua University in the group was also outstanding, and I believe weshowed the best as Tsinghua students. I am very grateful to the staff who organized this event, as well as the professors and students who participated in the event. It will be an unforgettable memory for me.
Although the online winter camp of CAMPUS Asia lasted for only three days, we were quite busy. Students from China, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore collaborated, brainstormed, played games, and completed group tasks. We learned about the culture of our countries and attended online lectures. We not only experienced the charm of interdisciplinary communication but also harvested friendship.
Wang Yi
Institute of Education
CAMPUS Asia Program
CAMPUS Asia Program, fully named “Collective Action of Mobility Program of University Students in Asia,” is a multilateral cooperation flagship program led by the government of China, Japan, and the ROK, involving key universities in the three countries. The Program aims to promote quality-assured student mobility and cultivate talents in Asia with a cross-cultural perspective to enhance the overall international competitiveness of Asian universities.
The program was launched as a pilot program in 2011 and officially implemented in 2016. In 2021, key universities of ASEAN countries joined for the first time, and the third session of CAMPUS Asia kicked off. Since Tsinghua University was approved to implement TKT CAMPUS Asia Program in 2011, it got approved again in 2021 to carry out the third session of the CAMPUS Asia program – “T2KN Science and Technology Education and Research Consortium of Top Asian Universities”, consisting of Tsinghua University, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Since the implementation of CAMPUS Asia in 2012, Tsinghua University has sent nearly 200 students to study at two of its partner universities in Japan and the Republic of Korea.
