Home
News
In Focus
Business
Metro
Nation
World
Sports
Feature
Opinion
View more »Opinion Columns
Wan LixinOpinion deputy editor of Shanghai Daily
Restaurants get off to a quick start thanks to game-changing policies
High service charges on event ticket refunds call for further regulation
Sunday
- Subscribe
Social responsibility urged for students
By Chris Brown |
April 14, 2010, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
FACING an intensely competitive job market, university students could be forgiven for feeling pessimistic. But such thoughts were far from the agenda at Shape Your Future 2010, a recent three-day conference about leadership, dreams and social responsibility.
The conference in Shanghai, which attracted more than 150 young people, was organized by AIESEC, the world's largest student-run organization dedicated to providing students with real-world experience through internships, exchange programs and other activities. AIESEC stands for Association Internationale des Etudiants e Sciences Economiques et Commerciales.
It has more than 35,000 members in a network coverings more than 100 countries. Members are encouraged to make positive contributions to society.
The event from April 9 to 11 drew mostly Chinese students from across the country, for a weekend of "reflecting on the past," "capturing the day" and "dreaming the future."
Delegates hurried through an intensive schedule of networking events, high-profile speakers and interactive sessions designed to help them share and digest their experiences and look to the future.
AIESEC exchanges at home and abroad had a profound impact on many participants. Cherry Cheng, who studies law at Fudan University, spent two months in Malaysia working with HIV/AIDS patients. Since returning to China, she has used her experience to change misconceptions about the disease and its transmission.
Leadership
Dan, who is English and in his early 20s, was enthusiastic about his leadership development within AIESEC.
"What's the largest group of people you've ever managed?" he asked rhetorically. "I've led a team of over 250" on a mission in Colombia.
In one ongoing project started last year, AIESEC members, 12 international and six Chinese, went to Sichuan Province to teach a variety of subjects. It was lead by 22-year-old Jerry Zhu from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, who was president of the Shape Your Future conference.
Zhu says that in order to capitalize on their experience and talent, Chinese undergraduates should spend more time planning ahead. He observed that many fresh graduates lack hands-on experience and many lack drive.
And while AIESEC projects may give young people a competitive advantage over others, the conference didn't let delegates rest on their laurels.
"I was under pressure to make the second day of the conference all about industry experts and discussions of the job market," says Zhu, "but we were determined to place a real emphasis on social responsibility."
Keynote speakers questioned the relationship between wealth and success, while many delegates observed that there's more to happiness than a hefty pay packet.
Clara Shi and Ethel Wei said they were inspired by the speeches and Ethel summed up the mood.
"I've realized, really realized, that being happy will mean believing what I'm doing has real value," she says, and Clara agrees.
AIESEC is still establishing itself in Chinese universities, some of which remain tentative about its activities. Though the organization in China has expanded rapidly since joining the global network in 2002, a relatively small membership of just over 1,400 suggests a work in progress.
The conference in Shanghai, which attracted more than 150 young people, was organized by AIESEC, the world's largest student-run organization dedicated to providing students with real-world experience through internships, exchange programs and other activities. AIESEC stands for Association Internationale des Etudiants e Sciences Economiques et Commerciales.
It has more than 35,000 members in a network coverings more than 100 countries. Members are encouraged to make positive contributions to society.
The event from April 9 to 11 drew mostly Chinese students from across the country, for a weekend of "reflecting on the past," "capturing the day" and "dreaming the future."
Delegates hurried through an intensive schedule of networking events, high-profile speakers and interactive sessions designed to help them share and digest their experiences and look to the future.
AIESEC exchanges at home and abroad had a profound impact on many participants. Cherry Cheng, who studies law at Fudan University, spent two months in Malaysia working with HIV/AIDS patients. Since returning to China, she has used her experience to change misconceptions about the disease and its transmission.
Leadership
Dan, who is English and in his early 20s, was enthusiastic about his leadership development within AIESEC.
"What's the largest group of people you've ever managed?" he asked rhetorically. "I've led a team of over 250" on a mission in Colombia.
In one ongoing project started last year, AIESEC members, 12 international and six Chinese, went to Sichuan Province to teach a variety of subjects. It was lead by 22-year-old Jerry Zhu from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, who was president of the Shape Your Future conference.
Zhu says that in order to capitalize on their experience and talent, Chinese undergraduates should spend more time planning ahead. He observed that many fresh graduates lack hands-on experience and many lack drive.
And while AIESEC projects may give young people a competitive advantage over others, the conference didn't let delegates rest on their laurels.
"I was under pressure to make the second day of the conference all about industry experts and discussions of the job market," says Zhu, "but we were determined to place a real emphasis on social responsibility."
Keynote speakers questioned the relationship between wealth and success, while many delegates observed that there's more to happiness than a hefty pay packet.
Clara Shi and Ethel Wei said they were inspired by the speeches and Ethel summed up the mood.
"I've realized, really realized, that being happy will mean believing what I'm doing has real value," she says, and Clara agrees.
AIESEC is still establishing itself in Chinese universities, some of which remain tentative about its activities. Though the organization in China has expanded rapidly since joining the global network in 2002, a relatively small membership of just over 1,400 suggests a work in progress.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
