The third "Growth Partners" International Summer School on Biological Sciences, themed "Explore Nature, Grow Together", was recently held at Beijing Forestry University, attracting 28 participants from 16 institutions worldwide. Vice President Wang Qiang attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech.

Wang emphasized that talent cultivation in basic sciences, particularly for top-tier innovators, is a foundational priority. He noted BFU's commitment to forestry education and ecological civilization, encouraging participants to engage deeply in academic exchange and immersive research practice.

The program featured invited lectures by Professor Hu Shuijin from North Carolina State University and Dr. Maria Daniela Artigas Ramirez from Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology. Their sessions covered global carbon cycling, ecosystem carbon sequestration, plant-microbe symbiosis, and rhizosphere interactions.

To integrate theory with practice, the summer school organized field activities at BFU's Handan teaching and practice base. Participants visited the Baizhai Science and Technology Backyard, conducted botanical fieldwork, toured a biopharmaceutical company, and explored local heritage sites.

The summer school is part of BFU's efforts under the Ministry of Education's initiative for international summer schools in basic sciences. Participants came from universities across China and abroad, including the University of Bari Aldo Moro, University of Malaya, Nanjing University, Tongji University, China Agricultural University, and others. The program provided a platform for interdisciplinary exchange and mutual growth among outstanding students in biological sciences.

Written by Gao Yufei
Translated and edited by Song He
Reviewed by Yu Yangyang