hanghai International Studies University (SISU) always puts emphasis on students’ global engagement. There are many study abroad and exchange programs for SISU students. Students go abroad via those programs to broaden their horizons and gain valuable experiences.

SISU’s Office of International Cooperation and Exchange recently released some statistics on how the graduates of 2015 participate in the programs.

Statistics show that 466 of 1,075 language major students take part in exchange programs during their university years, while only 92 in 401 non-language major students take part. Language major students make up 83 percent of all the students that go for the programs.

Exchange programs of SISU fall into four categories: national-funded programs, university-level programs, school/department-level programs and individual programs, in which university-level programs and school/department-level programs have the higher proportion.

Exchange students participate in different kinds of activities according to the types of their exchange programs. They may take part in international conferences, take an internship, accept cooperative training and so on.

Students can choose the duration of their programs, mostly ranging from three months to one academic year. Some programs can even last longer.

The costs of the exchange programs concern students who plan to take exchange programs in the future. Good news is that 64 percent students get subsidies or scholarships, which relieve their burden.

Yu Shijie from the School of Journalism and Communication, who went to University of Montana in the United States as an exchange student in the last summer holiday, said that SISU refunded her expenditure on air tickets, which cost her about 10,000 RMB. She spent about 20,000 RMB all together on her trip.

Furthermore, about 68 percent of the students in the exchange programs gained credits for their studies abroad, five out of 558 even got a diploma from overseas schools.

You Jiaying from School of Education, who went to Washburn University last semester, said that she knew more about culture, life-style and religions of America during her trip. “It changed my view and value to some extent,” she said.

Inevitably, exchange students were confronted with difficulties, including language barrier and cultural shock. Su Liya from School of English Studies, who went to Royal Holloway, University of London as an exchange student, said that teachers and students brought up the culture and history of Britain naturally, which was completely unfamiliar to her.

According to SISU International Office, SISU has till now established cooperative relationships with 320 universities and institutions in 56 countries and regions, and the proportion of the students that go for exchange programs is rising in the last five years.