On January 5, 2025, the opening ceremony of the 2025 Winter Camp between Beijing Normal University and William & Mary University was held. This winter camp is jointly organized by the Institute of Chinese Culture | Jingshi Academy of Beijing Normal University and the Global Research Center of William & Mary University. Nearly 20 students and teachers from William & Mary University participated in this winter camp. Xiao Kai, Deputy Director of the Institute of Chinese Culture | Jingshi Academy, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech.

Xiao Kai expressed a warm welcome to the students and teachers of William & Mary University, recalling the profound friendship between the two universities and the history of cooperation for more than 30 years. He hoped that this winter camp would not only provide participants with an authentic, multidimensional, and comprehensive understanding of China but also deepen cooperation and exchanges between the two universities. He mentioned that the establishment of the Institute of Chinese Culture | Jingshi Academy and the launch of the "Global Development and Governance" master's program at BNU aim to focus on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and the three major “Global Initiatives”, promote academic exchanges among young people worldwide, and advance mutual learning between civilizations. He welcomed the participants of the camp to join the program in the future and become ambassadors of cultural exchange between China and the United States.

Dr. Kyuri Park, the faculty leader from William & Mary University, expressed her gratitude for the warm reception by Jingshi Academy. She encouraged the participants to make good use of the opportunity to come to China, understand the perspective of China, and attentively listen to Chinese scholars' reflections on global development issues to ensuring a rewarding winter camp experience.

Yang Lichao, associate professor of the School of Sociology, BNU, delivered a keynote lecture entitled "China's Economic Reforms: A Historical Account during 1978-2005". From the perspective of global development and governance, Yang provided a detailed introduction to the measures China has taken to promote economic development, advance social equity since the Reform and Opening Up, and its impact on the world. The students listened attentively and actively engaged in discussions, demonstrating their keen interest in China's economic and social transformations.

Student representatives from BNU participated in the opening ceremony, warmly sharing stories about their studies and campus life at BNU with the participants from William & Mary University.

As an important platform for integrating academic resources in the humanities and social sciences and facilitating cultural exchanges between China and other countries, the Institute of Chinese Culture | Jingshi Academy organized the camp to provide students from William & Mary University with the opportunity to experience Chinese society and culture firsthand, and to help students gain insights into China's wisdom and solutions in global development and governance.

The winter camp will laste for 10 days. Through a diverse range of activities, including lectures, field visits, cultural experiences, educational tours, and group discussions, participants from William & Mary University can engage in an immersive experience to deepen their understanding of contemporary China's development. The students also visited the Belt and Road School at BNU, where they had friendly exchanges with their counterparts from the school.