Recently, the 2026 Ministry of Education (MOE) Young Envoys Scholarship (YES) Program — Shared Journey of Youth · Experience China, a cultural exchange and vocational education experience project for American youth (Project No.: 2026—SH—FW—0083) submitted by SUCC, has been officially approved. This marks the first time SUCC has secured approval to participate in this national-level China-foreign youth exchange program. The initiative has been fully implemented and successfully concluded, representing a major breakthrough in advancing SUCC's international education development and building a new platform for people-to-people and cultural exchanges between Chinese and American youth.

Established by the MOE and centrally administered and implemented by the China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE), the YES Program serves as a core platform for advancing major national initiatives on international people-to-people and cultural exchanges. It actively responds to the important initiatives proposed by CPC General Secretary Xi Jinping: to invite 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study over the next five years, and to double the scale of exchange visits to China for European youth. Centered on cultural sightseeing, hands-on vocational training workshops, and direct youth-to-youth interactions, this program delivers an immersive study tour experience for young participants from the United States and Europe. It helps overseas youth gain deeper insights into China, while advancing people-to-people friendly exchanges between Chinese and American youth.

To ensure the orderly implementation and high-quality delivery of the program, SUCC has set up a dedicated working group. Under the guidance of the International Cooperation Division, the School of Food & Tourism has led the liaison, coordination, and organization work. The college has mobilized its professional faculty and student volunteers to provide full-process support for program planning, participant reception, curriculum arrangement, and on-site services. Leveraging the disciplinary strengths in food studies and cultural tourism, the School of Food & Tourism has tailored a series of cultural experience sessions for the study tour. Conducted in a vibrant atmosphere, the event has facilitated exchanges between Chinese and foreign youth. Participants shared ideas, learned from one another, forged profound friendships, and created numerous precious interactive moments.

The official approval and smooth implementation of the YES Program constitute a landmark achievement for SUCC. It reflects the college's long-term commitment to internationalization strategies and its consistent efforts in promoting exchanges and cooperation in vocational education between China and foreign countries. Taking the successful completion of the YES Program as a new starting point, SUCC will continue to leverage this national-level youth exchange platform. The college will continue to invite more overseas youth to its campus to explore China, allowing international young participants to experience both the profound heritage of traditional Chinese culture and the dynamic vitality of modern Shanghai. Such efforts help showcase a credible, approachable, and respectable image of China to the world and further consolidate the foundation of China‑US people-to-people and cultural exchanges through youth engagement.