Students from around the world unleash entrepreneurial dreams at XJTLU

Dynamic industries, leading technologies, forward-thinking solutions – these are all part of today’s China.

Against this backdrop, nearly 60 students from eight countries – Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Russia, Thailand, the UK, and China – visited Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University’s base in Taicang this summer to learn about entrepreneurship.

They were part of the XJTLU Entrepreneur College (Taicang)’s inaugural Immersive Technopreneurship Summer School programme. The four-week summer school brings students from different cultural and academic backgrounds together to identify trending societal issues and develop solutions through pitching business ideas.

“Our summer school stands out by combining hands-on, project-based learning, high technology, creative innovation, industry engagement, and – above all – fun,” says Professor Andrew King, Associate Dean of the College’s Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Hub.

“Students don’t just absorb theory; they tackle live challenges and prepare submissions for our , working alongside global peers and experts through one of the world’s most exciting hubs for entrepreneurship and enterprise.

“Experiencing China’s rapid industrial growth, paired with its rich cultural heritage – these aspects add a unique dimension that few summer programmes can match.”

A group of Immersive Technopreneurship Summer School students in Tongli, a cultural heritage village in China’s Jiangsu province. Credit: Nan Wang

The summer school is a condensed version of the teaching curriculum of the College’s Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Hub (EEH), says Dr Joe Lo, Assistant Professor at EEH. The EEH offers courses for the minor in entrepreneurship that is part of all undergraduate programmes at the College. These courses are designed to enhance students’ spirit of innovation, entrepreneurial abilities, and competitiveness for further higher education.

The summer school programme guides students to tackle industry problems via technological methods and innovation, Dr Lo says, centred on three words: exploration, innovation, and transformation.

Two students exchange business pitch ideas.

Exploration

One group of students in the summer school explored how to design a software application to provide Malaysians with improved access to services for caring for elderly people.

Dan Huang, a postgraduate student in educational psychology at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, was part of the group.

Huang says it’s difficult for many young Malaysians to juggle work responsibilities with caring for elderly family members; nonetheless, these young people are keenly concerned about their loved ones’ needs.

“Our business pitch aims to bridge the gap,” Huang says.

The percentage of citizens aged 65 and above in Malaysia is increasing. Huang says that to meet increasing demands for older adults’ care needs, the Malaysian government is emphasising use of technology, such as telehealth services.

The students’ pitch takes this into account.

“We plan to create a telehealth service making care for elderly people more accessible, so we have designed a customised software application for the Malaysian market,” Huang says.

The software will provide users with service choices like day care or nursing home care, along with a monitoring function to ensure the safety of their elderly loved ones.

Huang’s project is an example of how the summer school teaches students to apply technology to solving concerning issues.

“Alongside building technical skills in areas like AI and Internet of Things, students explore how technology can drive solutions to worldwide issues, recognising that innovation isn’t just about business – it’s about creating positive, sustainable societal impact,” Professor King says.

Innovation

Nan Wang,  a master’s student in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at EEH, says she appreciated the summer school’s gamified courses, and a “spider control game” in particular.

Nan Wang participating in the summer school.

“Using your brain to control the movement of the ‘spider’ is a mind-blowing experience,” Wang says, “But more importantly, hearing the teacher explain the technique behind it is even more exciting.”

The game allows students to control the “spider” through the beta waves generated by their brains, thereby training their concentration skills, says Dr Víctor (Vik) Pérez.

During the exercise, Dr Pérez also taught the students about the brain regions thought to be related to entrepreneurial success.

Students participating in the “spider” control session.

Transformation

Students say what they learned this summer is influencing what they are doing now.

Wang says the summer school helped broaden her horizons in artificial intelligence, benefitting her postgraduate study on the usage of AI in health care.

“I’ve learned how to apply knowledge of AI in my master’s study,” she says.

After returning to Malaysia after the summer school, Huang says she signed up for a course in nursing care for elderly people so that she can learn more about the industry through practice.

A group of students are pitching a business idea.

“Students who participated in the summer school are demonstrating lifelong learning and an entrepreneurial spirit. This is exactly what this summer school is designed to inspire,” says Dr Lo.

By Haolun Xu
Edited by Tamara Kaup and Patricia Pieterse