On November 10th, the Final Evaluation and Award Ceremony for the 2025 "International Student Elites" of Shanghai Jiao Tong University was held in Lecture Hall A100 of the Student Center on Minhang Campus. Houji Wang , Standing Committee Member of the University Party Committee and President of the SJTU Overseas Friendship Association; Chao Wu , Party Secretary of the School of Design; distinguished guests from off-campus media; leaders from university administrative offices; deputy Party secretaries in charge of student affairs; coordinators of international-student programs; and representatives of both Chinese and international students. The event was hosted by Chang Shan , a 2022 undergraduate from the School of Media & Communication, and ERIK GRIGORYAN, an international student from the Koguan School of Law.
In his address, Mr.Wang congratulated the finalists and extended heartfelt appreciation to every department and school that had worked tirelessly on the selection. He observed that “International Student Elites” is more than an accolade—it embodies the promise of multidimensional excellence: Elites of academic inquiry who delve deep into their disciplines; Elites of cultural outreach who weave bonds of friendship between China and the world; Elites of public-service practice who shoulder social responsibility; and elites of innovation and entrepreneurship who dare to lead and strive to change the world. He urged the finalists to turn this honour into momentum, to serve as living bridges linking China with the globe, and encouraged every SJTU student to strengthen dialogue, learn from one another, and together cultivate an open, inclusive, and outstanding campus ecosystem.
Yang Ge, Deputy Director of the Student Affairs Office, outlined the selection process. Launched in September, the campaign attracted nominations from every school. Twenty-five exceptional students—known for their affinity toward China, academic distinction, and research impact—were put forward. After expert remote review, twelve advanced to the final showcase.
During the final round, the twelve candidates, following a random order to showcase their journeys through personal VLOGs. Delivering speeches titled “My Study-in-China Story,” and presented their understanding of Chinese culture. They revisited their original aspirations for studying in China, shared their growth and future plans, and demonstrated their love for Chinese culture, commitment to academic innovation, and passion for volunteer service.
During the voting intermission, Megan Huang, an American student from the School of Humanities, performed “When We Were Young”, winning warm applause from the audience. Following that, a joint Chinese and international student choir performed “Jasmine Flower” and “Something Just Like This”, blending tradition with modernity and East with West, vividly embodying the concept of “beauty in diversity and harmony in coexistence” in cross-cultural communication.
After on-site evaluation by the judges, the 2025 SJTU “International Student Elites” and the “Nomination Award” winners were officially announced.
沙溢 (MOHAMMAD SHAHIR SHARIFI)
Nationality: Afghanistan
School: School of Media and Communication
MOHAMMAD SHAHIR SHARIFI is a doctoral student (Class of 2023) at the School of Media and Communication. Having lived in China for over a decade, he is deeply familiar with and friendly toward Chinese culture. His research focuses on intercultural communication and media empathy, dedicated to promoting dialogue among civilizations through academic study and practice. He has delivered a TEDx talk and is a research member of the Health Communication and Intelligent Communication projects. He has published multiple high-quality papers in international journals and participated in numerous academic exchanges worldwide.
His visual and written works have won more than ten national awards and have been published. He has served as a correspondent for Xiaoxiang Morning Post, contributing over ten news reports and collaborating closely with major media such as Xinhua News Agency and People’s Daily. As an international Chinese language teacher and founder of the “Chinese Hut” learning platform, he has authored several Chinese teaching textbooks, using language and imagery to tell authentic Chinese stories and promote mutual learning among civilizations. He was also invited to attend the annual Sinologists Gala.
郝世照ADIB HOSSAIN SIJAN
Nationality: Bangladesh
School: School of Environmental Science and Engineering
ADIB HOSSAIN SIJAN is a master’s student from Bangladesh, fully funded by the Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC Type A), ranking in the top five of his major. His passion for environmental science began in childhood, inspired by witnessing pollution in his hometown’s Shitalakshya River. His research started during his undergraduate studies, focusing on textile wastewater treatment and reuse. At SJTU, he further deepened this research direction, publishing as first author in Water-Energy Nexus on accelerating aerobic granular sludge formation, and co-authoring another paper in Journal of Environmental Management on efficient nitrogen and phosphorus removal technologies.
Beyond academics, he actively engages in Chinese cultural events, sports, and volunteer activities. He promotes China–Bangladesh cooperation in environmental research and shares his study-in-China experiences on social media (1,600+ followers), inspiring more Bangladeshi students to study in China. He hopes to apply China’s advanced water treatment technologies to improve Bangladesh’s water environment and serve as a bridge of friendship, innovation, and ecological cooperation between the two countries.
陈旭YASIN AMARA SEKOU S DRA
Nationality: Mali
School: School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Civil Engineering
YASIN AMARA SEKOU S DRA is a Ph.D. student in Civil Engineering at the School of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Civil Engineering. His ten years in China have been a profound journey of discovery and dialogue. Dedicated to addressing global challenges such as climate change through solid research, he has published papers in SCI and EI journals. With great passion, he has traveled to over 30 Chinese cities, capturing the diverse landscapes and touching stories of this land through his lens and writing.
He actively promotes China–Africa and Belt and Road cultural exchanges: he has appeared on China News Service’s “Dialogue Between Chinese and Foreign Youths,” and has been interviewed by People’s Daily and China Daily to share his insights. From winning the “Beijing Chinese Star” Excellence Award to participating in the “Encountering Sustainable China” program and earning the Best Team Award at the SJTU–University of Edinburgh Low Carbon Summer School, he has consistently combined his interests in science, culture, and sustainability. He believes that science is a universal language, culture is a bridge, and youth are the builders of the future.
张子谦CHANG ZI QIAN
Nationality: Malaysia
School: School of Biomedical Engineering
A top graduate of Penang Jit Sin Independent High School, he entered SJTU in 2022 and has since demonstrated exceptional academic performance, earning A or A+ in 32 courses and consecutively receiving the Shanghai Government Scholarship (Type A).
He exemplifies cross-cultural leadership and service, serving as a member of the Executive Committee of the SJTU Malaysian Students’ Association and the SJTU representative in the Malaysian Students’ Association in Shanghai, actively fostering China–Malaysia cultural exchange.
As a debater, he helped the SJTU Debate Team win runner-up at the 2024 “Gong Cheng Ying Tai Cup” Shanghai Legal Debate Invitational. As a media leader, he serves as Head of the Douyin Operations Department of the SJTU Media Center, managing the university’s Douyin account with over 1.3 million followers and overseeing weekly news live videos to enhance campus communication.
He is deeply connected to China, actively explores diverse fields, and serves as a cultural ambassador between China and Malaysia—telling authentic stories of studying in China and amplifying the voices of global youth.
萨明凯SAMY KACI
Nationality: Algeria
School: Tsung-Dao Lee Institute
From Algeria, Samy Kaci graduated with distinction in both undergraduate and master’s studies from the University of Science and Technology Houari Boumediene. In 2022, guided by the ancient saying “Seek knowledge, even if it takes you to China,” he came to SJTU’s Tsung-Dao Lee Institute to pursue a Ph.D.
Specializing in frontier astrophysics, he has made significant contributions in cosmic ray and gamma-ray astronomy, authoring four papers published in top international journals such as Astrophysical Journal Letters (ApJL, CAS Zone 1, Impact Factor 11.7) and Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics (JCAP). He has presented at multiple international conferences and received high recognition from his advisors and peers.
He was selected as one of the first “Tsung-Dao Lee Doctoral Fellows” under the Ministry of Education’s National High-Level Talent Training Center in Physics and awarded the “Tsung-Dao Lee International Doctoral Fellowship.”
Beyond research, he embraces Chinese culture—participating in calligraphy workshops and city tours, inspiring other international students to join. Passionate about sports, nature, and volunteer work, he was featured in a Pudong Zhangjiang official promotional video and actively supports international student recruitment for SJTU and the Institute. He aspires to use science as a bridge and culture as a bond, contributing to the Belt and Road Initiative and the building of a community with a shared future for humankind.
This year’s “International Student Elites” selection not only provided a platform for SJTU’s international students to showcase their talents and engage in mutual learning but also set powerful examples of excellence. The event inspired international students to follow in the footsteps of their peers, becoming ambassadors of friendship and understanding between civilizations, and contributing youthful strength to building a community with a shared future for humanity.
Author: International Student Service Center, Academic Affairs Steering Committee
Contributing Unit: International Student Service Center, Academic Affairs Steering Committee
Editor: Yu Qinling
Translated by: Rebecca
Proof read: Rui Su
