Qianhai academy, Z10 Club to boost Shenzhen global communication

The Qianhai Academy of International Communication and the Z10 Club were launched March 5 during a ceremony held at the Qianhai International Talent Hub. The two platforms are set to inject more innovative momentum into sharing positive stories about Shenzhen, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and China with the world.

The academy, jointly established by the Qianhai Authority and Shenzhen University (SZU), will focus on cooperation in areas such as cultivating international communication professionals, integrating resources, providing think tank services, and gathering students from Hong Kong, Macao, and abroad.

These efforts aim to help Qianhai become a more open international hub and to establish Shenzhen as a leading city in global communication. 

Chao Naipeng, head of the School of Media and Communication at SZU, was appointed head of the academy during the ceremony. The academy, located in Qianhai, welcomed its first cohort of students from Hong Kong on Feb. 25.

Chao said the academy will organize a series of international communication activities in collaboration with students and EyeShenzhen/Shenzhen Daily to tell stories about Qianhai and Shenzhen.

Also during the ceremony, the Qianhai Authority and SZU signed a comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement. The two sides will engage in comprehensive cooperation in areas such as international talent, financial technology, and the commercialization of scientific and technological achievements.

Liang Ke, deputy secretary of the Party Working Committee of the Qianhai Cooperation Zone, noted in her speech that the cooperation agreement signifies a new phase of collaboration between Qianhai and SZU.

In his speech, Mao Junfa, president of SZU, sated that the academy's mission is to enhance China’s international communication capacity and share China’s stories with the world. According to Mao, the academy will also collaborate with domestic and international mainstream media and social platforms, regularly host academic conferences, and strengthen Shenzhen and Qianhai's brands globally.

Young international students from the Z10 Club and several Shenzhen Global Communication Ambassadors were present at the ceremony. These young people will help to redefine the social landscape of the city and strengthen its international communication efforts.

The Z10 Club was initiated in August of 2024 by EyeShenzhen, the Shenzhen News Group's international communication center. Z refers to Gen-Z, individuals born between the late 1990s and early 2010s. The 10 represents the number of local universities participating in the program. The club's first cohort has over 60 international students from around 24 countries worldwide.

During the launch ceremony, three club members shared their Shenzhen stories.

Francisco Chico Manna, a freshman at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, spoke highly of the city’s public facilities, the learning environment at his university, and the variety of outdoor activities available in the city. He emphasized that Shenzhen is much more than just "China’s Silicon Valley." He has also created social media accounts to share his life in Shenzhen with Brazilian audiences. 

Shin Moon-sub, a South Korean student from SZU, shared a story about him establishing the International Choir of SZU. Through his efforts, the choir has grown from 10 initial members to nearly 100 members who hail from over 30 countries. Looking ahead, Shin wants to take the choir global, using music as a bridge to connect the world.

Juan D. Guerra, a Ph.D. candidate at the Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, stated in his speech, “Shenzhen provides me access to incredible resources, like the Shenzhen Cross-Border E-Commerce Association, which kindly reviewed my research and expressed interest. Additionally, Shenzhen's ecosystem facilitates knowledge spillover through events like AI related fairs.” 

The event also marked the launch of the Shenzhen Gen-Z Global Social Media Short Video Contest.

Moving forward, the Z10 Club will organize monthly themed activities. The inaugural event of the Z10 Club will take place in Nanshan District, offering participants the opportunity to experience the forefront of global technology and innovation, as announced during the event.

By fostering collaboration between Gen-Z students and faculty from both China and abroad, the Z10 Club aims to encourage young people

worldwide to share stories of Shenzhen's technological innovations, China's intangible cultural heritage, and personalized narratives on overseas social media platforms.