Ye Yukun, an undergraduate student at the Sino-French Engineer School / School of General Engineering of Beihang University, has distinguished himself as a remarkable multilingual scholar, a national award-winning innovator, and a passionate cultural ambassador.

Leveraging his trilingual advantage in Chinese, English, and French, he promotes traditional Chinese culture, bringing Eastern wisdom and beauty to a global audience. In academia, he cultivates innovation, consistently ranking in the top three of his cohort and earning honors as a Beijing Merit Student and a national runner-up in the National College Student Innovation and Invention Competition. In the arts, he is a member of the university's Ethnic Orchestra and performs on major stages both on and off campus, channeling his passion through percussion to help secure a gold medal at the Beijing University Student Music Festival.

Language as Wings: Excelling in Diverse Arenas

"Language is not merely a tool; it is a bridge connecting the world." Upon entering the Sino-French Engineer School, Ye Yukun embarked on an intensive language learning journey. Keeping pace with classroom instruction while proactively seeking breakthroughs outside class, his solid English foundation propelled him to win the Grand Prize in the 2023 National English Competition for College Students and the First Prize in the "21st Century Cup" National English Speaking Competition at Beihang's campus preliminaries.

His linguistic ambition did not stop with English. After two years of rigorous study in French, he achieved the prestigious DALF C1 diploma in his junior year—becoming the first student in recent years from the preparatory phase of his school to achieve this honor. This mastery of three languages (Chinese, English, and French) has become the cornerstone of his international academic journey.

Ye Yukun receives the DALF C1 diploma

Ye Yukun shares French learning experiences with junior students

Academic Foundation: Deeply Cultivating in Science and Innovation

"The essence of general engineering lies in identifying connections and grasping commonalities." The foundational knowledge in mathematics and physics acquired during his preparatory studies became the cornerstone of Ye Yukun's academic path. Over three years, he consistently ranked among the top three in his year, consecutively winning the National Scholarship for three years. He was also named an Outstanding Student and Merit Student at Beihang, and in 2025, received the Beijing Merit Student award.

Ye Yukun's study notes

His journey in scientific innovation is equally impressive. In 2024, he teamed up with students from the International School to participate in the National College Student Innovation and Invention Competition with their "Solar-Powered Smart Agricultural Machinery" project. Advancing through rigorous rounds, they secured the First Prize in the North China region and the Second Prize in the national finals. Their research outcomes were also featured at an international conference.

His outstanding performance culminated in being selected for the Double Degree Exchange Program with Université Paris-Saclay, achieving first place in interviews and second overall. He has now begun his academic journey at CentraleSupélec in Paris.

Ye Yukun receives the invitation letter from CentraleSupélec

Global Exploration: Broadening International Horizons

Arriving in France, Ye Yukun's language skills facilitated a rapid adjustment to daily life. However, true cross-cultural learning presented a more nuanced challenge. Accustomed to taking on leadership roles within domestic teams, he initially found himself sidelined in diverse group projects.

"A good idea would flash through my mind," he recalled, "but by the time I organized my thoughts to express it precisely in French, the discussion had already moved on. The idea stayed locked inside." This experience prompted deep reflection on how to communicate effectively and build consensus in a multicultural setting. He has since embraced these challenges, actively seeking deeper collaboration with his French peers and refining his approach to cross-cultural communication.

Academically, Ye Yukun has benefited greatly from the dual-track teaching model at CentraleSupélec that combined theory and projects. The curriculum included both rigorous fundamental courses such as thermodynamics and advanced probability theory, as well as project-based semesters focused on technical applications including artificial intelligence and Internet of Things communications. In a recently concluded mathematical modeling project simulating glucose metabolism in diabetes, Ye Yukun and his teammates not only successfully reproduced the models from the literature, but also proactively introduced new sub-models for further exploration. Ultimately, they presented their academic achievements with a complete code package and a clear defense.

When faced with academic challenges, he adopts the approach of“staying open-minded and committed, and treating knowledge gaps as patches to be fixed.”Such proactive learning and knowledge integration abilities have enabled him to move forward steadily in an international academic environment.

Culture as Bridge: Connecting Hearts Across Borders

"I want to build a cultural bridge and let the world appreciate the wisdom and beauty of the East." Ye Yukun lives by this motto. In his junior year, drawing on his language strengths, he joined Professor Zhang Xiaowen's team and took part in the project The Charm of Ancient Chinese Paintings—If Ancient Paintings Could Speak, one of Fu Lei Young Translation Talent Development Programs initiated by the Translators Association of China. As a core member, he was responsible for creation, translation, voice-over, and subtitling, bringing silent ancient paintings to life in Chinese, English, and French. The video series was released simultaneously on Chinese platforms including TikTok, Kuaishou, WeChat Channels, and Bilibili, with total views exceeding 200,000, becoming a vivid example of cross-cultural communication of traditional Chinese heritage.

On his volunteer journey, his role as a "bridge" shone even brighter. During the summer vacation of his first year, he joined Beihang "Ladder to Blue Sky" volunteer teaching team and went to Lu'an, Anhui Province, where he taught a music appreciation course. The team was awarded the First Prize in the university's summer social practice evaluation.

As a member of the French guide team of the Beijing Air and Space Museum at Beihang University, he received numerous distinguished guests and visiting groups, including Nobel laureate Gérard Mourou. With precise professional interpretation and fluent French, he vividly demonstrated the demeanor of Chinese youth.

Ye Yukun serves as a guide for Professor Gérard Mourou’s visit to the museum

Ye Yukun serves as a guide for French high school students during their visit to the museum

As a member of the Ethnic Orchestra of Beihang University, Ye Yukun deeply participated in the creation and performance of the percussion piece Ode to the East with Drums. The work won the Gold Award at the 2024 Beijing College Students Music Festival and was also performed on the stage of 2025 Science New Year's Eve Gala on Beijing TV.

"Language is not merely a skill, but a form of humane interaction with social warmth." After learning that Professor Marc-Henri Dehon, one of the "Touching Beihang”exemplary figures, was fond of Chinese culture, he volunteered to serve as a translator, facilitating in-depth communication between the professor and the conductor of the Ethnic Orchestra, and forging a cross-national friendship.

Ye Yukun performs at the 8th Beihang University International Cultural Festival Gala Night in 2023

During his study in France, Ye Yukun joined the university's badminton team and also became a volunteer tutor for French high school students. He shared his cross-cultural learning experiences, and provided academic guidance and peer support, impressing French students with the diligence and inclusiveness of Chinese youth.

From language competitions to academic pursuits, from cultural bridging to artistic stages, Ye Yukun has strived to improve himself in every field with the belief that“no effort is ever wasted,”and has conveyed warmth in cross-cultural communication with the vision of "connecting China and the world."

Editors: Lyu Xingyun, Liu Tingting