For a growing number of Beihang students, the path to becoming international talent extends far beyond the classroom. In recent years, many students at Hangzhou International Campus have been pursuing dual degrees at École Centrale de Lyon in France. Through glimpses into the academic and daily lives of four students abroad, their remarkable journey across mountains and seas unfolds.

Shi Wentao: Pushing His Own Boundaries in a Multicultural Environment

Shi Wentao has spent more than half a year in France. Looking back on this journey of studying abroad, it has been a mix of intellectual transformation in the classroom and unique challenges in daily life. What impressed him most was his first day in Lyon, France.

From Charles de Gaulle Airport to their destination, Shi and his companions had to overcome "survival challenges" from time to time: repeatedly confirming public transport card procedures with their rudimentary French, feeling bewildered while unpacking their belongings in the student dormitory, and navigating unfamiliar streets to find supermarkets and teaching buildings. Amidst these ordinary routines, they managed daily necessities while expanding the boundaries of their understanding of the world, taking root and growing in this cross-cultural soil.

As life gradually got on track, he began to realize the differences between the Chinese and foreign learning and living environments. After research tasks, he would go grocery shopping and cook. These seemingly trivial daily chores have now become essential parts of his study abroad experience, honing his independence and self-discipline. As a dual-degree student, he has been moving forward between the two training systems: keeping pace with the intensive courses in France while advancing his research tasks back in China, continuously breaking through his limits through this "two-front battle."

"After more than half a year abroad, my growth comes not only from knowledge accumulation but also from the expansion of my thinking and the leap in my independence," Shi shared. This precious experience has taught him self-management and effective communication within a multicultural context, gradually shaping him into a more determined and mature person.

Zhang Jiaxi: Striving to Become an Excellent Chinese Engineer

The overseas study experience has given Zhang Jiaxi a completely new understanding of international education. "It is far more than simply earning another degree or learning a few more technical skills. It is a process of broadening international perspectives, honing mental resilience, and shaping a well-rounded personality," he said. Constantly pushed into unfamiliar and challenging situations abroad, he gradually learned to make independent judgments and think rationally, gaining a more nuanced and authentic understanding of the world.

During his studies in France, Zhang developed a more concrete and profound understanding of the identity of a "Chinese engineer." The contrast between different educational systems and engineering cultures made him realize that Chinese engineering talents not only need strong professional skills but also shoulder the mission of integrating technological innovation with social responsibility. This insight has solidified his sense of responsibility and direction.

When talking about the key gain of the dual-degree program, he described it as a deep reshaping of his research mindset. "French engineering education emphasizes rigorous, logic-based thinking, starting from fundamental principles to systematically define and solve problems," he explained. Under this training model, he no longer merely focused on "completing tasks" but constantly questioned "why this approach" and "whether there is a better solution," which has gradually become his standard approach in scientific research and enabled him to conduct research with greater depth and initiative.

Zhang stated that no matter how far he travels, he will always keep in mind the expectations and education of his alma mater, and strive to grow into an outstanding engineering talent with both an international perspective and a commitment to his homeland, contributing his knowledge and skills to national technological progress and social development.

Li Jiaxu: Cultivating Critical and Creative Thinking

In a French-taught acoustics master's program jointly offered by École Centrale de Lyon and INSA Lyon, Li Jiaxu is the only Chinese student. Though initially unfamiliar, the all-French instructional environment soon became an opportunity for deep cultural immersion and cross-cultural communication.

He recalled an experimental course where students were asked to design a measurement protocol from scratch based solely on a physical phenomenon—without referencing literature or using AI.

"My instinct was to apply formulas and follow a standard procedure, but I had to stop and rebuild my thinking step by step: how sound is captured, how variables are quantified, how errors are controlled," he explained. "In that slower, more deliberate process, I truly understood the problem for the first time."

"Academic research isn't about verifying known conclusions," Li said. "It's about tracing back to fundamentals and exploring the unknown." The experience, he added, reshaped his research approach and allowed him to move beyond rote learning to a genuine grasp of engineering theory.

Chen Jin: Finding Self-Identity Through Cross-Cultural Exchange

For Chen Jin, a defining moment came during a visit to the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon with a French classmate. Standing before a Monet painting, her friend marveled at the artist's innovative use of light and color. Chen, meanwhile, found herself drawn to the hazy brushwork, which reminded her of the evocative aesthetics found in traditional Chinese ink painting.

Struggling at first to convey the depth of Eastern aesthetics across language and cultural barriers, she later shared images of Chinese ink paintings at a café, explaining the interplay of ink washes, rhythmic brushstrokes, and the poetry embedded in the works. Her friend, in turn, offered new insight into the spirit of freedom and individuality that defines French Impressionism.

That exchange mirrored her broader experience abroad. In collaborative engineering projects, she worked alongside students from diverse cultural and disciplinary backgrounds—learning not only to solve complex technical problems but also to communicate clearly and respect different viewpoints.

"Studying abroad has allowed me to see myself in a global context," Chen reflected. "And it's given me a deeper appreciation of the value of Chinese culture." Moving forward, she hoped to continue deepening her technical expertise while strengthening her cross-cultural communication skills.

The Sino-French Dual-Degree Master's Program, a joint initiative between Beihang University's Hangzhou International Innovation Institute and le Groupe des Écoles Centrale (GEC) in France, was launched in 2020. The program is designed to cultivate interdisciplinary engineering talent with both global perspectives and cutting-edge technical capabilities. It employs a Sino-French collaborative training model, with localized and structured management that aligns with the degree standards of both nations.

For the four students now in Lyon, the dual-degree experience has become more than an academic pursuit—it is a journey of intellectual growth, cultural discovery, and personal transformation, one that bridges Beihang and the wider world.

Editors: Liu Tingting, Lyu Xingyun