To fully implement the fundamental task of “fostering virtue through education”, promote the deep integration of international students into the development process of Chinese modernization, and tell the stories of China, Shanghai, and Xuhui well, on December 12, 2025, the International Education College of Shanghai Business School organized outstanding international student representatives from countries along the “Belt and Road” to participate in the city exploration activity “Perceiving Xuhui · West Bund Art Walk”, hosted by the Xuhui District Culture, Tourism Service and Development Center. This activity is a significant practice in deepening the development of the “Business Charm, Silk Road” international student brand. It also serves as a vivid embodiment of promoting international youth cultural exchange, enhancing mutual understanding, and serving the national strategy of opening-up.
Under the meticulous arrangement of the Xuhui District Culture, Tourism Service and Development Center, international students from various countries embarked on an immersive cultural exploration journey along the Xuhui Riverside. The group visited cultural landmarks including the West Bund Museum, the West Bund Grand Theater, and the West Bund Dream Center, experiencing firsthand the remarkable transformation of this area from a former “industrial rust belt” into a world-class waterfront district. From the perspective of international youth, they observed the context of urban renewal, appreciated the innovative vitality born from the integration of culture and technology, and engaged in enthusiastic discussions on topics such as urban development, art ecosystems, and sustainable design. They documented their profound reflections on Xuhui’s high-quality development practices in multiple languages.
Guided by staff from the Xuhui District Culture, Tourism Service and Development Center, the students first visited the West Bund Museum designed by the British architect David Chipperfield, a Pritzker Prize laureate (architecture’s highest honor), the West Bund Museum currently hosts Chance! Fluxus!, the first large-scale exhibition in China to comprehensively and systematically present the Fluxus art movement. Following the docent, the students navigated among over 200 original works from the Centre Pompidou collections, engaging in a “trans-temporal dialogue” with figures such as Marcel Duchamp, the “father of conceptual art”; George Maciunas, founder of Fluxus; Joseph Beuys, the “social sculptor”; George Brecht, a representative of event art; and Yoko Ono, a pioneer of feminist art, all within the unique atmosphere where architecture converses with the artworks.
Subsequently, the group strolled along the riverside promenade, bathed in sunshine by the Huangpu River, and entered the West Bund Grand Theater. The theater lobby, with its open layout spanning 1,540 square meters, creates an immersive artistic experience space. The walls feature earth-toned ceramic panels, echoing the industrial texture of the Xuhui Riverside, while the ceiling, made of mirrored stainless steel, mimics water ripples, forming a visual dialogue that blends the illusory with the real against the backdrop of the Huangpu River outside the window. The “Water Gallery” on the third floor of the Grand Theater is not only an excellent vantage point for viewing the Huangpu River but also a multi-dimensional interface for urban culture. The international students could take in the century-old Bund architectural cluster and river cruise ships here while also overlooking the trendy commercial district of the West Bund Dream Center. Each moment of pause became a unique memory in dialogue with the Huangpu River. Continuing along the riverside promenade, the group visited the West Bund Dream Center. This site retains the genetic spirit of “openness and embrace” from its former cement factory, integrating industrial textures with contemporary needs, with details that balance urban memory and quality of life—a space preserving industrial heritage style while infused with a modern artistic atmosphere. The ongoing “Kaleidoscope Silo · Year-End & New Year Flower Market”, as an innovative reuse of industrial heritage, draws inspiration from the kaleidoscope, featuring over 20 distinctive stalls selling flowers, plants, floral art products, and pet supplies. The students wandered freely, encountering delightful surprises and gaining an intuitive feel for the organic integration of historical factory buildings with modern commercial and cultural functions. From the perspective of international youth, they observed the threads of urban renewal and experienced the innovative energy fostered by the fusion of culture, commerce, art, and technology. During the itinerary, staff from the Xuhui District Culture, Tourism Service and Development Center and the students also engaged in multilingual exchanges on topics like urban development, art ecosystems, and sustainable design.
(International students visiting the West Bund Museum)
Faced with the beautiful scenery where reality and art interweave, the international students documented their profound insights on Xuhui’s efforts in promoting high-quality development and realizing urban spatial regeneration and cultural prosperity through multiple languages and imagery. “The Xuhui West Bund is not only an artistic highland but also a vivid microcosm of urban governance under Chinese modernization,” remarked UTYBAY AKERKE, an international student from Kazakhstan in Central Asia, after the visit. “Here, I see the possibility of dialogue between history and the future, and I have gained a deeper understanding of the profound meaning of a ‘People’s City’,” exclaimed SANI UMAR ILYASU, an international student from Nigeria in Africa, after learning about the Xuhui Riverside development plans. The observations and reflections of the international students, from their global youth perspective, attest to the successful practice of the Xuhui Riverside transformation—it is not merely a physical space renovation but also a vivid demonstration of urban philosophy, ecological friendliness, and cultural inclusivity, offering a valuable “Xuhui Model” for the sustainable development of global cities.
(International students strolling along the Xuhui Riverside)
This event represents another achievement of the collaborative education efforts between the Shanghai Business School’s “Business Charm, Silk Road” international student cultivation brand and local government. As the university’s international education brand, “Business Charm, Silk Road” consistently adheres to the philosophy of “cultural immersion, unity of knowledge and action, global perspective, and Chinese sentiment”. Through a series of cultural experiences, social practices, and industry-education integration activities, it guides international students to transform from “observers” into “participants” and “communicators”, injecting youthful energy into building a community with a shared future for mankind.
(Group photo of international students)
Looking ahead, the International Education College of Shanghai Business School will seize this opportunity to further deepen strategic cooperation with the Xuhui District Culture, Tourism Service and Development Center. They plan to jointly establish an “International Student Urban Perception Practice Platform”, creating a new tripartite model of “Culture + Education + Exchange” for university-local collaboration. Through institutionalized, branded, and internationalized program design, they aim to continuously empower international students to tell the story of China in the new era effectively, support Shanghai in building itself into a modern socialist international metropolis with global influence, and inject enduring and warm humanistic impetus into the people-to-people connectivity of the “Belt and Road” initiative.
Written by: Zhang Wen
Photography: Zhang Ruyi
Reviewed by: Chen Wei
