On March 1, the College of Life Sciences of Tianjin Normal University (TNU) held the inauguration ceremony of the 2025 China Exchange Program for Young International Talents (CEP) in Conference Room A336 of Mingli Building. Attending the ceremony were Liu Tong,director of TNU's International Exchange Office, Shi Jie,s ecretary of the CPC TNU's College of Life Sciences Committee, Sun Jinsheng, dean of the college, Yan Chuncai,the college's vice-dean, Zheng Wenjie, principal of the program, five international visiting students, as well as representatives of faculty and students from the college.

Initiated by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and administered by the China International Talent Exchange Foundation, the CEP advances mutual understanding and in-depth cooperation between Chinese and foreign young people through forms such as academic exchanges and international internships. The college's application for the Kenya Young Talents Exchange Program in China under this initiative for 2025 was successfully approved, marking a historic first for the College of Life Sciences of TNU in securing this program.

At the inauguration ceremony, Liu Tong delivered a speech to extend a warm welcome to the international students. He noted that the program is designed to build an international exchange platform for young talent, enabling foreign young talent to better understand China and facilitating mutual understanding, friendship and common growth among young people from China and other countries through exchanges. Sun Jinsheng stated that the arrival of the five young Kenyan talents in Tianjin for exchange programs is not only a recognition of the college's educational strength, but also a promising start for Chinese and African young people to jointly explore the frontiers of life sciences and food science and technology and boost industrial development together. Zheng Wenjie briefed the attendees on the academic and research arrangements of the program. The five Kenyan students shared their personal educational backgrounds and their exchange and study plans in China.

In the following month, the college will organize a training program for the five international students on food quality and safety testing technologies,the application of relevant standards, and hold a series of cultural exchange activities in parallel.

The year 2026 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Africa and the China–Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges. The launch of this program is a concrete actionbythe College of Life Sciences to respond to the national strategy of China-Africa cooperation on behalf of TNU, an important practice for the college to deepen international cooperation and promote the international outreach of biological and food science and technology, and a precious opportunity for Chinese and African young people to enhance mutual understanding and build friendship. Taking this program as a starting point, the college will further deepen cooperation with two Kenyan universities, establish a regular exchange and cooperation platform, jointly tackle common challenges in relevant fields, support Africa in upgrading its agricultural and food industries, and ultimately achieve mutual benefit and win-win results for all parties.

By He Jierui