The 2026 International Summer School at the Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation (SMART) has concluded after bringing together 101 students from 18 countries and regions for four weeks of scientific research, cultural exchange and exploration in Guangming Science City.

Students from the U.S., the U.K., Germany, Russia, Mexico and other countries and regions joined research teams at SMART and Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, taking part in scientific projects under the guidance of researchers. From laboratory experiments to project design, participants experienced the research process from raising scientific questions to testing and developing potential solutions.

Lucía, a student from Spain, said she was impressed by the pace and efficiency of research at the academy, where ideas could quickly be translated into practical laboratory work. Buse, from Türkiye, learned skills including confocal microscopy and cell culture and independently completed the process from experimental design to results analysis.

The program also featured academic lectures, research presentations and exchanges with leading scientists, allowing students to broaden their academic perspectives. Participants visited Shenzhen companies and research institutions to learn how basic research can be connected with industrial applications and also visited the Shenzhen International Art Museum to experience the city’s cultural landscape.

For many participants visiting China for the first time, everyday interactions helped bridge language and cultural barriers. Buse said local residents were eager to help, often using translation apps when verbal communication proved difficult.

The summer school also fostered friendships across borders. A clinical medicine student from Xinjiang became friends with Kriti from India, and the pair explored Shenzhen together outside the classroom.

For some students, the experience has also shaped their future plans. Alondra, a medical student from Mexico, said Shenzhen had shown her a future she had never imagined and that she hoped to return to China.

The program served as both a scientific training platform and a bridge linking young researchers from around the world with Shenzhen, bringing new international perspectives and energy to the city’s growing science and innovation ecosystem.