While over one thousand domestic students registered at Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) last week, it was time for our international undergraduate freshmen to come to campus. Throughout Thursday 22 August, 18 students from 8 countries traveled into Shenzhen to register for the first time.

With the support of the Global Engagement Office, the registration process will take a series of days due to the requirements for international students. We took the chance to talk to one of our new international students.

Kanhchana Ly, also known as Connie, is from Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. She traveled here with her family, who were all keen to explore Shenzhen and SUSTech.

Connie came to SUSTech because it is a high ranking university. She noted in a previous conversation that the Education Ministry of Cambodia is encouraging its students to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), so the stress that SUSTech places on understanding both theoretical knowledge and the practical application is something that attracted her to SUSTech.

She is planning on studying biomedical engineering, as she was interested in both biology and physics at high school. Connie is very keen to master the field, as well as acquaint herself with Chinese culture. She is also excited to meet people from different cultures, and SUSTech’s global outlook and internationally-trained faculty will support Connie in this goal.

While at SUSTech, Connie also wants to get to know people and travel when she gets the chance. She would like to go to the Great Wall of China if she gets the chance, and make friends. She has found Shenzhen to be a green, clean and spacious city, and this is her first visit to Shenzhen.

Vanna Ly is Connie’s father, and also spoke to us. He is clearly very proud of his daughter’s achievements. He thinks that SUSTech is an amazing university and offers a high quality teaching program. Vanna was impressed at the wonderful program for international students, so that students can conduct exchanges with SUSTech and learn something new in terms of science and technology. He felt that Shenzhen is very well organized in terms of its urbanization and will continue to be a mighty city.

Vanna said that Connie was an excellent student in both English and other areas of her studies. He and his whole family are very proud of her, which is why they all came with her to Shenzhen to see her off. They hope that she can achieve her dreams throughout her university life. Vanna hopes that Connie will be able to speak fluent Mandarin by the end of her four years at SUSTech, and that she is able to make her dreams come true.