The launch ceremony for the Student Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center (SEIC) of the College of International Tourism and Public Administration (CITPA), Hainan University, was held on the university’s Mission Hills campus on April 22. The event was attended by the college’s leadership and representatives from both faculty and students, who gathered to witness this significant milestone.

Wang Lin, dean of the CITPA, delivers a speech at the launch ceremony for the SEIC. [Photo/WeChat account: HAITC]

Wang Lin, dean of the CITPA, delivered the opening speech, in which she emphasized that the establishment of the SEIC is a crucial step taken by the college to promote innovation and entrepreneurship education.

“The SEIC is not just a platform, but an ecosystem,” she said. “Through this center, we aim to provide students with comprehensive support, from idea to implementation, thereby nurturing innovative talents with a global vision and a sense of social responsibility.”

The SEIC will follow the “student-driven, mentor-guided” principle to encourage students to be bold in experimentation and breakthrough, Wang added.

David Chon, a member of the SEIC board, gives an introduction to the center’s basic information and its pilot projects. [Photo/WeChat account: HAITC]

Following the speech, David Chon, a member of the SEIC board, gave a detailed introduction to the center’s mission, vision, organizational structure and the first batch of its pilot projects. The center’s goal is to empower students’ innovation and address real-world challenges. It adopts a flat management structure, with the board and mentor team jointly supporting student projects, Chon said.

He specifically introduced five pilot projects, which include a souvenir shop, an intergenerational community program, a Hainan culture documentation project, a video project to promote Hainan’s tourism and a campus life optimization project. These initiatives cover a wide range of fields, including cultural inheritance, community services and campus culture.

Zhao Yue, director of the Student Support and Career Development Center, explains the process for student involvement, important deadlines and available mentor resources at the SEIC. [Photo/WeChat account: HAITC] 

Zhao Yue, director of the Student Support and Career Development Center, explained the process for student involvement, important deadlines and available mentor resources at the SEIC.

The recruitment for the SEIC’s first batch of projects will begin at the end of April. Interested students can inquire and apply through the Student Support and Career Development Center or send their English resumes to zhaoyue@hainanu.edu.cn, Zhao said.

The physical space for the SEIC will be completed in September, where dedicated office space will be provided for participating teams. In the future, the SEIC will serve as an important base for nurturing innovative talents and incubating high-quality projects, contributing to the development of the Hainan Free Trade Port, he added.