Movement Science master’s student Xinyu Li spent her first semester at the University of Michigan taking part in the Graduate Student Semester at Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) in Shanghai, China.

In cooperation with SJTU and the UM-SJTU Joint Institute, Li has the opportunity to pursue full-time U-M studies while enjoying the benefits of the SJTU campus. The Joint Institute helps coordinate logistics and student activities for this program. It’s a unique hub for international higher education that blends the strengths of both U-M and SJTU.

Students are eligible for the program if they are Chinese citizens currently residing in China, newly admitted into a U-M graduate program, and enrolled at U-M for the first time in Fall 2020.

Li applied for the program after being contacted by Charlene Ruloff, manager of graduate student affairs for the School of Kinesiology. 

According to Li, SJTU is one of the top, most comprehensive universities in China, which is one of the things that attracted her to the program. “I want to experience more and at SJTU we can learn more about research methods, use all of their resources like their library, and meet and talk with more people attending U-M,” Li said.

“My experience has been wonderful and valuable,” she added. “SJTU invites many professors from both SJTU and U-M to teach, so we can expand our knowledge and do graduate research. The professors like communicating with students.”

Li, who graduated from Beijing Sport University, is currently enrolled in three classes and living in a residence hall with international students from Cornell University and Carnegie Mellon University. They’ve bonded over their similar experiences - Li spent her undergraduate junior year studying in America, so she knows how the international students feel. Additionally, her favorite extracurricular activity is swimming in the university’s pool, which serves as a stress reliever when classes get challenging.

Li became interested in studying medicine, particularly Movement Science, after watching her mother become a clinical pharmacist and work as the head of a pharmacy department at a hospital. “When I was young, my mom would teach me medical knowledge and I developed this interest and passion for medicine,” she explained.