On July 7, the opening ceremony for the 2026 Summer School: Meeting in ZZULI—Savoring Henan hosted by Zhengzhou University of Light Industry (ZZULI) successfully kicked off at the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship on ZZULI's Kexue Campus. Zhang Cheng, Vice President of ZZULI, attended and addressed the event. Heads from the Department of International Cooperation and Exchange, the College of Food and Bioengineering, and relevant functional departments, and 13 faculty members and students from universities in Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and South Korea, as well as volunteer teachers and students from ZZULI, took part in the event.

During the opening ceremony, Zhang Cheng delivered a welcome address on behalf of ZZULI. He briefly introduced ZZULI's development history and its achievements in international education. He also noted that ZZULI's ongoing commitment to open education has seen fruitful results in global collaboration and exchange over the past few years. Moving forward, ZZULI will continue to establish more multicultural exchange platforms and foster deeper connections among young people from China and abroad. This Summer School program, themed "Savoring Henan", is designed to take food as a medium and learning as a driving force. It will invite participants to experience the rigor and appeal of food science in the laboratory, to taste the profound and extensive essence of Chinese culinary culture during field visits, and to understand China and grow fond of Henan through exchanges and mutual learning.

At the opening ceremony, student representatives from the College of Food and Bioengineering and from overseas universities delivered speeches respectively. They shared insights into campus cultures and academic experiences, creating a vibrant and enthusiastic atmosphere. Following the ceremony, participants toured the University History Museum and the University Physics Laboratory.

This Summer School program lasts for two weeks, adopting a teaching model integrating theoretical instruction, research practice, and cultural immersion. It offers thematic lectures on food processing technology, food safety, and other fields, along with hands-on workshops such as mooncake making and dumpling preparation. Participants will also pay visits to iconic sites such as Henan Museum, Longmen Grottoes, and Shaolin Temple to experience Central Plains culture firsthand. They will tour well-known enterprises like BYD and Mixue Bingcheng, and exchange views with students and faculty from peer universities including Henan Agricultural University and Henan University of Chinese Medicine, immersing themselves in savoring Henan through both classroom learning and field visits.

To ensure the smooth running of the program, the College of Food and Bioengineering attaches great importance to this event. It assembles an experienced instructor team and a thoughtful volunteer team to provide comprehensive support for the study tour.