From October 14 to 22 in 2019, at the invitation of the World Bank and Johns Hopkins University, six junior undergraduates from the Department of English and International Studies (DEIS), respectively Li Haopeng, Xin Zhuofan, Hu Kexin, Deng Yan, Lu Zhiyuan and Jing Ziyao, sat in on the World Bank’s Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., and had exchanges with students at Johns Hopkins University. This trip was headed by Professor Marcus De Freitas, a foreign faculty of CFAU.

During the trip, the six students attended the joint annual meeting of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. World Bank President David Malpass, finance ministers and central bank governors, senior executives of private companies from different countries were at the meeting. A wide range of topics were discussed, such as poverty reduction, growth promotion, the international trade chain, environmental factors for global investment and the empowerment of female entrepreneurs. The students were actively engaged in the meetings and discussed relevant issues with the delegates. After each meeting, Professor Marcus De Freitas would organize a brief seminar to help the students deepen their understanding of the topics by further explaining relevant economic knowledge, answering their questions and sharing their views.

The delegation was also invited to visit the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University, where the students audited courses on “Climate Change: Science, Economy and Politics”, “Military Strategic Adjustment in War” and “Conflicts in the Great Lakes Region of Africa”, and participated in the class discussion. Accompanied by students from JHU, they also toured the campus and learned about the daily schedules and campus activities.

Through this trip, the students have gained a deeper understanding of global economy as well as overseas college life, which will help to build up their confidence to become a high-end international talent in the near future.