The HSS-SOTA Advantage Bootcamp took place on November 6-7, promoting a collaborative exchange between students and faculty from HSS, XJTLU and the School of the Arts (SOTA) at the University of Liverpool (UoL). This Bootcamp provided a platform for students to explore diverse creative expressions, build cross-cultural communication skills, enhance the prospects of HSS students interested in 2+2 programmes, and in UoL students in the Year in China at XJTLU.
Conducted simultaneously in Suzhou and Liverpool, and linked through an online meeting room, the bootcamp featured two days of interactive activities, culminating in the creation of a visual podcast for each group. Students engaged in workshops that developed their storytelling and multimedia skills, encouraging them to share cultural narratives and unique perspectives.
Year 2 students Tianren Tan from International Relations and Xiaoya Nie from China Studies created a podcast focused on “water,” drawing inspiration from Suzhou’s waterways and XJTLU’s water environment. “With the beautiful ponds and water features found throughout XJTLU’s campus, we aimed to show Liverpool students how our campus blends the cultural essence of Suzhou and Liverpool, alongside the richness of students life here,” Xiaoya Nie shared.
The bootcamp’s final presentation session left a strong impression on participants. Tianren Tan reflected on the experience, noting how UoL students’ portrayals of their city and university life gave him a deep sense of Liverpool’s cultural character. “The highly mentioned Beatles, their music culture, brightly lit canals, and lively streets provided a vivid impression of this city, gave me a sense of Liverpool’s cultural atmosphere that transcends words,” he said.
Xiaoya Nie added,“ Their podcast has given me a more realistic feel for this strange but familiar city. It was also fascinating to see how they incorporated images of ‘Chinatown’ in Liverpool. Similarly, we included both Suzhou culture and Liverpool elements in our video. Sharing these differences and finding similarities made the experience refreshing and highly relatable.”