The first Internship and Job Fair for International Students was held by ACEM International Office on May 20, 2016. Twenty companies from various industries including Huawei, Uber, Fields, Onebox and Airliks joined the fair and set up booths, attracting more than 100 international students from over 40 countries.

Suited up and well prepared, students expressed huge enthusiasm for the event. Giulia Barresi, a master student from Italy, said that she usually looks for jobs on the Internet and through 'networking events', but this time she had an excellent opportunity to communicate face-to-face with executives of human resources and other departments.

Companies received resumes and interviewed students on site. Representatives from several companies said that they were really excited talking to foreign students for the first time. 'Students we interviewed today are really expressive, many of them are bilingual or even better. As an international logistics company, we are increasingly seeking foreign employees,'  said Ms. Hu, Human Resources Manager from Shanghai Shining International Logistics, 'This event helps us target the international talents we need, and we look forward to more of such events coming in the future.'

An info-session also opened to all international students in the afternoon, where plenty of innovative companies gave presentations about company backgrounds and recruitment plans. Some representatives were themselves alumni of Shanghai Jiao Tong University: Mr. Wang from Yihu Investment said he felt particularly pleased to return to the campus as an alumnus to participate in the event and he was surprised by the great interest international students had towards innovative companies and their comprehensive understanding of the Chinese market.

Dean Zhou Lin also attended the event, talking to the international students from IMBA and MIB program and listening to their feedbacks. Students spoke highly of the event and expressed their wish to not only study in Shanghai but also start a career here.

International students are greatly encouraged by the latest visa policy, which allows foreign graduates of Shanghai universities with a master’s degree or above to work for firms registered in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone and Zhangjiang National Innovation Demonstration Zone even if they don’t have work experience. 

'Foreign students are increasingly attracted to education and work opportunities in Shanghai, but they lack access to such job fairs to talk to local employers. The International Office therefore puts great efforts to help international students develop a better understanding of China's labor market and explore internship and job opportunities for them,” said Wang Haihui, director of ACEM International Office.