About 400 overseas students studying in China wrapped up four days of games, sports, arts and performances, at the China Exploration Final Competition and Awards Ceremony, which was held at China University of Petroleum in the Qingdao economic and technological development zone on June 2. Shandong University was crowned the champion in overall scores out of 28 universities from around the country which took part in the finals.

China Exploration is an initiative of the country’s Ministry of Education, and involves a competition lasting 6 months, focusing on sports and cultural knowledge. Students from more than 100 countries participated in sessions in 9 different cities and provinces.

Central China Normal University and Zhejiang Normal University took the second and third place, respectively. The other universities in the top 10 were: Anhui University, Donghua University, Zhejiang University, Huaqiao University, Beijing Sports University and the joint team of China University of Petroleum (East China) and Capital Institute of Physical Education Beijing Dance Academy.

Hao Ping, Vice Minister of Education, said that China Exploration was of great importance for the promotion of the study of China overseas and that it would help facilitate communication between China and the rest of the world. Hao also said that this - the first China Exploration competition – would inspire organizers to make the event a top cultural brand with sophisticated planning, world-class standard, advanced marketing strategy and implementation. .

A source at the event said that there are 300 thousand overseas students currently studying in China.