The countdown to graduation has officially begun. On March 13, the Class of 2026—NYU Shanghai’s final cohort to start at its Century Avenue campus before moving to our current campus—inched one step closer to their big milestone and celebrated their 88 Days Countdown.  

• A guest lecture on AI’s applications in Consulting, Start-ups and Marketing hosted by Professor Chen Zhihong, brought three speakers, McKinsey Senior Partner John Qu, AI4GOOD CEO JK Shen, and CEIBS MBA Program Director Zhang Lingling, to campus on March 17. Co-sponsored by GHEC and student clubs TAMID and AWM, the event drew over 80 students. The speakers discussed AI’s values, competitive edge, and advised students on how to adapt their mindset to the constantly evolving AI landscape. In the face of the profound uncertainty brought about by AI, students should adopt a “learn–unlearn–relearn” mindset, staying agile and proactive amid rapid change, and continuously redefining themselves to navigate complexity and chart their own course.


• The 2026 Academic Affairs and Student Affairs (AASA) Conference was held on March 18, bringing together educators and practitioners from across the NYU global network and partner institutions in China such as Duke Kunshan University and University of Nottingham Ningbo. Centered on the theme “From Collaboration to Transformation: Reimagining the Student Experience in the Digital Era,” the conference featured a keynote by Chancellor Tong Shijun, along with concurrent sessions and roundtable discussions. Participants exchanged insights on student success, multicultural community-building, and the impact of AI and technology on teaching and learning, fostering cross-departmental collaboration and professional dialogue. 

• On March 15, the NYU Shanghai Office of Non-Degree Programs and the Pudong Pro Moms Women’s Federation launched a strategic partnership focused on advanced family education. The partnership will aim to co-develop events and programs that foster greater linkages between the University and the Pudong parenting community. An inaugural salon, "Parenting in the Digital Age," featured Associate Professor of Psychology Cui Lixian in conversation with more than 100 attendees. The dialogue, on navigating modern child-rearing challenges, represented a successful kick-off for the partnership.

"Social science concepts and methodologies are fundamentally universal. You want to evaluate concepts which could be applied beyond where you are from. When studying China — or any country — the goal is to develop concepts that can extend beyond a specific context and to be generalized."

— Suisheng Zhao, a renowned Chinese-American scholar and founder and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Contemporary China, sharing insights into the evolution of contemporary Chinese studies in the United States.

Book-lovers sat together quietly reading whatever they liked at the first Community Reading Hour organized by the Library and NYU In Real Life. The event is held weekly, so get off your phone and enjoy a quiet no-tech reading break.

• Tong Shijun Reflects on Habermas’ Legacy

After world-renowned German philosopher Jürgen Habermas passed away on March 14, NYU Shanghai Chancellor and Professor of Philosophy Tong Shijun spoke to Wenhui Daily and China Social Science Net about Habermas’ greatest contribution as a philosopher and as an active participant in public affairs.