The 9th "WAYS+" Youth Salon was held in Hangzhou on March 9 under the "Connecting Global Talent with Linping" Overseas Young Scholars Exchange Program, jointly organized by Zhejiang Sci-Tech University and Linping District of Hangzhou. More than 30 young professionals and student association representatives from 15 countries, including the Netherlands, Germany, Singapore, France and Russia, took part. The World Association of Young Scientists (WAYS), together with the China-Europe Green Technology Alliance, supported the event.

At the opening ceremony, 13 representatives of overseas Chinese student associations were appointed as International Talent Ambassadors. The initiative aims to strengthen connections between global young talent and local innovation, creating more channels for future exchange and cooperation.

During the event, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University signed cooperation agreements with overseas student associations from the Netherlands, the United States, Sweden, Australia, Russia and other countries. The partnerships will support the establishment of international talent exchange hubs and help build sustained channels for global academic and professional engagement.

Participants also visited innovation platforms and leading companies, including the China Fashion Science and Technology Innovation Institute and the Institute of Service-Oriented Manufacturing. Through site visits, industry exchanges and cultural activities, they gained a closer look at China’s innovation ecosystem while exploring opportunities to connect international talent with local industries.

The program offered young professionals from around the world a platform to build networks, discover new areas of collaboration and engage more closely with Linping’s innovation-driven development.