May 30, 2025 - What if university communication could move beyond confusion and become a model of clarity and connection? This vision came into focus at the launch of the Global Communication Bootcamp 2025 at Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School (Tsinghua SIGS)—a staff-focused training workshop aimed at strengthening global communication competence within the international academic environment.
The first session opened with a compelling keynote by Professor Ercan Engin Kuruoglu, titled “From Kafka’s Castle to a Glass House.” His message was precise: clear guidance and human-centered support, coupled with active engagement, are essential in cross-cultural settings. He encouraged participants to reflect on how institutional communication-especially in high-stakes or emotionally charged moments—can either foster inclusion or deepen disconnect.
This initiative centers on enhancing empathy, clarity, and transparency when serving international faculty and students within the global campus context. It combines reflective thinking with practical tools, ensuring that frontline staff are equipped to navigate intercultural interactions with confidence, sensitivity, and professionalism.
The Bootcamp aligns directly with SIGS’s Global Vision by advancing three strategic goals:
§ Strengthening communication skills for effective multicultural engagement
§ Enhancing service quality for international faculty and students
§ Fostering cultural adaptability through reflection and interactive learning
By turning Kafka’s metaphor into a symbol of openness and shared understanding on campus, the first session of Global Communication Bootcamp 2025 laid a meaningful foundation. It not only delivered actionable strategies, but also sparked reflection on how inclusive communication practices can be embedded in daily service and interaction.
As the series continues, Tsinghua SIGS reaffirms its commitment to building a truly global academic home-where every voice, across roles, languages and continents, is not only heard but amplified.
Written by Nigar Afandiyeva
Photos by Jiang Yichen, Liu Ziru, Sun Haotian
Edited by Huang Xiaojia
Reviewed by Nie Xiaomei & Li Xiangming
