Acquiring knowledge lies in hard work. Amid the summer holiday, new GTers have already set off the start, collecting blocks for their "edifice" of knowledge in the preparatory semester.

A strong foundation in English and STEM makes the "edifice" robust. From early August to late September, GTIIT offers an English-medium preparatory session including English, math, physics and chemistry. This approach which integrates language and STEM content review can support students to adapt to GTIIT's instruction mode and ensure the success of immersed education.

"The preparatory semester is intense, with 6 to 8-hour classes per day. Therefore, many of my peers start to stay in the study room at night. I can feel the learning atmosphere on campus!" said Lin Zixin, a new student from Biotechnology and Food Engineering. He mentioned that teachers here were all friendly and always taught in a clear and simple way. The cheerful and fun teaching pace was also easy to follow.

How to build the "edifice" efficiently? Study hard, and study smart. Starting this year, GTIIT has set up a new course "smart learning", which aims to help GTers settle their own pace of learning, manage their time and upgrade their learning abilities to handle abstract concepts and practical applications. Based on the latest theories and practices of educational psychology and learning psychology, the course focuses on learning mindset, goals setting, time management, etc., guiding students to build a solid knowledge system via the cycle of "prestudy-class-review-assignment-exam".

"By differentiating between high school learning and university study, the teacher points out the difficulties we might encounter and offers learning methods accordingly. There are also senior students sharing sessions. I've gained a lot of useful suggestions to schedule my future," said Huang Zixuan from Mathematics with Computer Science.

According to Dr. Chen Fen, Director of GTIIT Career and Learning Center, the university provides regular "smart learning" lectures for students, while this year, there is a step further: the preparatory courses will address the learning challenges that new students face by integrating lectures systematically into short courses. In class there will be ample opportunities for hands-on practice, peer-assisted group activities, timely feedback, and a fun and relaxed atmosphere to discuss and solve problems.

The emphasis on smart learning goes in hand with GTIIT's philosophy of motivating innovation. With this in mind, students will be able to handle new knowledge, tackle complex academic problems and think outside the box. Learning, smart and life-long, is the key to progress and success.

Text/Photos: GTIIT News & Public Affairs