International students at the Hainan Campus of Beijing Language and Culture University attend Chinese language classes at the Hainan Lingshui Li'an International Education Innovation Pilot Zone on Sept 25, 2025. [Photo/VCG]

As the new semester kicks off, Hainan province is just buzzing with fresh developments — with international students hailing from nearly 100 countries and regions around the globe.

A key highlight is the independent schools established in Hainan by foreign universities. The Class of 2026 at Hainan Lausanne Tourism University held its opening ceremony in Sanya on Sept 7 — drawing students from 19 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities across China.

This marks the first independent campus set up abroad by Switzerland's EHL Hospitality Business School.

Its first cohort of students has already begun internships at international hotel brands in cities like Sanya in Hainan, as well as in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen in Guangdong province.

Additionally, Hainan Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences — the first university independently established by a foreign higher education institution in the Hainan Free Trade Port — has added three new majors this year: Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering and Business Administration, totaling seven majors.

These are strategically aligned with the precise talent needs of the Hainan FTP's high-tech industries.

Elsewhere in the province, the Hainan Lingshui Li'an International Education Innovation Pilot Zone, a major hub for Sino-foreign educational collaboration, continues to grow.

It now hosts 24 joint educational institutions and projects — attracting 30 domestic and international universities that have signed agreements to establish campuses.

More than 60 majors are being offered, tailored to the exacting demands of the Hainan FTP's industries, with students from over 50 countries and regions. Indeed, the student and faculty count in the zone this year is expected to top 15,000.

Hainan has signed agreements with 55 universities and received approval for 41 undergraduate and higher-level Sino-foreign educational institutions and projects. In the first half of this year alone, nine new projects were added.

Among international students in Hainan, over 60 percent come from Belt and Road Initiative countries, while the international education network continues to expand.

Overall, Hainan province is continuing to draw top-tier global educational resources through open policies and strengthen its reputation as a place where "studying in Hainan equals studying abroad".