On May 13, the launch meeting for the 2024 International Youth Talent Exchange Program in China (CEP Program) was successfully held. The CEP Program, initiated by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of China and funded by the China International Talent Exchange Foundation, aims to build an international platform for youth talent exchange, fostering mutual understanding, friendship, and growth among young people from China and abroad. The meeting was chaired by Song Chunyan, Deputy Director of the Edible Fungi Institute.

At the meeting, Wang Ruijuan, Deputy Researcher and Project Leader, systematically reviewed the program's preparation progress, summarized the prior cooperation between China and Pakistan, and detailed the research collaboration mechanisms and living support arrangements for international interns during their stay in Shanghai. Two Pakistani students presented their reports: Mjeeb ur Rehman introduced the overview of the University of Poonch Rawalakot and his vibrant campus life, while Hassam Qayyum elaborated on his previous experiments on oyster mushroom cultivation and outlined his planned research activities.

Basharat Mahmoid, Professor and Director of Student Affairs at the University of Poonch Rawalakot—a key partner in the program—delivered the closing remarks. He expressed sincere gratitude to the China International Talent Exchange Foundation and the Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences for their support of the program, emphasizing its significance in cultivating internationally competent, interdisciplinary talents in the edible fungi field. He further envisioned leveraging the program as a foundation to deepen long-term cooperation between the two sides in areas such as strain resource conservation and edible fungi cultivation.

The International Cooperation Office of SAAS stated its full commitment to supporting the program's smooth implementation, expressing hopes that the two Pakistani students would achieve fruitful outcomes during their stay in Shanghai and serve as bridges for further exchanges and collaboration between China and Pakistan.

The convening of this meeting marks the official commencement of the program, laying a solid foundation for the orderly advancement of subsequent work.