Eighteen students from 10 universities spanning four continents joined the third session of Shandong University (SDU) International Summer School on Chinese Archaeology in Qingdao from mid-July to early August.

Organized by SDU's School of Archaeology and Shandong University Museum, the program integrated lectures, laboratory practice, museum visits, and cultural activities. Participants explored different aspects of Chinese archaeology while gaining hands-on experience, including crafting and grinding stone points with simple tools.

The program covered topics such as cinnabar and mercury applications in ancient China, the evolution of Neolithic agriculture in eastern China from a stable isotope viewpoint, and the Maritime Silk Road from an underwater archaeology perspective. These experiences sparked students' curiosity toward Chinese archaeology and traditional culture.

SDU is one of the first Chinese universities to establish an archaeology program. Its Joint International Research Laboratory of Environmental and Social Archaeology houses facilities for research in human evolution, archaeobotany, zooarchaeology, and biological anthropology.

Students also visited laboratories focusing on ancient human DNA analysis and human evolutionary studies. An archaeology student from the Netherlands said that she was impressed by the wide scope of archaeological research conducted in China.

During the program, participants shared their academic ideas with SDU students, which built academic bonds even across linguistic barriers. One anthropology student from the University of Calgary noted that working alongside SDU students helped her learn more about archaeology.