Students and faculty gathered at SISU’s Gele Auditorium on March 6 for a talk by Yao Yuan, Director of University-Enterprise Cooperation at Alibaba.com, Alibaba Group’s international B2B platform.

Hosted by the International Business School, the event drew nearly 1,000 participants from across the university, including the School of English Studies, the School of Business English, the School of Journalism and Communication, the School of Western Languages and Cultures, and the School of Eastern Languages and Cultures. Yang Xiaomin, Party secretary of Fengwen Subdistrict, Shapingba District also attended.

Speaking on the theme "Your First Stop in Life: Go Global and Be Your Own Boss!" Yao organized his remarks around three ideas: interest, trend awareness and perseverance. Drawing on platform data and startup case studies, he discussed the growth of cross-border e-commerce and the opportunities it is creating for younger entrepreneurs. He emphasized that language ability, cross-cultural awareness and digital fluency are becoming important advantages for students entering the field.

Using examples of young entrepreneurs who built businesses through Alibaba.com, Yao encouraged students to think seriously about international markets and to see entrepreneurship as something that can begin with personal interests, sound judgment and sustained effort.

He also introduced the support available through the Alibaba.com (Chongqing) Cross-Border Entrepreneurship Incubation Center, which offers guidance on product selection, logistics, overseas compliance and other practical aspects of launching a business in global markets.

The Q&A session drew lively participation from students, with questions ranging from the advantages of multilingual talent in cross-border entrepreneurship to the use of AI tools in e-commerce operations. Yao responded by connecting students’ interests with current industry practice and broader market trends.

The event gave students not only career guidance, but also a closer look at how innovation, technology and global commerce intersect. As SISU continues to expand partnerships with industry, programs like this one are opening new pathways for students to connect their academic study with emerging professional fields.