On May 16, the opening ceremony of the “Go Global Talent Program” (GGTP) was held at Hongqiao Upper Town in Changning District. Originally designed to recruit just over 40 participants, the program attracted nearly 450 outstanding young applicants from nearly 50 countries and regions across five continents, far exceeding expectations. What makes this talent development initiative for the era of globalization so compelling? Let’s take a closer look.

What traits do they have?  

Young, high-potential, and targeting core roles in global expansion

Since recruitment for GGTP began, the response has been overwhelming, with nearly 450 applications received in just one month. After a rigorous selection process, just over 40 outstanding young talents were admitted. The selected participants include both Chinese youth and international youth from 25 countries and regions around the world, forming a “mini-UN” learning community. Among them are young professionals from Changning-based companies such as Three Gorges Smart Water Technology, Yufan Environmental Technology, and Tahoe Group.

The international composition of the applicants is striking. Foreign applicants accounted for 41.3%, hailing from nearly 50 countries and regions including France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, Russia, Brazil, Argentina, the United States, Canada, Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia, spanning five continents.

The applicant profile shows an average age of around 26, with the majority concentrated in the prime career development stage of 22 to 29 years old. Business development, strategy, marketing, and branding together accounted for more than 80% of the applications – precisely the core roles most in demand during the global expansion of Chinese enterprises. In addition, the applicant pool includes AI and tech talent, entrepreneurs, multilingual professionals, and youth with cross-cultural growth experiences, presenting a composite profile of “language ability + business acumen + international vision + practical potential.”

Why Changning?  

A maturing global expansion ecosystem and continuously improving service system

It is no accident that the training program is based in Changning. As one of Shanghai’s most internationalized and open districts, Changning has in recent years leveraged the functional advantages of the Hongqiao International Open Hub and the Hongqiao International Central Business District to actively build a Hongqiao headquarters cluster for global expansion enterprises, continuously improving its service system for corporate global expansion. From government services to professional services, and from talent resources to industrial collaboration, Changning is becoming an important launching pad for Chinese enterprises going global.

At the opening ceremony, the District Commerce Commission noted that the global expansion of Chinese enterprises has entered a new phase, moving from product exports to the export of brands, supply chains, and ecosystems. Many companies have products, technology, and the desire to explore overseas markets, yet face challenges such as difficulty recruiting international talent, slow training, and high integration costs. Meanwhile, many young talent possesses global vision and growth potential but lack channels into real-world business scenarios. GGTP was created to address these gaps.

What is GGTP?  

Acting as a connector between enterprises and talent

GGTP’s core features are “mixed Chinese-foreign learning, real enterprise practice, and cross-cultural collaboration.” The program follows a four-weekend format, spanning May to June. The courses launched on May 16 begin with macro and trend modules to help participants identify pain points in global expansion. Subsequent sessions will cover global expansion trends, overseas markets, localization strategies, cross-cultural communication, and brand storytelling. Through company visits, case studies, group collaboration, and pitch presentations, participants will gain an understanding of and involvement in global expansion within authentic business scenarios.

The mentor lineup is equally solid, featuring frontline practitioners from global expansion tech companies, consumer brands, brand growth, cross-cultural communications, investment, and organizational management. Senior executives from Changning-based companies such as Westwell and Furbulous are also actively participating as mentors.

GGTP focuses on key areas including international operations, cross-border management, overseas risk prevention and control, and digital marketing, further strengthening the talent foundation for corporate global expansion.

Taking GGTP as an opportunity, Changning will further connect global expansion enterprises, professional institutions, university youth, and international talent resources, promoting the development of a more open, pragmatic, and sustainable ecosystem for talent cultivation and enterprise services, cultivating a new generation of capable, trustworthy, and growth-oriented international talent for the globalization of Chinese enterprises.