“NYU Shanghai Global Parents Union” - Class 2018 Parent Qiling Zhang

Starting from the day our children stepped into NYU Shanghai, we, middle-aged men and women from many different places, took on a new identity--- “NYU Shanghai parents.”

The “NYU Shanghai Global Parents Union” was established with simple intentions. As parents, we were naturally curious and worried about our children at school. We were eager to know our children, and aspired to find out what sparked their passionate motivation to be at NYU Shanghai. “To witness the growth of a special university and our children who were brave enough to choose it” is the mission of “NYU Shanghai Global Parents Union”. 

In July 2014, the NYU Shanghai Parents QQ Group was started, as a platform for parents to exchange and share information. A Weibo account was registered and confirmed, and following that, a WeChat group chat, as well.  In April, 2016 we initiated the “NYU Shanghai Global Parents Union” WeChat subscription account. The editorial board, constituting of parents of the Class of 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020, were responsible for regularly collecting, updating, and sharing parent stories at the expense of their off-work hours.

After two years of joint efforts, the parents union has gathered over 600 parents of students from all four grades, covering almost 400 families. We have witnessed frequent online and offline interactions among us, including active QQ and WeChat group chats, and irregular casual meetings and travels. Our children chose NYU Shanghai, and that same choice brought us together to form the “NYU Shanghai Parents Union,” providing opportunities for us to enjoy exchanging ideas with each other as well as share life experiences, make valuable friends, and continually strive for self-improvement.

Our “NYU Shanghai Parents Union” serves as the platform for us as parents to record our thoughts, feelings and experiences and learn from what other parents have gone through. It also serves as a valuable connection between parents and NYU Shanghai.  

We tell the stories of our children growing up, and how we’ve witnessed the progress they’ve made at NYU Shanghai. Our perspective as parents introduces to the public a unique view of NYU Shanghai.

“NYU Shanghai Parents Union” functions as a foundation on which parents and children can grow together, as well as a platform that stimulates a relationship between parents and NYU Shanghai.

Through this channel, the small details of campus life each parent contributes create a greater dimension to the grand picture of NYU Shanghai, its education, and the lives of our children. It’s a platform that strengthens our knowledge and understanding of the next generation, and allows us to keep pace with our children. 

The persistence of our children brought NYU Shanghai to our knowledge, attention, and now we share their passion. As a committed fan, NYU Shanghai Parents Union” is committed to supporting the development of NYU Shanghai and will provide vital feedback to the school about parental concerns, expectations, and appeals to form wholesome exchanges.

We are profoundly impressed with our identity as NYU Shanghai parents, a role that requires us to demonstrate wisdom, decisiveness, frankness, responsibility and endurance with great hopes and happiness for our children as reward