CCNU International Summer School
Artificial Intelligence In Education
July 1-15, 2024 | China

The Central China Normal University (CCNU) Interantioanl Summer School 2024, Artificial Intelligence In Education program is jointly sponsored by Central China Normal University (CCNU) and University of Wollongong (UOW), and co-organized by Central China Normal University Wollongong Joint Institute, National Engineering Research Center of Educational Big Data, Office of International Cooperation and Exchanges and Graduate School of Central China Normal University. 

The Summer School combines cutting-edge technologies and wonderful Chinese culture experience. It enables you to

• keep up with the latest development in Artificial Intelligence and its application in education through keynote lectures
• have face-to-face discussions with world-renowned scholars and industrial elites
• work with your peer students through the mini project
• learn about Chinese traditional culture and expand your horizon visit historical sites and taste delicious Chinese food
• visit leading Wuhan-based IT companies or labs

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Program and Culture Experience ​

​Part 1: Mini Project (Artificial Intelligence in Education)
Lectures and projects which are guided by our academic experts in AI in Education fields, will be held from Monday through Friday, with IT Company Visit or Lab Visit.

​Part 2: Chinese Language & Culture
Guided by our instructors experienced in teaching Chinese as a foreign language, the students will have a basic grasp of Chinese language and experience Chinese culture.
Students will also have access to several field trips and culture tours during their stay in Wuhan.

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Curriculum Schedule

(Click the curriculum image to enlarge)

Topics on AI in Education

1.    Speech-Based Question-Answering The objective of this project is to develop an application that utilizes speech recognition and synthesis capabilities to enable users to ask questions verbally and receive appropriate responses through speech. The application will recognize and understand human questions in the form of audio, providing reasonable and accurate answers in return.
 
Key functionalities of the application may include:
1)    Speech Recognition: The application will utilize speech recognition algorithms to convert spoken questions into text format for further processing.
2)    Natural Language Processing: Natural language processing techniques will be implemented to analyze and understand the semantic meaning of the questions, allowing the application to generate relevant responses. The application may integrate a language model or a knowledge base to provide appropriate answers to the questions asked. The input may be in different language, for which it will require a translation step from the application.
3)    Speech Synthesis: The application will employ speech synthesis techniques to convert the generated responses into voice, providing users with audible answers.
4)    Integration with NAO Robot: The application can be implemented on the NAO robot platform. This integration will enable the NAO robot to serve as the interface for speech interaction.
 
For example:
Audio input: "Is the sum of the internal angles of a triangle 360 degrees?"
Audio output: "No, the sum is 180 degrees."
 
2.    Academic Paper Recommendation System The objective of this project is to create an application to recommend  relevant academic papers to researchers and scholars. The application will analyze user preferences, research interests, and other contextual information to provide personalized paper recommendations.

Key functionalities of the application may include:
1)    User Profiling: The application will allow users to create profiles, providing information about their research areas, expertise, and interests. Users can also specify preferences such as preferred journals, authors, or keywords.
2)    Content Analysis: The application will analyze the content of academic papers, including their titles, abstracts, keywords, and full-text, using natural language processing and machine learning techniques. This analysis will enable the system to understand the papers' topics, concepts, and relevance.
3)    Recommendation Module: Based on the user's profile and the content analysis of academic papers, an AI-powered recommendation module will generate personalized recommendations. Additionally, users can use keywords or short descriptions to narrow down the recommendations.
4)    User Feedback Loop: The application may allow users to provide feedback on the recommended papers, indicating their relevance and usefulness. This feedback will be used to refine and improve the recommendation algorithm over time.
5)    User Interface: The application will have a user-friendly interface that allows researchers to navigate through recommended papers, explore related papers, and save or bookmark relevant articles for future reference.
 
3.    AI-Assisted Assignment Management System The objective of this project is to design and develop an advanced assignment management system that assists lecturers in effectively handling assignments for their courses. The system will incorporate AI algorithms to facilitate the assignment process and provide valuable features for both teachers and students.
 
Key functionalities of the application may include:
1)    Assignment Release: The system will enable teachers to effortlessly release assignments, including setting due dates, providing instructions, and attaching relevant resources.
2)    Answer Submission: Students will have a user-friendly interface to submit their answers electronically, ensuring a smooth and efficient submission process.
3)    Automated Grading: AI algorithms will be implemented to automatically grade students' answers, minimizing manual effort and providing timely feedback to both students and teachers.
4)    Statistical Reports: The system will generate statistical reports, such as marks distribution charts and student performance curves. These reports will assist teachers in gaining insights into overall class performance and identifying areas for improvement.
 
4.    Image-Based Question-Answering The objective of this project is to create an application that utilizes AI technology to search and answer questions based on images. The application should employ image recognition algorithms to extract problem or question text from images. It may utilize a combination of database, language model and internet searches to retrieve relevant information and generate responses.
 
Key functionalities of the application may include:
1)    Image-to-Text Recognition: The application will extract textual content from images, converting them into machine-readable format.
2)    Question Answering: The extracted questions will be used as search queries to retrieve relevant information using either a language model, a designated database, internet searches, or a combination of them. If an exact answer is not available, the application may provide similar questions as well as some answers given by the language model that might help the user find the desired information.
3)    User Interface: The application will have a user-friendly interface that allows users to upload images, view the extracted questions, and access the answers or similar questions.
4)    Multi-Modal Question-Answering: You may extend the application to accept inputs form multi-modalities, including images and texts.
 
5.    Question Understanding and Knowledge Points Annotation The objective of this project is to create an application that utilizes AI algorithms to understand and classify input questions, and annotate relevant knowledge points (e.g., for mathematical problems). The application will take a question as input and output the type of the question, and propose the knowledge points that are necessary to solve the problem.

Key functionalities of the application may include:
1)    Question Classification: The application will employ natural language processing techniques to understand and classify the input question, extracting relevant information and relationships involved. It may also provide a brief explanation about the question.
2)    Knowledge Base Integration: The application may be integrated with a knowledge base that contains a collection of (mathematical) concepts, theorems, and properties. It will leverage this knowledge base to identify and retrieve the relevant knowledge points related to the input question.
3)    Knowledge Point Annotation: Based on the extracted information from the question and the knowledge base, the application will generate a list of annotated knowledge points that are pertinent to solving the specific problem. These knowledge points will provide users with the necessary information and insights to approach and solve similar problems.
4)    User Interface: The application will have a user-friendly interface where users can input questions and view the annotated knowledge points generated by the system. Users may also explore additional information and explanations related to each knowledge point.
 
For example:
Input:
Given two triangles, triangle one has a 30-degree angle and a 90-degree angle. Triangle two has a 60-degree angle and a 90-degree angle. Please prove that these two triangles are similar.
Output:
Question Type: Geometry
Knowledge points: 1. The sum of the internal angles of the triangle is 180 degrees. 2. If two angles of a triangle are equal to those of the other one, these two triangles are similar.
 
6.    Online Quiz Application The objective of this project is to develop an online quiz application that generate different types of questions and automatically grade user answers. The application will offer a variety of question formats, such as true-or-false, multiple choice, and fill-in-the-blank.

Key functionalities of the application may include:
1)    Question Generation: The application will dynamically generate  questions based on user requests. It may randomly generate different question types, such as true-or-false, multiple choice, and fill-in-the-blank, ensuring variety in each quiz session. Furthermore, the application could also be trained to generate similar questions to examples given by the  user.
2)    Automatic Answer Grading: The application will employ AI algorithms to automatically grade user answers.
3)    User Interface: The application will have a user-friendly interface where users can participate in quizzes, view generated questions, select their answers, and receive immediate feedback on their performance. Users can also track their overall progress and review their quiz history.
4)    The application may integrate a Q&A database or a large language model. In the latter case, please propose some measures to suppress/avoid the hallucination of large language model.
 
For example, the application may generate the following question-and answer pairs.
 
True-or-false question: A frog has five legs. Answer: False.
 
Multiple choice question: how many legs does a frog have?
A.        Three
B.        Four
C.        Five
D.        Six Answer: B.
 
Fill-in-the-blank question: A frog has                                                     legs. Answer: Four.
 
7.    Personalized Learning Plan Generation The objective of this project is to create an AI-driven application that generates personalized learning plans and materials tailored to individual student needs and preferences. The application will use AI algorithms to analyze student profile, learning styles, and academic goals, and generate customized learning plans and materials accordingly.
 
Key functionalities of the application may include:
1)    Student Profiling: The application will gather information about students' academic backgrounds, learning preferences, and goals through surveys or assessments. It will analyze student data to identify patterns, strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.
2)    Curriculum Customization: Based on the profile analysis and user request, the application will create personalized learning plans that align with students' learning objectives, incorporating relevant topics, learning activities, and resources.
3)    Content Generation: The application may generate customized learning materials such as slides, worksheets, quizzes, and interactive exercises tailored to each student's learning plan.
4)    Progress Tracking: Students can interact with the application overtime, enabling them to track progress, monitor performance, and  adjust learning plans as needed.
5)    Adaptive Learning: The application may dynamically adjust learning materials and activities based on students' progress, providing personalized recommendations and feedback to optimize learning outcomes.
 
8.    Case Study Analysis of an AI Implementation in Education The objective of this project is to conduct a case study analysis of a specific AI implementation in education. The objective is to examine the effectiveness, impact, user experience, and feedback associated with the chosen AI implementation.
 
Key components of the case study analysis may include:
1)    AI Implementation Selection and Introduction: A specific AI application or implementation in education should be selected, which preferably has been widely utilized and has available data and user feedback for analysis. Please provide your selection criteria as well as a brief introduction.
2)    Effectiveness Evaluation: The effectiveness of the AI implementation should be assessed in terms of its impact on student learning outcomes, engagement, and knowledge retention. The quantitative data, such as academic performance metrics, as well as qualitative indicators, including student surveys or testimonials should be analyzed.
3)    Impact Assessment: The analysis should cover the broader impact of the AI implementation on educational practices, pedagogical approaches, and the overall learning ecosystem, while considering factors such as accessibility, scalability, personalization, and the potential for bridging educational gaps.
4)    User Experience and Feedback Analysis: User experiences and feedback gathered from students, teachers, and other stakeholders involved in the AI implementation should also be analyzed. It is also recommended to identify strengths, weaknesses, challenges, and areas for improvement based on their perspectives and insights.
5)    Comparison and Recommendations: The findings from the case study analysis should be compared with existing literature, research, and similar AI implementations in education. Conclusions and recommendations for further enhancement should be provided accordingly.
 
9.        Literature Review of Ethical Issues on AI in Education The objective of this project is to perform a thorough literature review focusing on the topic of ethical issues on AI in education.
With the growing integration of AI and the use of AI tools in education, concerns regarding the unethical use of AI have attracted attention of scholars across different fields. Issues about fairness, bias, privacy, and transparency in AI-driven educational systems have also sparked critical examination and debate within academic circles. As educators and policymakers strive to harness the potential of AI to improve educational outcomes, it is important to navigate the ethical considerations in the design, implementation, and use of AI technologies in educational settings.
The review may include discussion on ethical issues in AI-driven educational systems and on how to design responsible AI systems, or try to explore strategies to address ethical concerns and promote responsible AI use in education. Additionally, you could provide your opinions from the perspectives of policymakers, educators, students, developers and researchers on how to promote responsible AI systems and ethical use of AI in education.
 
10.    Education Reshaped by AI The objective of this project is to investigate and brainstorm on how AI technologies are/will be revolutionizing education, including fundamentally changing the way of teaching and learning.
You may consider the following aspects:
Current Status: Investigate how AI technologies are currently revolutionizing education, from personalized learning platforms to AI tutors. Future Potential and Innovative Education Schemes: Brainstorm potential future scenarios where AI continues to transform education, considering advancements in AI-driven content creation, virtual classrooms, and adaptive learning systems.
Develop innovative education schemes that leverage AI technologies to enhance teaching and learning experiences. Explore the possibilities of AI-driven personalized learning, adaptive assessments, and immersive educational experiences.
Challenges and Solutions: Identify potential technical and non-technical challenges that may arise in implementing AI-driven education schemes, such as algorithm accuracy and efficiency, algorithmic bias, data privacy, and accessibility issues. Propose solutions to mitigate these challenges, including the development of algorithm design, ethical AI guidelines, management policies.
Enabling Technology Advancements and Policy Support: Evaluate the technological advancements needed to support AI-driven education schemes, such as improved AI algorithms, high performance computing, robust data infrastructure. Discuss the importance of policy support in fostering the responsible deployment of AI in education, such as regulations to safeguard student data privacy and promote equitable access to AI-enabled educational resources.
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Introduction to travel point

​About Wuhan
Wuhan City (hereinafter referred to as "Wuhan"), also known as the "City of Rivers", is located in the central region of China, eastern region of Hubei Province at the confluence of the Yangtze River and the Han River. It is the capital city of Hubei province, also a famous national historic and cultural city, a central city and the only sub-provincial city in Central China, as well as an important industrial base, a science and education base and an integrated transportation hub in China.

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Yellow Crane Tower
Standing 51.4 meters, the five-story. Yellow Crane Tower is perched on the banks of the Yangtze River at the top of the Snake Mountain. It features a mix of octagonal and square structures with a roof covered by 100,000 yellow glazed tiles. Each upturned eave resembles a fluttering crane that is closely linked to the tower's name. The history of the Yellow Crane Tower, or Huanghe Lou in Chinese, dates back to the Three Kingdoms period (220-280) in Chinese history.
Initially built in 223 AD, the tower served military purposes as a watchtower at the beginning. In the following centuries, it repeatedly saw both destruction and reconstruction. Especially during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, it was destroyed seven times. Yet, each time, it was brought back to life again. Unfortunately, a fire in 1884 completely ruined the building. It was not until 1981 that the tower was once again rebuilt, which took four years. The tower we see today is based on the one designed during the Qing Dynasty.

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Hubei Provincial Museum 
Founded in 1953, Hubei Provincial Museum has the largest museum of ancient Musical Instruments in China. It has a collection of more than 240,000 cultural relics, with bronze ware, lacquered-wood ware and bamboo slips as its most distinctive features. Chime-bells from the Tomb of Marquis Yi of the Zeng State, The sword of Goujian, bamboo slips of the qin dynasty from yunmeng, and Blue and White plum vase of the four loves in the Yuan Dynasty are the four most valuable items in the museum.

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Red Cliff Ancient Battlefield
Red Cliff Ancient Battlefield, located in Hubei Province, China, is a historical site that holds great significance in Chinese history. This famous battlefield was the site of the Battle of Red Cliffs in the year 208 AD, where the allied forces of Liu Bei and Sun Quan successfully defeated the powerful army of Cao Cao.
Visitors to the Red Cliff Ancient Battlefield can explore the various historical relics and monuments that have been preserved on the site. One of the most famous monuments at the site is the Red Cliff Stone Inscription,
which contains a poem written by the famous poet Su Shi, also known as Su Dongpo. The poem describes the events of the Battle of Red Cliffs, immortalizing the brave sacrifices made by the soldiers who fought in the battle. Walking through the ancient battlefield, visitors can feel a sense of awe and reverence for the historical significance of the site. The Red Cliff Ancient Battlefield also offers stunning views of the Yangtze River, adding to the beauty and allure of the site.

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Xiandao Lake  
Xiandao Lake is located in Wangying Town, Yangxin County, at the northern foot of Mufu Mountain. It covers an area of 276 square kilometers and has 1002 islands embedded on 46000 acres of water, resembling the Milky Way constellation. It is not a fairyland but rather a fairyland, and is known as the "Number One Wonderful Lake in Jingchu". Xiandao Lake has excellent vegetation, a cluster of species, a concentration of 1010 negative ions per cubic centimeter in the air, and a visibility of 5 meters in the lake water. The average daily temperature in summer is around 25 degrees Celsius, and in winter it is around 8 degrees Celsius. In addition, there are clusters of caves on the lakeside and streams inside the caves. Xiandao Lake, along with Qiandao Lake in Hangzhou and Qiandao Lake in Canada, is known as the "Three Great Qiandao Lakes in the World". Xiandao Lake has experienced great changes and vicissitudes. During the Tang Dynasty, the sacred relics of King Luo Bin's tomb were closely related. In the Jiayin year of the Jiajing reign of the late Ming Dynasty, the "Feilai Bell" was well preserved, and the inscription on the "Lingtong Xiandao" stone tablet was clear.
 
* The schedule will be determined according to the final arrangement.

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Application & What To Expect

Suitable Applicants

• Junior or senior undergraduate students
• First year or second year postgraduate students
• Students with science and engineering backgrounds preferred, especially have a basic understanding of artificial intelligence. 

Application Proces
The Summer School is open to students from home and abroad, applicants should fulfill the following requirements:

1. Aged between the 18-35 and maintain in good health. 
2. English proficiency certificates (required for non-English native speaking applicants; TOEFL, GRE, or IELTS scores are preferred forms of proof).
3. Other required materials include the scanned copies of filled application form, CV, student card, passport, ID card, and electronic file of personal ID photo (3.5*5.3cm color photo). 
4. All the documents should be sent to the email address: [email protected]. In the subject line, please indicate "CCUN-AI program". 
5. Pay registration fee $300. 

Timeline

• Monday, May 6th: Application Due
• Monday, July 1: Airport Pick-up in Wuhan Tianhe International Airport (WHU); Registration & Orientation
• Tuesday, July 2: Opening Ceremony and Ice-Breaking Activity
• Sunday, July 14: Farewell Ceremony & Conclusion
• Monday, July 15: Departure

Certificate
Yes, certificates will be issued to students participating in this Summer School and completing all the required projects. It’s recommended that students who have completed the Summer School be given or transferred two credits.

Tuition & Cost

• Tuition of RMB 5,000 and Accommodation of RMB 1,400, equal to $877, is waived for the U.S. citizens  
• Meals: The U.S. citizens will receive a value of RMB 1,200 on your campus card to use at the on-campus canteens. 
• Registration Fee: $300. Pay to [email protected] via Zelle with a memo "CCNU-AI".
• Roundtrip air tickets to China: self-financed
• Visa application fee: self-financed 

Visa to China
Accepted students can apply for tourist visa via local Chinese embassy or consulate.

Insurance
International students must purchase insurance, medical and accident insurance at least, when studying in China according to the policy of Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China. An insurance policy which covers your stay in China must be provided upon registration. Otherwise, it should be purchased upon registration.

Airport Pickup 
Please send your flight itinerary information to [email protected] once you have finalized your travel plan 3 days before arrival. CCNU volunteers will be designated to pick you up at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport.

Ice-Breaking Activity
The school will arrange an “Ice-breaking” activity on the first day to help you get acquainted with each other.  Each participant is expected to prepare a PPT presentation, introducing yourself briefly as well as the city & country of birth and the university you are studying at. Then our student volunteers will show you around our campus with instructions on how to use the facilities. 

Accommodation
International student dormitory will be provided on campus with standard room for 2 persons and a private bathroom. The dormitory is located near the classroom buildings, library, stadium and canteens. You can branch out to the city within walking distance to the subway station.

Weather
Summer in Wuhan and many other cities in China can be hot and humid, with the temperature ranging from 77–100-degree Fahrenheit. 

Voltage
Voltage in China is 220V. A multi-purpose adaptor is always necessary for overseas visitors.

Internet and Telephone Card
China Telecom, China Mobile and China Unicom are the top three telecommunications companies in China, which offer both cable network and wireless network to students combined with their telephone service. You can buy a phone card with China Mobile upon arrival at CCNU in Wuhan. Monthly cost is roughly 50RMB (400MB GPRS, WLAN 100hours).
Nearly every country in the world uses "00" when calling outside of the country. The dialing code for landline in Wuhan is 027. From overseas, dial

0086+027+XXXXXXXX(an 8-digit phone number in Wuhan). For Mobile Phone, dial 0086+XXXXXXXXXXX(an 11- digit phone number).

​Medicine
It is advisable that you bring with medication for common use in your home country.

Currency
The renminbi (RMB) is the official currency of the People's Republic of China. The name literally means “people’s currency”. The yuan (sign: ¥) is the basic unit of the renminbi but is also used to refer to the Chinese currency generally, especially in international contexts. In most situations, you may use credit cards for personal consumptions, but it is strongly advisable that you also prepare some cash for small items. In China, shops do not accept foreign currencies in cash. Therefore, you can convert US dollars, Euros or other international currencies into renminbi prior to payment.
Bank of China CCNU branch is available on campus, where you can convert foreign currencies into renminbi.
Bank of China Opening Time:
Monday-Friday 08:30-12:00 ;14:00-17:00; Sunday 09:00-16:00

Documents to Carry
Passport & Visa (copies recommended);
Name, address, phone number and email address of your family & doctor; Immunization record recommended;
Picture ID;
Driver's license/school ID;
Note: Make a copy of all the relevant documents for your family in your home country (itinerary, air tickets, passport and visa seals).

Campus Card
During your stay on campus, you will receive a CCNU campus card, with which you may use for room entry, meals in the canteens or sometimes consumptions in convenience stores. Please be aware that the money value in the card is fixed.

Eating and Drinking
- On Campus
To provide you with opportunities for experiencing the student life in China, you are free to choose meals at any canteens on CCNU campus with campus cards for the duration of your stay at CCNU.
You are accessible to a multiple of meal options. Around student residential buildings, you may find a number of food outlets, including coffee and drinks shops, restaurants, supermarkets and fruit stores, as well as other conveniences, such as hairdressers, opticians and a post office.
-Off Campus
Wuhan has a huge range of restaurants available throughout the city, from traditional local cuisine to international taste.

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About CCNU

​​Located in Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei province and a major logistic hub in China, CCNU is a key comprehensive university directly under the administration of the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China. The picturesque campus of over 330 acres is nestled on Guizi Hill, bordering the South Lake. As one of the universities on the list of “211 National Education Priority Project” and “Double First-Class” initiative, CCNU is recognized as an important base for cultivating brilliant talents for the country as well as a superior training center for excellent teachers in institutions of higher learning.

Central China Normal University Wollongong Joint Institute

​Central China Normal University Wollongong Joint Institute (hereinafter referred to as JI) is set up jointly by CCNU and UOW. JI is a Chinese-foreign cooperatively-run institution approved by the Ministry of Education of the People' s Republic of China. It aims to cultivate international high-level talents with innovative and entrepreneurial capabilities, through offering courses for Master’s and higher degree, and conducting cutting-edge research. JI has been offering Master’s degree in computer science and telecommunication engineering since 2016.

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National Engineering Research Center of Educational Big Data

National Engineering Research Center of Educational Big Data was accredited in 2021 based on the accomplishment made by its former entity known as the National Engineering Laboratory for Educational Big Data. The Center boasts more than 300 dedicated professors, engineers, researcher and developers. At present, the Center offers two undergraduate programs, i.e. Data Science and Big Data Technology, Artificial Intelligence, and five different postgraduate programs such as Computer Science, Software Engineering, Educational Technology, etc. In addition, the Center enrolls Ph.D candidates in Educational Technology and Educational Information Technology.

About UOW

​UOW is proud to be among the best modern universities in the world. Throughout 70 years of history, the university has built an international reputation for world-class research and exceptional teaching   quality.   UOW   is   ranked   the   top   162th    in   QS   World U n i v e r s i t y R a n k i n g s 2 0 2 4 . C o m p u t e r S c i e n c e a n d Telecommunication Engineering are two programs offered by the Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences (EIS) at UOW.  EIS has a world-class reputation for excellence in research, strong collaborations with industry and government partners, and innovative approaches to teaching and learning. Its outstanding research has led to a number of Centers of Excellence, which has attracted best researchers engaged in significant, well-funded projects with state-of-art equipment and infrastructure. Its world- class reputation in research and teaching has earned a place in the Group of Eight Engineering and Associates, which is the top research faculties in Australia.

About Wuhan

Wuhan City (hereinafter referred to as "Wuhan"), also known as the "City of Rivers", is located in the central region of China, eastern region of Hubei Province at the confluence of the Yangtze River and the Han River. It is the capital city of Hubei province, also a famous national historic and cultural city, a central city and the only sub-provincial city in Central China, as well as an important industrial base, a science and education base and an integrated transportation hub in China.