The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program is one of the key initiatives at HIEU which has consistently brought talented young individuals from the US to the University. 。

HIEU is the only university in the Hunan Province to have received three groups of U.S. Presidential Scholars Program students since the summer of 2010. Participants are selected by the CEAIE (China Education Association for International Exchange,) to participate in the yearly US-China Student Leaders Exchange program.

The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964 to recognize outstanding high-school graduates. Each year up to 141 students are honored, of which 121 have demonstrated exemplary achievements in the academic arena and 20 in the arts. These award-winning students will gather in Washington and participate in the five-day official forum, education project, cultural exchange and awards ceremony, the last of which will be held at the White House.

The U.S. students have, over the past three years, built lasting friendships with their Chinese counterparts at HIEU. Upon their arrival in Changsha, Hunan, they are paired with HIEU students, and are required to accomplish various tasks with the one-to-one support of their Chinese partners. These included reciting a Tang poem, practicing Chinese martial arts, studying calligraphy and performing a Chinese folk song.

This is one of the many opportunities for “communication without boundaries” that HIEU values and promotes as a means for students to learn beyond the context of books. In addition to the exchange of ideas, participants enhance their understanding of the world's communities, economies and diverse environments, as well as their interdependence. Similar exchange programs will be developed to create new global platforms for HIEU students.