Connecting Hearts Worldwide, Building the Future Through Talent: International Talent Exchange Practices of the Heart Sapling Program at Its Third Anniversary

As globalization continues to deepen, international talent exchange and cooperation in healthcare have become increasingly important pathways for enhancing medical capacity and promoting global health development. Against this backdrop, the Heart Sapling Visiting Scholar Program (Heart Sapling Program), launched by Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital Xiamen University (Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital), has gradually emerged as a distinctive model for international medical talent development.

Over the past three years, the program has welcomed young cardiovascular specialists from countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative and BRICS cooperation mechanisms, providing systematic clinical training and academic exchange opportunities. Through this effort, it has promoted the sharing of medical expertise, facilitated international healthcare collaboration, and contributed to global cardiovascular health development.

From International Training Program to Global Cooperation Platform

Since its launch at the United Nations Headquarters in April 2023, the Heart Sapling Program has steadily expanded its international influence. In 2024, the program was included in the Global Development Project Database of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) and was selected for the Achievement List of the “Action Plan for Building a Shared Future” at the Second High-Level Meeting of the Global Shared Development Action Forum.

As of its third anniversary, the program has trained dozens of young cardiovascular specialists from multiple countries, providing them with opportunities to gain firsthand experience in China’s rapidly advancing cardiovascular medicine and healthcare system.The program’s significance extends beyond technical training. It has gradually evolved into a platform that connects institutions, promotes academic exchange, and fosters long-term international cooperation.

From Learners to Connectors

One of the most distinctive features of the Heart Sapling Program is that it does not regard visiting scholars solely as trainees. Instead, participants gradually become important bridges linking Chinese and international healthcare institutions.

During their training at Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital, scholars receive systematic education in cardiovascular diagnosis and treatment, clinical management, multidisciplinary collaboration, and medical innovation. After returning to their home countries, they continue to maintain close connections with the hospital, helping expand cooperation between institutions and creating new opportunities for academic exchange and clinical collaboration.

This approach has transformed traditional short-term exchange programs into sustainable partnerships. Rather than ending when the training concludes, cooperation continues to deepen through the professional growth and ongoing engagement of former participants.  

Building Institutional Cooperation Through Talent Exchange

As the Heart Sapling Program has expanded, the hospital has increasingly leveraged its alumni network to promote broader international cooperation.

In September 2024, with the support of Brazilian Heart Sapling alumnus Felipe Simão, Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital and Hospital de Messejana in Brazil jointly organized the China–Brazil Cardiovascular Innovation Forum.

In May 2025, the hospital and the National Heart Institute of Egypt co-hosted the China–Egypt Coronary Intravascular Imaging Symposium, where two Egyptian Heart Sapling alumni actively participated in academic discussions and clinical exchanges.

At the same time, collaboration has extended beyond conference halls into clinical practice. Since 2024, teams from Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital have visited countries including Brazil, El Salvador, Indonesia, and Vietnam to conduct academic exchanges, live case demonstrations, and procedural training, sharing Chinese expertise while supporting the implementation of advanced cardiovascular therapies in local hospitals.  

A notable example occurred in August 2024, when President Wang Yan’s team used a Chinese-developed innovative device to guide Dr. Soetomo General Academic Hospital in Indonesia through a highly complex transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedure.  

In several partner institutions, former Heart Sapling scholars now work side by side with Chinese experts and have become key facilitators of bilateral cooperation. Through the Heart Sapling Program, Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital has established exchanges and collaborations across more than ten countries and regions, gradually transforming international cardiovascular cooperation from isolated point-to-point interactions into more sustainable and institutionalized partnerships.  

Creating New Opportunities Through Mutual Learning

An important lesson from the Heart Sapling Program is that international talent exchange should not be viewed merely as a one-way process of teaching and learning. Instead, it should be regarded as a platform for mutual growth and shared development.

For visiting scholars, the program provides access to advanced technologies, clinical expertise, and broader academic perspectives. For Chinese healthcare professionals, long-term engagement with physicians from different countries offers valuable insights into variations in disease patterns, healthcare systems, resource allocation, and clinical needs around the world.

This two-way exchange makes future cooperation more targeted, practical, and sustainable. It also reflects a broader trend in international talent development:

* Moving from showcase-oriented exchanges to problem-oriented collaboration;

* Moving from short-term training to long-term interaction mechanisms;

* Moving from technology transfer alone to joint capacity building based on shared needs.

In this context, talent exchange is no longer a supplementary component of international cooperation. Instead, it becomes a fundamental driving force for deeper and more meaningful global healthcare collaboration.  

Reflections at the Three-Year Milestone

Over the past three years, the Heart Sapling Program has evolved from a hospital-initiated international training project into a platform with broader influence and demonstrative value in international talent exchange.

Its greatest achievement may not be the number of physicians it has trained, but rather the answer it provides to an increasingly important question:

How can Chinese medical institutions participate more effectively in global health cooperation in today’s international environment?

The Heart Sapling Program’s answer is clear:Build bridges through talent, connect through professional expertise, and deepen cooperation through long-term mechanisms and capacity building.  

This approach aligns not only with the fundamental principles of healthcare collaboration but also with the evolving direction of international talent exchange, which increasingly emphasizes practical outcomes, sustainable mechanisms, and long-term impact.

Looking back from the program’s third anniversary, the group of Heart Sapling scholars observed by international journalists at Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital serves as the most vivid embodiment of the program itself.

They are beneficiaries, but also ambassadors.

They are learners, but also connectors.

Through them, China’s cardiovascular expertise, clinical experience, and commitment to international cooperation are reaching a broader global audience. Through them, international talent exchange is no longer confined to a specific place or moment in time, but continues to grow into a cross-border network of cooperation aimed at the future.

This ongoing exploration provides a valuable and practical example of how Chinese medical institutions can contribute to international talent exchange and global health cooperation in the years ahead.