On December 12, 2023, IICE Professor GU Xianlin delivered a lecture titled "National Interests and U.S. Foreign Education Assistance", which chaired by IICE Associate Professor HUANG Yu.

Professor GU primarily focused on three questions: “why the United States conducts educational assistance”, “what aspects of education receive assistance”, and “what the outcomes are”. He indicated that the purposes behind the U.S. conducting foreign education assistance include making the Americas more aligned with American interests, assuming responsibility as the dominant figure across the Atlantic, and ensuring the United States remains the sole global superpower.

The forms of U.S. educational assistance primarily encompass the provision of physical assistance for constructing schools and educational facilities, supplying funds, equipment and teaching materials, assistance in talent development, and assistance in educational system and capacity building. Educational assistance has expanded America's influence globally, and some recipient countries have experienced certain levels of development due to American educational assistance. However, issues related to loss of autonomy and uneven development have also emerged. Overall, U.S. educational assistance has broadly achieved the objectives expected by the United States.

In the concluding segment of the lecture, Professor GU engaged in discussions and explorations with the attending teachers and students on topics such as "assistance of talent cultivation" and the "effectiveness of educational assistance".