The welcome ceremony for a batch of new students at the Buddhist Academy of Harbin is held on Sept 7. A total of 22 students from eight provinces are about to start a two-year study program in Harbin. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

 New students take a class at the Buddhist Academy of Harbin on Sept 7. The predecessor to the current academy has a long history dating back to 1924, and was previously called the Academy of Jile Temple. The Buddhist Academy of Harbin was officially approved by the State Administration of Religious Affairs in August 2015. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

A student sweeps the floor at the Buddhist Academy of Harbin on Sept 7. The academy first became known to the public around two years ago, as the Chinese abbreviation for the name of the Harbin academy is the same as Harvard University, which drew the attention of netizens. [Photo/Chinanews.com]