Several students said the visit prompted broader reflection on how opinions about China are formed.

"I believe there is a great deal of fear-mongering in Western discourse about China," Ly said, adding that direct experience showed her "a place full of warmth, innovation, history and everyday beauty."

Raine Mimoza Hutton said she returned home with "a completely unique perspective on China," noting that "all the negativity surrounding China in the news and media creates a significant overcast over all the amazing things the country has to offer."

The program was coordinated by Li Yan, an associate professor and coordinator of Chinese language and culture studies at Renison, University of Waterloo. She said the two-week immersion course was designed to allow students to "experience China with their own eyes."

"I hope to provide a special opportunity for students who have learned some basic Chinese but had never been to China to enhance their learning in the real Chinese environment and to experience China with their own eyes," she told China Daily.

Li said the timing and structure were intentional, with students studying Chinese in class every morning and spending afternoons and evenings on cultural activities and city tours.

"Since there are too many attractive scenes and historical spots in Beijing and the time is limited, I chose only the most representative ones for my students," she said.

She said the project was particularly relevant given the current media environment. "The old saying that 'seeing is believing' is the only solution," Li said.

According to Li, student feedback consistently pointed to a gap between expectation and reality. "Almost all of them expressed the feeling that there were huge gaps between what they had received from the Western media and what are the realities," she said.

That shift appears to have had lasting impact. "Almost everyone who has participated in the programs expressed the wish to come back to China for further study or work," Li said.

"I want very much to help them realize their dreams and to provide more opportunities for the young people to see the world," she said.