The so-called networking event is, on one hand, about expanding connections and, on the other hand, about sharing resources and information.
Perhaps Old Yang organizes such an event every semester because he hopes to establish a special group belonging to the International campus.
The difference between this kind of networking event and private golf or yacht clubs is probably that everyone comes from a common background, which makes the relationships relatively more stable.
Old Yang's original intention was also for everyone to exchange ideas and make progress together within this circle, hoping to add a few more notable figures to the school's wall of honor.
After Shen Yuan's company expanded, and new industrial rewards followed, he needed higher-level social resources and status to match.
And those entrepreneurs who grow and strengthen their businesses can't take the lead in their industry without a well-established network of relationships.