To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the China Studies Program and the 70th anniversary of Peking University's education for students studying in China, the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC) and Peking University (PKU) co-organized the Forum for International Students and Scholars themed "China Studies in a Global Perspective" on June 17. The opening ceremony was attended and addressed by Dr. Jing Wei, Deputy Director-General of the CLEC; Wang Bo, Vice President of PKU; Tian Wei, host of China Global Television Network (CGTN); Xia Hongwei, Secretary of the Party Committee, Peking University Press, and Anna Yang and Donglona Adawa Thomas standing for PhD students of the China Studies Program. The keynote speech was delivered by Jia Qingguo, member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and professor at the School of International Studies, Peking University.
The forum received a total of 66 high-quality submissions from 18 universities in 27 countries. After several rounds of deliberation, 15 international young students and scholars were selected to deliver brilliant presentations at the academic forum, showcasing the milestone academic achievements of contemporary international young students and scholars in China studies.
Jing Wei pointed out that the China Studies Program is a brand program launched by the CLEC in 2013, which aims to provide young foreign scholars with opportunities to observe, experience and study China. Over the past ten years, the China Studies Program has attracted talents with high-quality resources and selected talents with strict criteria. In cooperation with 18 top Chinese universities represented by Peking University, it has supported more than 800 young scholars from 90 countries to study for doctoral degrees or conduct research in China through the whole-process and refined training model with multi tutors and interdisciplinary study. With their diverse academic and cultural backgrounds, excellent language and communication skills, and outstanding research and analysis skills, these young scholars showcase a real, three-dimensional and comprehensive China. She expects the young generation of sinologists to keep an open mind, lead rational dialogue, promote the exchange of ideas and wisdom between China and abroad, and jointly create a better future.
Wang Bo said that 2022 is the 70th anniversary of the Peking University's education for students studying in China since the founding of new China, and over the past 70 years, international students have become a bright landscape on the campus of PKU, because they are messengers of culture, academics, and friendship, and are the conduit that connects China to the world. There are various perspectives and theories on the topic of "What is China like? " in the academic world, and international students can help to improve mutual understanding and promote people-to-people contact by studying China from a global perspective.
Tian Wei encouraged young students and scholars to gain a deeper understanding of China and to be bold and adept at sharing their insights with the world. Xia Hongwei believed that conducting China studies, studying historical China and contemporary China, is undoubtedly of great significance in promoting the progress of human society.
Anna Yang Donglona Adawa Thomas
Anna Yang from Poland said that she became attached to China because of the China Studies Program and expected that this program would allow more young international students and scholars to get in touch with China, fall in love with China and understand China. Donglona Adawa Thomas from Chad expressed that he was honored to be a beneficiary of the China Studies Program and a student of Peking University. He believed that the current China studies is not only about China, but also about the relationship between China and the world, and this forum is an opportunity for young students and scholars to show their performance and confidence.
Jia Qingguo delivered a keynote speech focusing on the theme of the forum, noting that China is absorbing the advanced achievements of the world's culture and civilization based on its inherited excellent cultural traditions and values, and that China's development today benefits to a large extent from an open mindset and approach. The answer to the question of how China will participate in shaping the world's development process in the future, requires to conduct China studies in a global perspective.
Participating experts unanimously said that the forum focused on the thinking and wisdom, exploration and research of international students and scholars in the field of China studies, reflecting the representativeness, advancement and practicability of China studies in a global perspective. These international youths, like Gualteros Valenzuela John Eder, a doctoral candidate of China Studies Program, not only think in Chinese, but also crosses cultural barriers to tell the story of the community with shared future for mankind in a global perspective. The group consisting of young, talented scholars is growing fast and blossoming, and the future is promising. (Source from Center for Language Education and Cooperation)
