School News

On March 16, 2024, the 4th Area Studies Forum with 50 participants was held at our university. The conference was organized by the Secretariat of the Ministry of Education's Department of Area Studies, the Alliance of Higher Education Institutions for Area Studies Talent Cultivation and Discipline Construction, Northwest University, Sun Yat-sen University, Huaqiao University, Anhui Normal University, Zhaoqing University, the Preparatory Committee of the Area Studies Research Branch of the Chinese Society of Higher Education, and the Chinese International Trade Association's Professional Committee on China Area Studies. It was hosted by the Area Studies Institute and the School of Area Studies at Northwest University, with the collaboration of 11 universities and research institutions nationwide, and was attended by more than 200 experts and scholars.

The opening ceremony was chaired by Vice President Sun Qingwei, who is in charge of administrative affairs at our university.

Wang Haibo, Deputy Secretary of the Shaanxi Provincial Education and Workers' Committee, introduced the historical background and important position of area studies in Shaanxi. He pointed out that Shaanxi Province has an important mission in promoting China's “Belt and Road” initiative, enhancing Sino-foreign exchanges, strengthening international communication, participating in global governance, advancing the “Three Initiatives”, and cultivating high-level research talents in Central Asia, South Asia, and West Asia.

Jiang Lin, the Secretary of the University Party Committee, welcomed and thanked all the guests for their attendance. He introduced Northwest University's academic achievements in the field of area studies, especially in the research areas of West Asia, North Africa, Central Asia, and South Asia. He also highlighted the university's long-term focus on national major strategies and its commitment to serving the opening-up of the western region through disciplinary construction. Jiang Lin emphasized Northwest University's efforts to enhance interdisciplinary integration by establishing the Area Studies Institute and the School of Area Studies, aiming to build influential research platforms and talent cultivation bases in the field of regional country studies, both domestically and internationally.

During the keynote session, speeches were delivered by several distinguished guests including Luo Lin, Director of the Secretariat of the Ministry of Education's Department of Area Studies, Director of the Academic Committee of the Alliance of Higher Education Institutions, and Secretary-General of the Preparatory Committee of the Area Studies Research Branch of the Chinese Society of Higher Education; Wu Sike, former Chinese Special Envoy on Middle East Affairs, former Chinese Ambassador to Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and Chairman of the Advisory Committee of the Alliance of Higher Education Institutions; Zhao Zhongxiu, President of the University of International Business and Economics, Chairperson of the Teaching Steering Committee for Economic and Trade Majors under the Ministry of Education, and Co-Chairman of the Alliance of Higher Education Institutions; Chang Jiang, Secretary of the Party Committee of Xi'an Shiyou University; Zhou Xu, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Anhui Normal University; and Hu Wentao, Vice President of Zhaoqing University.

Leading experts in the field of area studies, including Qian Chengdan, Professor of Peking University and Founding Dean of the Institute of Area Studies; Yang Jiemian, former President of the Shanghai Institute of International Studies and Chairman of the Advisory Committee of the Alliance of Higher Education Institutions; Jiang Feng, former Secretary of the Party Committee of Shanghai International Studies University and Chairman of the Shanghai Institute for Global Governance and Area Studies, as well as Professor at Peking University; Zhai Kun, Professor at the School of International Studies, Peking University, and Deputy Dean of the Institute of Area Studies; and Liu Hongwu, Director of the African Studies Institute at Zhejiang Normal University, and Secretary-General of the Area Studies Discipline Evaluation Group of the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council, shared their insights on the construction of theoretical frameworks and methodologies in area studies.

In the special keynote session, Professor Huang Minxing from our university's Middle East Studies Institute, Li Dingxin, Director of the Strategic Research Department of the Contemporary World Research Center of the United Front Work Department, and Co-Director of the Alliance Think Tank Construction Committee, Professor Zhang Yang from the School of History at Zhejiang University, and Director Zhang Zhenjiang from the Overseas Chinese Research Institute at Jinan University, as well as Xu Yijie, Chief Content Officer of Foreign Language Research Online, discussed topics such as the development of Chinese regional country studies in three stages, the strategic research infrastructure of area studies, the theory and methods of American regional studies, and the application of artificial intelligence in area studies from different perspectives.

In the keynote speech session, 36 experts and scholars including Wang Chaowen, Liu Changming, Wu Hao, Zhai Dongsheng, and Liang Zhanjun delivered reports on six main themes, including the theoretical construction of area studies, the origin and evolution of area studies, methodological exploration in area studies, theoretical and practical aspects of regional comprehensive research, interdisciplinary pathways to construct area theories and methods, and the talent cultivation system of area studies.

The closing ceremony of the conference was presided over by Professor Wang Xingang, Vice Dean of our university's Institute of Area Studies and Director of the Syria Research Center at the Ministry of Education's Department of Area Studies. Professor Chen Jie, Director of the Area Studies Institute at Sun Yat-sen University, Secretary-General of the Alliance, and Young Changjiang Scholar appointed by the Ministry of Education, summarized the conference. He highlighted several achievements and consensus reached during the conference and proposed the “Xi'an Initiative” for Chinese area studies.

As the main organizer of this forum, our school actively participated in various preparatory activities and organized faculty and students specializing in area studies to fully participate in the forum. Through participation, faculty and students at the forum deepened their understanding of the theory and methods of area studies in a more systematic, comprehensive, and in-depth manner. This participation also provided effective support for strengthening the disciplinary construction and talent cultivation in area studies in our school. Additionally, the forum established the “National Committee of Female Scholars in Area Studies”, with Dean Cao Ruonan serving as one of the vice conveners. The establishment of this committee aims to amplify the voices of female scholars in area studies, showcase female perspectives, and contribute significant efforts to advancing the development of Chinese-characterized regional country studies.