Jiang Guohua, deputy dean of the Graduate School, chaired the course. He introduced the syllabus and relevant requirements at the first lectures of both classes. The first lecture of the English class on “Urbanization” was delivered by Professor He Canfei from College of Urban and Environmental Sciences. In the Chinese language class, the first lecture was given by Professor Chen Xiaoming from Department of Chinese Language and Literature on “How to understand and evaluate Chinese contemporary literature.” The lectures in both classes were engaging and encouraged active participation from students and interactions with professors. Students expressed their appreciation with loud applause.

Professor He Canfei giving a lecture

During the fall semester, the course will invite 11 Peking University professors from diverse fields including international studies, law, sociology, urban planning to lecture  on issues relevant to understanding contemporary China. Every lecture will be based on a specific theme and will explore the current situation as well as the future of China. After all the 11 lectures, students will be required to further explore and research aspects of Chinese politics, economy, science, culture and society from and then submit a research report. This curricular arrangement helps present the general situation and latest academic achievements of China. It also allows students with different professional backgrounds to conduct individualized research and produce academic writing.

With a continuously growing number of students from HMT and overseas, it is important for Chinese colleges and universities to help these students achieve their academic goals and to learn about life and culture in China. This new course focusing on contemporary issues in China addresses these two goals.

Written by: Pan Xuru
Edited by: Erin Dunne & Xie Changli
Source: PKU News (Chinese)