Editor’s note:
The year 2022 marks 70 years since the inception of International Education at Peking University in New China. The history can be traced back to 1952 when 14 international students came to PKU through the “Special Chinese Language Course for Exchange Students in Eastern Europe”.  Up till today, PKU has been continuously enhancing its professional impact and expanding its global reach, promoting internationalization in China’s tertiary education. More than 1.1 million international students have hailed from 195 countries to study on the Yanyuan campus, enrolling in a wide range of programs. By promoting cultural diplomacy, exchanges between students of different nationalities facilitate cross-cultural interactions with hopes of building a Community of Shared Future for Mankind.

To mark this special occasion, the Office of International Relations and PKU News jointly publish the special column “70 years of PKU International Students” to put the spotlight on the history and achievements of International Education at PKU, and to craft a shared future for China and the world.

2012-2018: Establishing PKU’s Brand

In this period, China ascended the center of the world stage confidently, embracing the new external challenges unwaveringly in the new era, pushing forward the “Belt and Road” initiative, and promoting the construction of a “community with a shared future for mankind.” The booming growth of China has also ushered in brand new transformations for the life studying abroad in China for international students. 

On 4 May 2014, President Xi Jinping visited Peking University and interacted with the teachers and students. He said to them, "We are confident of accomplishing great things together. We need to pool together the best resources, unleash the potential of all our students, and gather the best talents from all over the world."

In December 2014, the National Conference on International Student Education was held. President Xi stressed, "International student education in China needs to be aligned with the general trend of China's development and the overall principles of the Party and the state. By welcoming international students to study in China and sending Chinese students to study abroad, we can leverage both domestic and foreign resources to develop more outstanding talents. We have to strive to create a new environment for educational experiences in China. Chinese students studying abroad should keep in trend with the newest developments in the world, study hard, master new knowledge, and hone their skills so that they can use their knowledge and experience to make contributions to China’s development.” At the same time, Premier Li Keqiang expressed that "the international student education system in China should be further improved to enhance people-to-people exchanges and develop friendships among people of all countries," 

In October 2015, The State Council issued the Overall Plan for Promoting the Construction of World-class Universities and Disciplines, and PKU officially launched its "Double First-Class" (双一流) plan, which included “international student education in China” into its internationalization strategy. The plan also explored and pioneered a series of high-standard and high-quality innovative projects.
In May 2014, Yenching Academy was founded. With the vision of "Cross-cultural interaction: Focusing on China and Caring for the world", the Academy developed an English curriculum for Chinese and international students to attend classes together, and carry out interdisciplinary academic research on China-related issues. By being equipped with a nuanced understanding of China, advocating global collaborative development, and promoting cultural inclusiveness, the Academy aimed to nurture students to become leaders of global, political, economic and social organizations which connect China and the world.

Yenching Academy International Students with Honorary Dean, Yuan Ming

Yenching Academy Students and Teachers

On September 26, 2015, President Xi Jinping announced the establishment of the Institute of South-South Cooperation and Development while presiding over the High-level Roundtable on South-South Cooperation at the UN Headquarters. In April 2016, PKU officially established the Institute of South-South Cooperation and Development. The school has an English curriculum and offers courses in modern structural economics and policy practices, as well as developmental theory and policy-making. The school’s mission is to share governance experience, cultivate high-level government management talents for developing countries and jointly explore diversified development paths.

Students of the Institute of South-South Cooperation and Development with their dean, Lin Yifu

Students of the Institute of South-South Cooperation and Development from various countries

In April 2016, Premier Li Keqiang visited PKU to talk with teachers and students. Thai students Bai Yunying and Li Huimin participated in the exchange as international student representatives. Back in 2013, Li Keqiang encouraged them to study at PKU when he visited Chiang Mai, Thailand. In 2014, after the two students were admitted to the School of International Relations at PKU, they wrote a letter to Li Keqiang. He replied to their letter as a graduated senior of PKU, encouraging them to "study hard and become active ambassadors of the cultural exchanges between China and Thailand".

In October 2016, the National Conference on International Student Education in China was held, emphasizing that students studying in China should experience first-class education in Chinese colleges and universities. Standardized management, improved quality and efficiency in school management, enhanced facilities, quality control, and brand awareness should be realized in China’s international student education system. In June 2017, the “Measures for the Administration of Enrollment and Cultivation of International Students (Decree No. 42 of the Ministry of Education)” was promulgated, which further outlined the standards for the education of international students in China, and specified that colleges and universities should set up designated counselors for international students.

In December 2016, the "Boya International Talent Training Program" (“博雅海外人才培养计划”) was launched. This program targeted outstanding students from prestigious high schools overseas and piloted the recommendation stage in the undergraduate enrollment process. In April 2018, the "Belt and One Road Institute” was founded at PKU. In 2019, PKU officially launched the "Future Leaders" International Undergraduate Program at the Guanghua School of Management, which focused on forging partnerships with the world's top universities and constructing higher standards of undergraduate education. This program is aimed at cultivating a group of future international leaders who understands China and hence can facilitate partnerships between China and other countries in the globalized world.

Ceremony of the Launch of the “Future Leaders" Undergraduate Program

 

The Commencement Ceremony of the “Future Leaders" International Undergraduate Program

To further enhance international student education in China, both the China government and the university level have increased scholarship offers for international students enrolled in higher education institutes. In 2012, PKU established a scholarship for international freshmen. In the same year, the "(Confucius) China Studies Program" was established by former Hanban/Confucius Institute Headquarters, and PKU became one of the first pilot universities in China which offered this program. In 2014, the Ministry of Education established the Excellence Scholarship, and PKU Law School's Master of Laws Program in Chinese Law taught in English was selected as one of the first to receive this honor.

With respect to short-term studies in China, PKU continued to cooperate with the University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, Stanford University, University of California, and other universities to offer high-end courses in Chinese studies. The curriculum of PKU International Summer School was upgraded to include General Courses, Advanced Courses and Frontier Courses covering literature, culture, history, politics, economics, law, international relations, information science, environmental protection, sports and other disciplines.

University of Oxford students during their exchange at PKU in 2013

University of Cambridge students during their exchange at PKU in 2013

Poster of PKU Summer School International Courses

In 2016, PKU launched the “Ling Ying China” (“领赢中国”) program to provide assistance related to building business start-ups and innovation for international students. In the same year, in coordination with the national “the Belt and Road” initiative and the plan to develop talents, PKU held a job fair for international students, which was a significant step in providing more holistic services for international students studying in China. This would attract more international students to come to China to study, boosting the competitiveness of China as an ideal education destination for international students.
 

Apart from studying hard, PKU international students also participated actively in campus activities, social practice, public service internships, employment and entrepreneurship endeavors, etc. The learning experience beyond the classroom was rich and diverse.

The Inauguration Ceremony of China-U.S. High-Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange 

The 7th “Coming to China Cup” Competition for International Students at PKU

 

Associations of international students flourished during this period. International students from more than 10 countries took the lead in establishing international student associations, which played an active role in connecting international students and promoting cross-cultural interactions.

Western Students Union

 

Singaporean Students Association 

Korean Students Association

 

Mongolian International Students Association

 

Japan Students Association

 

Malaysian Students Association

 

Latin American Students Association

 

African Students Association

To further strengthen the ties between international alumni and PKU, PKU International Alumni Association was established in September 2014 and has carried out flagship events such as “Refined Gathering in Yanyuan” and “International Alumni’s Tea Sessions”, which received good responses.

 

International Alumni Returned to Campus to Celebrate the Anniversary of PKU during 2013-2016

In order to record the achievements of international students’ education at PKU, PKU initiated a project to collect oratorical accounts of the study experiences of international alumni in 2014, inviting relevant experts to interview renowned international alumni. As of today, the series “Peking University International Alumni Oral Histories” (“北京大学新中国留华校友口述实录”) has published 14 editions. Standing on the shoulders of PKU, these alumni ventured into the world as vital promoters of friendship and exchanges between China and other countries. They have made salient contributions to cultural exchanges and promoting peace between different races and nationalities. Their efforts are key to the progress of human civilization and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
 

14 editions of the “Peking University International Alumni Oral Histories ”

In April 2018, in line with the 120th anniversary of PKU, PKU International Students and Alumni Gala was held with the theme of “Together as One”. More than 1500 students, faculty and guests gathered together for the celebration, and over 100 international students from 24 countries participated in the performance, presenting the Yan Yuan story of various generations of international students through theatre arts.

 

Students’ Performances at “Together as One” Gala in 2018

2018-2022: Ceaseless Quest for Excellence

On 2 May 2018, General Secretary Xi Jinping visited PKU again, emphasizing the need to “enhance higher education synchronized with national development, improve the education system to develop skilled talents and devote efforts to build a world-class university which exudes unique Chinese characteristics.” In June 2018, PKU began the preparation of a strategic plan for international development, outlining its goals to build a uniquely-China world-class study destination with high-quality talent cultivation programs.
In October 2018, the Quality Standards for Higher Education for International Students in China (for Trial Implementation) was issued. It was the first effort made since the founding of New China to standardize higher education for international students across the nation, which was a significant step towards detailing an ideal construct of the working system of accommodating international students studying in China.
With years of effort, the structure of welcoming international students at PKU has been continuously optimized. In October 2019, nearly 7200 international students were studying in 42 departments and majors at PKU. They hailed from 140 countries around the world, and the backgrounds of students have been increasingly diversified for 11 consecutive years.
In 2019, PKU continued to make great efforts to develop graduate programs that are all taught in English, adding 60 English doctoral programs in 13 departments and 16 English master’s programs in 4 departments. In the same year, to fulfill the country’s national diplomatic agenda, the school established the “Peking University Dongfang Scholarship Program” and the “ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship”. PKU also held the “Chinese Government Scholarship Forum for International Doctoral Students” and the 7th Job Fair for Students Studying in China, strengthening the influence of the university. Other events including 16 “Dialogue with Experts” conferences, the 3rd Summer Festival, the summer exchanges between Chinese and foreign teachers and students, and the LSE-PKU Summer School Roundtable Forum were held to provide a multifaceted stage to catalyze exchanges between China and foreign countries, and enhancing mutual understanding and friendship.
 

Opening Ceremony of ASEAN-China Young Leaders Scholarship Class

 

Chinese Government Scholarship Forum for International Doctoral Students  

 

2019 LSE-PKU Summer School Roundtable Forum

In May 2019, PKU officially released the “Global Development Strategy -- Global Excellence: Responsibility and Commitment for the Future”, an international blueprint implemented to respond to changes in the new era. This aimed to develop PKU into a first-class university that encompasses both unique Chinese characteristics and global outreach. With this goal in mind, PKU continues to optimize the international education system with more well-established courses, to cultivate global outstanding talents with critical leadership skills.
 

The “CLOUDS” Concept of PKU Global Development Strategy

In October 2019, the grand celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China was held in Tiananmen Square. 43 PKU international students from 34 countries participated in the mass parade of “A Community with a Shared Future for Mankind”, displaying the youthful spirit of international students of PKU to the world.
  

Group photo of PKU students in the “A Community with a Shared Future for Mankind” Parade

At the beginning of 2020, the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic paralyzed the world. PKU set up an epidemic prevention and control team and implemented a series of strict measures to ensure the health and safety of students and faculty staff. International students and alumni did their best to help each other to fight against the pandemic in China, no matter where they were across the globe.
 

 

Organized haircuts and distributing supplies for international students during the pandemic

  

PKU International alumni and students helping China during the pandemic

 

Packing and mailing luggage for international students who were unable to return to school during the pandemic

On 17 May 2020, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in his reply letter to all Pakistani students at the University of Science and Technology Beijing that, “During the outbreak of COVID-19, the Chinese government and the school have always cared about the lives and health of international students in China and provided them with all-rounded assistance. As protecting the lives of people remain our top priority, and the Chinese government and people care for all the people equally regardless of their nationalities.” Xi encouraged outstanding youths from different countries to deepen interactions with Chinese youths and join hands with youths from all over the world to promote people-to-people ties and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
Since the pandemic, all departments of PKU made efforts to ensure the quality of education and life of international students were guaranteed. In December 2020, PKU awarded the “He He Award” (“和合奖”) to individuals and groups who have made outstanding contributions to the international student community since the outbreak of the pandemic. In March 2021, PKU organized vaccination programs for international students promptly to enhance their immunity to the virus.
 

Faculty staff extending warm greetings to international students

 

‘He He Award’ Trophy

 

Chinese and International students getting vaccinations

In July 2020, PKU started to organize a special global online examination for undergraduate international students, overcoming the challenges due to traveling restrictions posed by the pandemic while ensuring the fairness and effectiveness of the exams. In the following August, PKU successfully launched the Peking University International Summer Institute (PKUISI), which consisted of multiple online course modules, which attracted students around the globe. It was an effective attempt for PKU to revamp the original summer programs in various colleges and institutes as a new summer program.

 

The online exam and interview in the undergraduate international students’ admission process in 2020

 

Brochures for PKUISI

In December 2020, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Pre-University Program (PUP), “Pre-University Program in the New Era” conference was held to review the developments and achievements of the program over the past 20 years. PKU hopes that by developing non-degree programs such as the PUP, it can attract and prepare more international students to enroll in a diversity of high-quality undergraduate degree programs.

 

“Pre-University Program in the New Era” conference

In February 2021, under the backdrop of Covid-19, PKU made the effort to publicize doctoral programs taught in English through a live broadcast. In October, an international forum on Emerging Engineering was held to inaugurate novel engineering disciplines. To promote this newly established discipline, an international conference was held to introduce the curriculum of Emerging Engineering, allowing more outstanding students around the globe to gain a deeper understanding and interest in this course. Meanwhile, PKU collaborated actively with foreign universities to train international talents in the field of engineering, the joint doctoral program with KU Leuven  in Belgium is one prime example.

 

International Conference on admissions (Season 2)

In September 2021, PKU unleashed the Global Open Courses Program which was an online platform to share PKU’s high-quality curriculums with Chinese and international students. This was the first attempt at online education, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic when travel restrictions were in place. Moreover, it was also part of the joint efforts by the global higher education institution community to deal with the global pandemic. The course providers included Peking University, Cornell University, Lomonosov Moscow State University , Australian National University , Waseda University , The Hebrew University of Jerusalem , Cairo University, Universidad de Granada , etc.

 

Launching Ceremony for Global Open Courses Program

After the outbreak of the pandemic, the majority of international students were left stranded out of China to endure online lectures. Having to deal with distant learning, time difference, neglect, and lack of interaction with peers, the struggles of these students were noted by the school, which sent encouraging letters to the students to motivate them to persevere through these difficult times while the date of their return remains unclear. Regretfully, most international students of the graduating batch of 2020, 2021 and 2022 had to bid farewell to the school through the online live stream of the graduation ceremony. Despite the insurmountable distance between the students and the campus, most international students still expressed their concern and desire to be back on campus, which they were unfortunately unable to do so before they graduate. In his speech at the Graduation Ceremony in 2020, Antonio Roberto Quiroz Soto from Mexico mentioned, “As the old Chinese saying that ‘those who share the same aspirations can never be kept apart by mountains or seas’. We need a kind of recognition and mutual assistance that transcends geopolitics. As a community with a shared future, it is key for us to reach a common ground. Hence, even if we are separated by mountains or sea, as long as we share the same vision, we can work together to achieve the common dream.” Dal Mas, Andrea from Italy spoke at the 2021 Graduation Ceremony, emphasizing that “Peking University will always be our alma mater, and China is our second hometown. We will meet again and achieve a shared future for mankind”. 

 

Antonio Roberto Quiroz Soto

Dal Mas, Andrea

In March 2021, PKU launched immersion programs for international students for them to learn more about the local governments, enterprises, factories and communities in both suburban and rural areas. Through social practice and field investigations, the international students gain a deeper and more holistic understanding of China, which nurtures them to become bridges between China and other countries in the world.

In May 2021, 45 PKU international student representatives from 32 countries wrote a letter to President Xi Jinping. They spoke highly of the development of China under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and sent well wishes for the centennial anniversary of the CPC. On June 21, the students received a reply from President Xi, encouraging them to gain a deeper understanding of China and play an active role in promoting mutual bonds between countries.

 

The reply letter to PKU international students by President Xi Jinping

 

Discussion on President Xi Jinping’s reply by international students in June 2021

At the significant juncture of the centennial anniversary of the establishment of the CPC, Xi’s reply message demonstrates the importance the Party attached to the education of international students, prompting further development in this area. As the global political climate evolved drastically and this paradigm shift accelerated by the Covid-19 outbreak, PKU was steadfast in its mission and rose to the challenges. To create new opportunities, PKU searched for new strategies to improve its international student education.

Official Documents on strategies to improve the work of international student education

In October 2021, PKU started the selection of volunteers and actors for the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. 16 international students passed the stringent selection process, among which 10 were event service volunteers and 6 were actors. As the new international youths who truly understood China, they fulfilled their task of connecting China to the rest of the world.

 

International students visiting Jiangxi province

 

International students visiting Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region

 

PKU international student volunteers at Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics

2022 is a significant year, as it marks the 70th anniversary of international student education at PKU. To commemorate this special occasion, PKU organized a series of activities to celebrate achievements and document valuable experiences of the past 70 years. For example, a special logo designed to commemorate this milestone was unveiled on 31 December 2021. “The west gate of Peking University”, “1952-2022” and “the map of China” were encompassed in the design of this logo. This symbolizes that in the past 70 years, PKU has not only emerged as a top education institution in China, but has also cultivated outstanding international students through its extensive global outreach.

 

70th Anniversary Ceremony of International Student Education at PKU in People’s Republic of China

As the school with the most frequent and far-reaching international exchanges in higher education in China, PKU has always been striving to serve the diplomatic strategy, economic construction and social development of the country by promoting high-quality education for international students over the past seven decades. Countless international students graduated from PKU and now serve as the bridge between China and the rest of the world. As pointed out by President Xi Jinping, education for international students is closely linked with the future of the nation, which incentivizes the need to continuously enhance the education for international students. Thus, PKU aligned its education policies with this national agenda, and will persist to prioritize the education of international students in China. 

“A time will come to ride the wind and cleave the waves, we'll set our cloud-white sail and cross the sea which raves.” (As translated by Mr. Xu Yuanchong) Exceptionally affected by the Covid-19 policies, there are still over 1400 international students who have yet to return to the Beijing campus. As we see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel, we look forward to meeting them physically soon. At the same time, we also have faith in our students will remain united with a shared vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind. Let us forge ahead to the future hand in hand!

Written by: Rose Li, Fu Jiaqi, Sun Yiwei
Edited by: Shi Xinyao
Source: PKU News (Chinese)