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Cooperation Agreement between Peking University and Freie Universität Berlin on Area Studies Signed Online

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On the afternoon of June 15, 2020, a signing ceremony for the Cooperation Agreement between Peking University (PKU) and Freie Universität Berlin (FUB) on Area Studies was held online. Prof. Wang Bo, PKU vice president, and Prof. Verena Blechinger-Talcott, vice president of FUB, signed on behalf of the two universities. During the meeting, Wang and Blechinger-Talcott also discussed exchanges and cooperation between the two universities in the post-pandemic era. The ceremony was presided over by Xia Hongwei, director of the PKU Office of International Relations.


Wang noted that COVID-19 has made international cooperation more important. FUB has been an important strategic partner of PKU, and, for more than 30 years, the two sides have maintained good exchanges and cooperation, involving a wide range of disciplines and diverse forms. Wang said he expected that, in the future, the two universities could achieve more in area studies and contribute to the shared development of mankind.

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Blechinger-Talcott pointed out that FUB values the development of area studies, and this agreement would break new ground for mutual cooperation, thereby further facilitating progress in building a more solid partnership.


The cooperation agreement clarifies matters concerning the joint promotion of the exchange of graduate students and academic exchanges between teachers and researchers. The implementation of the agreement will further advance mutual cooperation and development in area studies; at the same time, it will help cultivate research talent in this field in both countries, who are expected to contribute jointly to area studies.

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After the signing ceremony, representatives including Prof. Qian Chengdan, director of the Institute of Area Studies, PKU (PKUIAS); Prof. Wang Suolao and Prof. Zan Tao, deputy directors of PKUIAS; Herbert Grieshop, director of International Affairs at FUB; Andreas Guder, professor of Sinology; and Elena Mayer-Clement, vice president of the Graduate School of East Asia (GSEA) and Prof. Marianne Braig from the Institute for Latin American Studies at FUB had a lively discussion on the theme of “Future-oriented Area Studies.”