Peking University (PKU) on October 8, 2023, convened an expert meeting to discuss the establishment of an accredited doctoral degree program in area studies. Ning Qi, vice secretary of PKU’s Party Committee and vice president, attended and delivered a speech. Nine experts from Beijing Foreign Studies University, Minzu University of China, Beijing Language and Culture University, Institute of American Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, and PKU participated in the meeting. Representatives from PKU’s Graduate School and the Institute of Area Studies (IAS) also attended. Jiang Guohua, vice dean of academic affairs and executive deputy dean of the Graduate School, chaired the meeting.
Ning Qi emphasized PKU’s commitment to developing and expanding the discipline of area studies. Over the past five years, the Institute has made significant strides in academic development, particularly in talent cultivation, and has led national efforts to establish area studies as a first-level discipline. Establishing a doctoral degree authorization point in area studies is a crucial step for PKU to further advance the discipline. Ning Qi encouraged the experts to offer valuable suggestions and urged the Institute to integrate these insights into their strategic planning and implementation, contributing to national development.
Yang Dan, president of Beijing Foreign Studies University and a member of the State Council’s Degree Committee for Area Studies, was elected as the head of the expert group and led the demonstration session. Tang Shiqi, director of PKUIAS, reported on the Institute’s achievements in talent cultivation and the preparations for applying for the independent establishment of the first-level doctoral degree authorization point.
After reviewing the materials and hearing the Institute’s report, the expert group members praised PKU’s accomplishments in talent cultivation and discipline development in the field of area studies. They offered suggestions for further refining the talent training programs and professional direction.
Fu Xiaoqiang, vice president of China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, noted that PKU has a solid foundation, strong capabilities, a mature plan, and significant advantages in establishing the accredited doctoral degree program in area studies. The design of the professional direction at PKU integrates regional and disciplinary knowledge with political and policy considerations, setting a benchmark for area studies in domestic universities.
Luo Lin, dean of the Academy of International and Regional Studies at Beijing Language and Culture University, said that the establishment of PKUIAS provides a solid foundation for setting up a first-class doctoral degree authorization point and training high-quality professionals. PKU should aim to exceed national standards and serve as a model for other universities, responding to China’s major initiatives on the international stage.
Ni Feng, director of the Institute of American Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, remarked that PKU’s argumentation for establishing a doctoral degree authorization point in area studies is comprehensive and aligned with national strategic needs. He suggested that PKU should focus on developing methodologies, enhancing field research capabilities, and consider expanding the scale of talent training after establishing the doctoral degree authorization point.
Jiang Shigong, vice president of Minzu University of China, recognized PKU’s comprehensive disciplines and mature management as key advantages for establishing the first-level doctoral degree authorization point in area studies. PKUIAS and related departments have invested considerable effort in discipline development and talent cultivation, achieving notable results. PKU should continue to lead and innovate in area studies among national universities.
Yang Dan stated that PKU’s initiative to establish a first-level doctoral degree authorization point in area studies meets the needs of the nation, the times, and the discipline. It will help PKU to explore new academic landscapes, optimize discipline layout, and achieve breakthroughs in knowledge and disciplinary systems. PKU’s current approach in area studies combines theory and practice and aligns with themes of society and development. In response to national strategic needs and disciplinary development, Yang Dan advised PKU to lead nationally in increasing the breadth of global coverage, deepening long-term research, enhancing interdisciplinary intensity, accelerating response to needs, and refining cross-verification in area studies.
Zhou Li’an, director of the Department of Economics and Management at PKU, emphasized the significant need to establish the first-level doctoral degree authorization point in area studies and promote the construction of the first-level discipline. PKU should use this initiative to mature the discipline quickly, develop unique and transcendent theories and methods, achieve deep integration among disciplines, focus on key directions, and establish PKU’s unique strengths in the field of area studies.
Dong Qiang, dean of the Yenching Academy at PKU, noted the importance of aligning the cultivation of area studies talent with academic prosperity and national strategic needs. He recommended that alongside establishing the first-level doctoral degree in area studies, the cultivation of postdoctoral talent and the construction of specialized libraries should also be emphasized.
Wang Zhengyi, deputy director of the Faculty of Social Sciences at PKU, emphasized that in the development and construction of the discipline of area studies, PKU should clearly distinguish between interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches, and explore the scientific positioning of the discipline’s development. He stressed the importance of reflecting durability and internationality in the design of the professional direction, and the need to focus on cultivating specialized talent in area studies as the discipline evolves.
Ning Qi highlighted that the report consolidated PKU’s active exploration and successful experiences in cultivating talent in area studies. She noted the report’s solid content and innovative approach, and suggested refining the training program from the perspective of nurturing future-oriented, high-level innovative talent. She also encouraged PKU to develop its unique characteristics through collaboration and exchange with other institutions, and in its intersection with related disciplines.
Jiang Guohua, in summarizing the meeting, addressed the questions raised by the experts and described the university’s institutional framework for supporting the cultivation and construction of interdisciplinary studies, the development of an interdisciplinary supervisory team, and the management of interdisciplinary postgraduate education. He expressed commitment to further deepening innovations in these systems and mechanisms to better facilitate the intersection of disciplines and the growth of interdisciplinary fields. Tang Shiqi, representing the Institute, said that the Institute would be committed to incorporating the experts’ valuable suggestions in future disciplinary construction. He spoke of refining the logic of area studies and its theories, improving the design of the discipline’s cultivation system and research direction, and progressively developing area studies into a field characterized by the distinct qualities of PKU.
Following their discussions, the expert group unanimously concluded that PKU, with its solid foundation, strong capabilities, scientific approach, and clear advantages, possessed the necessary conditions for constructing a first-level discipline in area studies. They recommended establishing a first-level doctoral degree authorization point for the discipline.
