Yenching Academy of Peking University
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| Yenching Academy of Peking University | |
|---|---|
| Name | Yenching Academy |
| Native name | 燕京学堂 |
| Established | 2014 |
| Type | College |
| Parent | Peking University |
| City | Beijing |
| Country | China |
Yenching Academy of Peking University was a postgraduate college at Peking University offering an interdisciplinary master's program in China studies, inaugurated with support from Peking University, philanthropic donors, and international partners. The program attracted applicants and fellows from universities such as Harvard University, University of Oxford, Stanford University, University of Cambridge, and Tsinghua University, and engaged with institutions including the China Development Research Foundation, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Brookings Institution, Council on Foreign Relations, and United Nations University.
History
Yenching Academy was announced by Peking University leadership alongside donors related to the Yenching Foundation and inaugurated amid discussions involving figures associated with Zhao Jouxiang and boards like the Harvard Board of Overseers, attracting attention from media outlets including The New York Times, The Guardian, South China Morning Post, China Daily, and Xinhua News Agency. Early planning involved collaborations with scholars from Princeton University, Columbia University, Yale University, London School of Economics, and policy analysts from the Asia Society and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. The inaugural cohort arrived after selection processes referencing evaluation models used by Rhodes Scholarship, Fulbright Program, Marshall Scholarship, Gates Cambridge Scholarship, and Chevening Scholarship. Over time governance engaged faculty associated with departments like the Peking University Department of History, Peking University School of International Studies, Peking University Guanghua School of Management, and units connected to the China Center for Economic Research.
Mission and Objectives
The Academy's stated mission aligned with goals articulated by leaders at Peking University, philanthropists linked to the Yenching Foundation, and global universities such as University of Chicago and Johns Hopkins University, aiming to cultivate cross-disciplinary expertise in China studies, public policy, and cultural exchange while interfacing with organizations like the World Economic Forum, United Nations, and Asia-Pacific Regional Forum. Objectives emphasized development of leadership comparable to alumni networks from Rhodes Scholarship, fostering scholarship production in venues like The China Quarterly, Modern China, Journal of Asian Studies, and engagement with think tanks such as the Lowy Institute and Chatham House.
Academic Programs
The flagship program was the Yenching Academy Master of China Studies, structured with course offerings taught by professors drawn from Peking University Department of Philosophy, Peking University Department of Sociology, Peking University Department of Political Science, and visiting faculty from Fudan University, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, and Australian National University. The curriculum combined seminars modeled on offerings at Oxbridge, case studies referencing events like the Opium Wars, the Boxer Rebellion, the May Fourth Movement, and comparative modules on institutions exemplified by European Union policymaking. Research supervision involved advisors who published in outlets such as Foreign Affairs, The Atlantic, Journal of Contemporary China, and partnerships for fieldwork with entities including the Asia Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and local archives like the First Historical Archives of China.
Admissions and Scholarships
Admissions followed a competitive process drawing applicants with degrees from institutions like Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Peking University, Princeton University, University of Toronto, and National University of Singapore, benchmarked against fellowships such as the Rhodes Scholarship, Marshall Scholarship, Fulbright Program, and Knight-Hennessy Scholars. Scholarship funding combined university endowments, contributions from foundations related to Yenching Foundation donors, and support comparable to arrangements seen at Tsinghua Schwarzman Scholars and the Schmidt Science Fellows. Selection criteria evaluated academic records, essays reflecting engagement with topics like the Belt and Road Initiative, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and letters of recommendation from faculty at institutions such as Columbia University and London School of Economics.
Campus and Facilities
The Academy was housed within facilities of Peking University including historic buildings near Weiming Lake and shared amenities with colleges like Haidian District campus units, lecture halls used by the National Library of China affiliates, and libraries comparable to collections at the Harvard-Yenching Library and the Peking University Library. Students accessed resources from research centers such as the PKU Center for International Studies and archives including the National Archives Administration of China, and benefited from proximity to diplomatic missions in Chaoyang District and institutions like the Embassy of the United States, Beijing and cultural venues such as the National Centre for the Performing Arts.
Student Life and Organizations
Student life featured clubs modeled after societies at Oxford Union, debating groups linked to the World Universities Debating Championship, and student associations collaborating with organizations such as the Confucius Institute, Asia Society, Amnesty International, and the Red Cross Society of China. Extracurricular programming included speaker series inviting guests from International Monetary Fund, World Bank, People's Liberation Army veterans featured in historical discourse, and cultural festivals referencing traditions like the Spring Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival. Networking events connected fellows with recruitment pipelines to employers including McKinsey & Company, Goldman Sachs, Asian Development Bank, United Nations Development Programme, and major publishing houses such as Routledge.
Notable Alumni and Outcomes
Alumni pursued careers in sectors including national diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (People's Republic of China), academia at Peking University, University of Oxford, and University of California, Los Angeles, policy analysis at Brookings Institution and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and corporate roles at Tencent, Alibaba Group, Huawei, and Baidu. Graduates contributed to publications like The Economist, Financial Times, South China Morning Post, and China Quarterly and joined doctoral programs at Harvard University, University of Cambridge, London School of Economics, and University of Chicago. The program's network engaged with global scholarship initiatives such as the Rhodes Trust and partnerships with universities including Fudan University and Tsinghua University.