On October 23, 2024, the “2024 Jiangsu Graduate Students Academic Innovation Forum on Areas and International Studies” was held at Nanjing University. The theme of this year's forum is “Autonomous Knowledge Innovation in China's Areas and International Studies”. Liu Ying, Deputy Director of the Office of Nanjing University and Laboratory of Data Intelligence and Interdiscriplinary Innovation of Nanjing University. Zhu Feng, Executive Dean of School of International Studies, Nanjing University. Wang Yizhou, Director of Nanjing University Institute of Areas Studies and Professor of Nanjing University School of International Studies, attended the forum and delivered a speech. Zhang Liang, Deputy Dean of the Graduate School of Nanjing University and professor of School of Philosophy, presented awards to students. Twenty-three postgraduate students from Peking University, Fudan University, Renmin University of China, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Sun Yat-sen University, Shandong University, Nankai University, University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, National University of Defense Technology, Central China Normal University, Shanghai International Studies University, Ocean University of China, Jinan University and Nanjing University attended the forum.
In the address, Deputy Director Liu Ying recalled the academic achievements of three academic predecessors of Nanjing University, such as Mo Tonfeng, Hong Yinxing and Zhou Xiaohong, which inspired students not to be bound by a single theory or research methodology in their research and encouraged them to integrate their strengths and interests into the needs of their organizations and the country in their academic research to make greater contributions to the development of their disciplines, the construction of their organizations and the future of the country. Professor Zhu Feng pointed out that in the context of China's rise and great power competition, the field of ‘Areas and International Studies’ is a discipline of key significance to the future security development of our country, and hoped that students participating in the field would make gains in their thinking and academic work, and wished them a wonderful and unforgettable two days at Nanjing University. Professor Wang Yizhou highly evaluated the academic strengths of the students present in terms of theoretical foundation, methodological application, data mining, etc., and considered that they had made great progress compared with the young scholars forty years ago. He encouraged the students present to carry forward the spirit of the tenacity of their academic predecessors in their research work and grow up from a young player into a pillar of talent who can lead a discipline.
This year's Postgraduate Academic Forum was very well received by postgraduate students from universities and research institutes nationwide. Nearly 100 submissions were received, and after the evaluation by the Academic Committee of the Forum, the final 23 papers were selected, with authors coming from 14 key universities and research institutes. Four sub-forums were set up, moderated by Yao Bingbin, Director of the Think Tank Management Office of Humanities and Social Sciences; Li Tu, Associate Assistant Professor at the School of International Studies; Zhou Wenxing, Associate Associate Professor of the School of International Studies; Wei Han, Assistant Researcher of the School of International Studies. During the one-day discussion, 25 postgraduates spoke on their theses, and Professor Wang Yizhou, Professor Zheng Xianwu from the School of History , Associate Professor Yu Qun from the School of Foreign Languages, the National University of Defence Technology, Associate Professor Zhao Guangrui from the School of International Studies, Associate Professor Zong Huawei from the School of International Studies, Associate Professor Fang Tingting from the School of International Studies, Associate Professor Zhou Wenxing from the School of International Studies, Assistant Professor Li Tu from School of International Studies, and Assistant Researcher Wei Han, from the School of International Studies, made comments on the papers, fully affirming the merits and highlights of the papers and making detailed and pertinent modification suggestions for the shortcomings. The students benefited greatly from the experts' comments and discussions . Not only did they obtained direct help on the revision and embellishment of the papers, but more importantly, they deepened their understanding of Area Studies and enhanced their interest and enthusiasm for this emerging discipline.
After evaluation and deliberation by the expert evaluation committee of the forum, one article was awarded first prize, two articles second prize, four articles third prize, and sixteen articles the excellence prize. In the closing session, Professor Zhang Liang announced the list of winners and the award details, and together with Professor Wang Yizhou presented the award certificates to the winning students. Professor Wang Yizhou concluded the meeting by congratulating the students and expressing his gratitude to the attending students, teachers, and conference staff. He encouraged the students not to be satisfied with their past achievements but to revise and improve their papers based on the various suggestions, continuously enhancing their academic level in the process. He also provided general advice on the subsequent revision and publication of the papers. The organizing committee of the forum will publish a collection of related works in due course according to the revision of the papers.
The “2024 Jiangsu Graduate Students Academic Innovation Forum on Areas and International Studies” is sponsored by the Graduate School of Nanjing University and co-sponsored by the School of International Studies of Nanjing University and the Institute of Areas and International Studies of Nanjing University. The forum aims to provide an academic exchange platform for young scholars in area studies, to gather new forces of regional country studies, to contribute youth wisdom to promote the development of the discipline of Areas Studies.
(Text/Xu Yiyi; Zhou Wenxing; Trans./Wei Yawen, Chang Na)
