Brown will celebrate its Year of China initiative in the 2011-12 academic year, organizing events and activities to increase awareness of China's role on the world stage and in the lives of individuals.
Professor of Physics Chung-I Tan, who is a member of the Faculty Executive Committee, and the Office of International Affairs will lead the organization of the year's programs and events. The Year of China follows several other such initiatives including those focusing on Latin America, Africa and — in the 2009-10 academic year — India. The current academic year has no foreign country or continent as its theme.
While international themes in the past began as more informal ideas, the University decided to more fully plan and execute international themes, Tan said. This year is being spent organizing next year's events.
The Year of China aims to "introduce our students to Chinese culture and examine China's current and future role on the world stage," according to a University press release. But the program's motivations are not confined to cultural or societal categories. "The sciences cut across national boundaries," Tan said. In order to remain at the forefront of scientific knowledge and technological research, the University must integrate itself into the world stage, he said.
President Ruth Simmons traveled to China in November and spent a week meeting with politicians and academic leaders. Simmons signed memorandums of understanding with Zhejiang University and Nanjing University and met with the president and vice chancellor of the Chinese University of Hong Kong to discuss possible collaborations.
Last week, the University announced "Brown Plus One," a new fifth-year international master's program. Students in the program begin earning a master's degree during their junior year, completing a semester or year at either the Chinese University of Hong Kong or the University of Edinburgh.
Many of next year's events are still in their early stages. Tan and the Office of International Affairs aim to involve the campus on all levels, from academic programs and class lectures to extracurricular activities and student groups. Lectures and workshops will promote understanding of all aspects of China, including Chinese economics, politics, art, literature, history and scientific contributions, Tan said. The Year of China will explore both the ancient and contemporary culture of the country.
One lecture, titled "Opening Doors Open Minds," will focus on Chinese students who have attended school in the U.S., examining both the knowledge and culture that they bring with them from China to America and that which they take back home, Tan said.
"China needs to be better understood," said Halsey Niles '12, who recently studied abroad in Kunming, China. Niles said American understanding of China often characterizes the country as foreign and mysterious, and that American high schools teach little about China's culture and history. Contrary to some stereotypes about the country, censorship and government are not very present in daily life, he said. While Niles said he is happy to see Brown fostering further understanding, he added that studying abroad still leads to the best international dialogue.
Several undergraduates proposed the Year of China about a year ago, said Chinese Student and Scholar Association president Lu Lu GS. The event's organizers hope to bring Chinese alumni back to campus to speak about the impact Brown had on their lives in China, he said. The key to improving current and future relations with China is understanding its past and contemporary culture, Lu added.
While Brown plans to strengthen its ongoing relationships with Chinese universities in the coming year, Tan said the University also hopes to foster new collaborations with other Chinese schools.
There is an ongoing contest to design a logo for the Year of China.
