From June 8 to July 21, 2024, Harvard University sent a delegation consisting of two professors, two Ph.D. teaching assistants, and 13 undergraduates to the Center for American Studies at Fudan University (CAS Fudan) for the 2024 Fudan-Harvard Summer School. Over this 40-day program, Harvard students engaged with Fudan faculty and peers, immersing themselves in the vibrant campus culture. They attended two summer courses at CAS Fudan and participated in field research at various institutes, including the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Ecology and Environment, the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, and the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai.
(On June 27, 2024, faculty and students from Fudan and Harvard posed for a photo with Nicholas Burns, U.S. Ambassador to China, Scott Walker, U.S. Consul General in Shanghai, and staff from the Harvard Center Shanghai before a lunch meeting.)
On June 27, CAS Fudan hosted a welcome luncheon for the Harvard delegation, led by Professor Wu Xinbo, Dean of the Institute of International Studies and Director of CAS at Fudan University. U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns, U.S. Consul General in Shanghai Scott Walker, and over 30 faculty and students from both institutes attended. Ambassador Burns encouraged Harvard students to study Chinese language and learn about China's history and culture. Professors Jie Li and Daniel Koss from Harvard expressed their gratitude for the thoughtful arrangements and shared their positive experiences from the collaborative teaching and research exchange.
(Prof. Wu Xinbo at the June 27 luncheon)
On July 16, Professor Wu held an in-depth discussion with Harvard students and faculty regarding China-U.S. relations and their impressions of China. The students noted that while Western media often portrays China critically, their firsthand experiences revealed a different perspective, particularly regarding daily life. They observed that, politically, the U.S. appears more concerned about China than vice versa, and for young people, the relationship is not as adversarial as media portrayals suggest.
(Prof. Wu Xinbo discussing China-U.S. relations with Harvard faculty and students on July 16)
(Group photo of Prof. Wu Xinbo with Harvard participants on July 16)
The summer school concluded successfully on July 21. With valuable experiences from their time in Shanghai and the heartfelt wishes of Fudan faculty and students, the Harvard participants returned to the U.S., expressing gratitude for the meticulous arrangements made by the CAS Fudan.
President Xi Jinping once remarked, The hope of the China-U.S. relations lies in the people, its foundation is in the societies, its future depends on the youth, and its vitality comes from exchanges at subnational levels. CAS Fudan remains dedicated to fostering exchanges between young people from China and the U.S., striving to nurture new generations of talent for the stability and development of China-U.S. relations.
