The China Connect: Global Cultural Talks represents a major institutional initiative supporting outbound scholarly engagement. Coordinated by BFSU’s Office of Confucius Institutes, the program fosters mutual cultural understanding and helps share Chinese culture with the world.
Program Objectives:
The initiative draws on BFSU’s multilingual resources and academic expertise, establishing a platform where Chinese and international scholars engage in dialogue.
Implementation:
BFSU faculty and scholars deliver short-term lectures at Confucius Institutes, teaching centers, partner institutions, and think tanks worldwide, using local languages to engage audiences effectively. Grounded in rigorous research, these presentations explore key aspects of Chinese tradition and modern development across disciplines including history, economics, politics, culture, and society. This approach—combining scholarly depth with broad appeal—strengthens the visibility of Confucius Institutes.
Academic and Scholarly Benefits:
The program offers BFSU scholars valuable international engagement opportunities. Faculty gain firsthand insight into how international audiences understand China—knowledge that directly informs their teaching and research. These experiences yield rich material for courses on international Chinese language education and area studies. The lecturing activities strengthen BFSU’s expertise in comparative studies and international communication, reinforcing the university’s leadership in cross-cultural scholarship and global academic partnerships.
Track Record and Scope:
BFSU scholars have delivered 118 presentations across 22 lecture series, reaching over 7,800 international participants. Online lectures have further extended the program’s reach, attracting audiences exceeding 10,000.
Program Significance:
The initiative helps international audiences understand China through the voices of leading scholars. The program strengthens BFSU’s engagement with the global academic community, develops faculty expertise in cross-cultural communication, fosters international research partnerships, and advances BFSU’s commitment to fostering genuine mutual understanding between China and the world.
