On June 14, Liu Hongwu, Changjiang Distinguished Professor and Secretary-General of the Regional and International Studies Academic Review Group under the State Council’s Academic Degrees Committee, as well as Director of the Institute of African Studies at Zhejiang Normal University, delivered an academic lecture at JSU upon invitation. Held at the Sanjiang Hall of the Youth Faculty Apartment, the lecture was titled “Research Methods and Experiences in Regional and International Studies”. The event was hosted by Vice President Li Hong and attended by over 100 faculty members and students, as well as leaders from the Global Development and Security Research Institute, the Office of Social Sciences, the Office of International Affairs, the School of Foreign Languages, and the Overseas Education College of JSU.
Vice President Li Hong warmly welcomed Liu Hongwu and remarked that his lecture would provide valuable insights for the development of regional and international studies at JSU.
During the lecture, Liu Hongwu first elaborated on the development of African regional and international studies. He emphasized the importance of universities establishing African studies disciplines, cultivating research teams, creating a Chinese school of African studies, and training high-level talent for China-Africa cooperation.
He then proposed a “six-in-one” approach to advancing China’s country studies disciplines: discipline construction as the foundation, think tank services as the function, media dissemination as the tool, rooting in Africa as the premise, China-Africa cooperation as the pathway, and collaborative innovation as the means of empowerment. Professor Liu highlighted three key contributions of regional and international studies to the innovation and development of Chinese universities: breaking down disciplinary barriers to promote interdisciplinary integration, advancing the internationalization of academic disciplines, and fostering top-tier disciplines with distinctive think tank functions to support professional, scientific, and democratic governance at both national and global levels.
Finally, Liu emphasized that the logical starting point and ultimate goal of Chinese-style regional and international studies lie in addressing practical issues of concern to three key groups: the state and government, society and enterprises, and the general public. He advocated for innovative research that targets the frontiers of global science and technology, aligns with major national needs, and focuses on economic and social development. Through academic innovation and distinctive growth, universities can integrate more actively into national strategies and achieve high-quality development in discipline construction.
After the lecture, participants actively engaged in a Q&A session, where Liu provided insightful answers from institutional and academic perspectives. This lecture offered significant guidance for JSU in building a comprehensive, in-depth, and distinctive direction in regional and international studies. It also provided useful inspiration and reference for developing this field into an academic institution and think tank integrating research, talent cultivation, policy consultation, and international exchange.
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