Building Bridges for Understanding: Reflections from The First China Studies Summer School in Iran
Imam Sadiq University (ISU) and the Iran-China Think Tank for Strategic Studies (ICTSS) successfully conducted the first edition of Summer School on China Studies in Iran. This academic and cultural endeavor spanned from July 21st to July 27th in a virtual format and was designed to comprehensively address the existing academic deficiencies within the realm of Chinese studies
Audiences
A total of 478 individuals, comprising students, researchers, professors, businessmen, employees, marketers, and more, enthusiastically participated in this paid program. These participants hailed from various provinces and even other countries
The summer school featured an extensive array of subjects, spanning international relations, economics, politics, governance, and culture, encompassing 17 diverse topics. Eminent lecturers representing governmental, academic, and private institutions, such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Parliament Research Center, Imam Sadiq University, University of Tehran, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai Institute for Strategic Studies (SISS), Fudan University, private business centers, think tanks, Iranian missionaries, Iranian students studying in China, and others, contributed their expertise to this event
Evaluations
In the course evaluations, participants provided overwhelmingly positive feedback for each session and the final assessment of the course. The overall evaluation results revealed an impressive 87% satisfaction rate among the participants. The standout features, as perceived by the participants, included the course’s extensive coverage of a wide range of topics and the exceptional quality of the lectures
Content
The contents of the course were as follows
The emergence of China in the field of international relations
The East in the Foreign Policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran
The Iranian nuclear program and China-Iran relations
Political Governance in China
China’s role in the new regional order in West Asia: Regional normalization and its security consequences
China’s perspective on security in the international order during the transition and Iran’s perception of it
China’s energy diplomacy in the Middle East
Public diplomacy between Iran and China
Iran’s corridors in the Belt and Road Initiative
Civilizational considerations in economic relations between Iran and China
State, market, and society in China
Islam and China
Evaluation of China’s efforts to conduct financial transactions outside the dollar cycle: A case study of CIPS
The impact of China’s economic growth model on the decline of the USA
Marketing and understanding Chinese consumers’ behaviors
Iranian students’ experiences of living in China
Lecturers
Dr. Hussain Ghaheri, The CEO Of Iran-China Think Tank for Strategic Studies
Dr. Rasoul Mousavi, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Director General of South Asia in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Dr. Ruhul-Amin Saeidi, Imam Sadiq University, Faculty of Political Science and Islamic studies, and The Head OF China Study Group
Dr. Jin Liangxiang, Senior Research Fellow at the Center for West Asian and African Studies and Associate Professor in Shanghai Institute for International Strategic (SIIS)
Dr. Ali Biniaz, Iran’s Former Economic Adviser in China
Dr. Ali Mohammad Sabeghi, Iran’s Former Cultural Adviser in China
Dr. Abulfazl Bazargan, International Security Researcher
Dr. Mehdi Khorsand, The Head of the Economic Diplomacy Department of Tehran Municipality
Dr. Ehsan Foroozandeh, University Lecturer and CEO of Funds China Holding
Dr. Sajjad Talebi, Graduated from Fudan University, Senior Researcher in China Studies
Dr. Mehrdad Alipour, Senior Researcher in China Studies
Farshad Adel, Senior Researcher of Corridor Studies at ICTSS
Meysam Baharloo, PhD Candidate in Political Science and co-author of Corporate Governance in China
Mustafa Aghaei, Missionary and Seminary Lecturer in China
Amir Mohammad Esmaili, PhD Candidate at Shanghai International Studies University, China
