[Course overview]

A Glimpse of Chinese Culture from A Comparative Perspective is designed for both domestic Chinese and international students of all backgrounds, providing an introduction to the history and contemporary culture of China. Adapted from Xi’an Jiaotong University’s core course Chinese and Western Cultures: A Comparison, this XJTISS summer school series of lectures focuses on key aspects of Chinese culture, ranging from Chinese philosophy and cultural values to Chinese education, language, visual arts, and poetry. Complemented by comparative references to other cultures, the lecture series offers a great opportunity for students to gain an in-depth understanding of Chinese culture from a well-rounded, intercultural perspective.

[Features of the course]

A Glimpse of Chinese Culture from A Comparative Perspective integrates insights from multiple disciplines to ensure a positive learning experience. Through engaging lectures, group discussions, and case studies, the lecture series supports students’ development of intercultural competence, fostering meaningful and positive interactions with members of different cultures. Each lecture emphasizes the application of intercultural theories to daily life experiences, developing students’ skills in discovering, exploring, and interpreting cultural phenomena, raising your awareness of potential pitfalls in intercultural communication such as stereotypes, ethnocentrism, and culturalism, and supporting your effective engagement in our interconnected world.

[Lecturer profiles]

Mei TIAN is a professor at the School of Foreign Studies and vice dean of the School of International Education, Xi’an Jiaotong University. Prof. Tian holds a Ph.D. from the University of Bath, UK, and currently serves as a standing director of the learning sciences committee of the China Association of Higher Education and a standing director of the international education committee of the China Education Development Strategy Association. She has been engaged in research on language and intercultural education, leading nine national and provincial-level research projects. She has widely published in international journals, authored one monograph in English, and has been the invited editor of three special issues of international journals.

Ruiying YANG is a professor at the School of Foreign Studies, Xi’an Jiaotong University, and holds a Ph.D. from the National University of Singapore. Prof. Yang has participated in academic exchanges at the University of Michigan in the United States and the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. She has led multiple research projects funded by the National Social Science Fund and the Ministry of Education’s Humanities and Social Sciences Fund. She has published widely in SSCI and CSSCI journals, authored two research monographs, and has been the chief editor or co-editor of 15 English textbooks. Her research interests include discourse genre analysis, academic English teaching, and corpus linguistics.

Fenging Peng, Ph.D., Professor and Head of the English Department at the School of Foreign Studies, Xi’an Jiaotong University. Prof. Peng has been a visiting scholar at the University of Colorado, Boulder. She has published two research monographs and over ten journal articles. She has won the National First Prize in the 2021 FLTRP Teaching Star Competition and the Provincial Third Prize in the 2020 National College Teacher Innovation Competition (Sixth National Foreign Language Micro-Lecture Competition). Her research interests include regional studies.

Dongmei GE, Associate Professor at the School of Foreign Studies, Xi’an Jiaotong University. Prof. Ge has been teaching College English, English Writing, Academic English, and Comparison of Chinese and Western Cultures. She has won the Third Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Humanities and Social Sciences Research from Shaanxi Higher Education Institutions, the National Special Prize in the FLTRP Teaching Star Competition, the Third Prize in the National Finals, and the First Prize at the Xi’an Jiaotong University Teaching Competition.

Carla Briffett AKTAS, Associate Professor at the School of Foreign Studies, Xi’an Jiaotong University. Prof. Aktas has experience teaching in Canada, the UK, and Switzerland at various levels of education. Her research interests include socially just education, pedagogy development, and student voice. She is a member of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), the British Educational Research Association (BERA), and the Comparative & International Education Society (CIES). Prof. Aktas has led several research projects funded by Xi’an Jiaotong University, Education University of Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong government, and has published numerous papers in international journals such as Teaching in Higher Education and Children & Society.

Dadi CHEN, Vice Dean and Associate Professor at the Business School of Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands; Chief Lecturer at the Language Center of the University of Amsterdam and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), UK. Prof. Chen holds a Ph.D. from the Institute of Education at Leiden University, Netherlands. He has served as a teacher trainer and reviewer for international academic journals, and has participated in numerous international collaborative research projects. He teaches courses on intercultural management, academic research methods, and education management at the master’s level. His research focuses on the intercultural identity of foreign language teachers, the development of intercultural communicative competence, and international higher education management.

[Course arrangement]

Upon successful completion of all eight lectures, students can apply for a XJTISS summer course Certificate of Completion issued by Xi’an Jiaotong University. For Xi’an Jiaotong University students, this certificate can be used as a proof of international competence.

[Registration information]

Registration is now open globally for college students interested in Chinese culture. Both domestic Chinese students and international students studying in and outside China are welcome to join us.

Please register by filling out the application form at:

https://www.wjx.top/vm/hqBi7TI.aspx

Or sending an email to:

XJTUCulture2024@163.com

with the subject of the email titled “Course Registration”.

You can also scan the QR code below to access the application form:

When registering for the course, please do provide your university email address for contact. Further information will be sent via email.

Registration deadline: July 30^th 2024

Join the curriculum learning group:

Please join the QQ group to register. Updates and real-time information about the lecture series will be provided in the QQ group one day in advance. QQ group number: 728757557