On May 29, Professor Zhai Kun, deputy director of the Institute of Area Studies at Peking University, was invited to Beijing International Studies University (BISU) to deliver an academic lecture on "Area Studies and the Development Trends of the Discipline and Curriculum Construction".

CPC BISU Committee Secretary Chang Yu discussed with Zhai on topics such as discipline development, the cultivation of high-level talent, think tank construction, and inter-university cooperation enhancement.

The delegation was received by Ji Jinbiao, deputy secretary of the CPC BISU Committee and university president.

Zheng Chengjun, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC BISU Committee and vice-president of the university, hosted the academic session.

Zhai Kun delivers a speech at BISU on May 29.

In his detailed report, Zhai extensively analyzed the current development status of area studies as an emerging interdisciplinary field and highlighted its rapid growth phase, marked by a mix of opportunities and challenges. He emphasized the importance of aligning area studies with national strategies through enhanced interdisciplinary collaboration.

He systematically elaborated on seven developmental dimensions of discipline construction:

1. Constructing an internal and external collaborative management system to integrate administrative and academic resources and establish a standardized evaluation system.

2. Improving the "foreign language + area + specialty + practice" integrated curriculum and textbook system.

3. Building an overseas fieldwork network and innovating in-situ methods.

4. Exploring mechanisms for awarding degrees in interdisciplinary categories.

5. Strengthening resources guarantee such as journal platforms and research funding.

6. Creating an ecosystem deeply integrating teaching, research, and application.

7. Promoting symbiotic development across multiple disciplines.

The lecture featured cutting-edge scholarship with strong practical relevance, providing a clear direction for theoretical innovation and practical exploration in area studies while offering novel insights into the discipline construction and development of the university.

Zhai is currently the deputy director of the Institute of Area Studies at PKU and professor at the School of International Studies at Peking University. He also serves as the deputy chairman of the Regional and Country Studies Branch of the China Association of Higher Education (CAHE), the deputy chairman of the "Belt and Road" Branch of CAHE, a part-time professor at the Central Party School (National Academy of Governance), as well as the vice president of the China Society for Southeast Asian Studies and the vice president of the China Society of Emerging Economies. He has profound academic expertise and a broad influence in the field of area studies.