On May 9, the Institute for International and Area Studies (IIAS) of Tsinghua University held the first meeting of the 2nd Board of Directors. The meeting was attended by Honorary President Gu Binglin, President Wang Xiqin, Vice President Peng Gang and board members Bai Chong-en, Liu Dong and Xue Lan, observed by Professor Jiang Jingkui, Associate Director Zhang Jing and Associate Director Zhao Jinsong of the IIAS, and chaired by Gu Binglin and Wang Xiqin.

At the meeting, in-depth discussions were held on how the IIAS should continue to focus on talent cultivation, as well as to optimize and propel all efforts under the background of building the “international and area studies” into a first-class discipline. Several measures on organizational structure, faculty development, talent cultivation and scientific research were deliberated and approved. Wang Xiqin, President of the Board of Directors, concluded that the DCS Doctoral Program and the IIAS have achieved remarkable results since their establishment, and the concepts they were built and developed on are worth summarizing and refining. At present, the IIAS should prioritize the construction of a talent cultivation system for “international and area studies” as a first-class discipline, facilitate the combination of western experience and Chinese characteristics, urge the integration of abstract knowledge-based systems and practical experience from our programs in the past decade, establish our academic, disciplinary and discourse system, and effectively serve the development of national strategies.