The 15^th Annual American Studies Network Conference

The Impact of Education Exchange on US-China Relations: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

November 2-4, Shanghai
Co-sponsored by:  East China Normal University
US-China Education Trust
With the support of The U.S.-China New Perspectives Foundation and New York University Shanghai

Conference Theme

Throughout the ups and downs of the US-China relationship, international education exchange has remained a force for mutual understanding. However, in the context of China’s rise, the two nations have arrived at a critical juncture. Competing interests, gaps in perceptions, and differing political systems prevent the two nations from achieving a deeper level of cooperation. Now it is more important than ever for the next generation of leaders to study the use of international education exchange as a force for easing distrust and promoting peace as well as collaboration.  

Beginning in 1854, when Yung Wing became the first Chinese student to graduate from an American university, education and cultural exchange has been an integral element of US-China relations. The Boxer Indemnity scholarships, called “the most important scheme for educating Chinese students in America,” later served as a model for the Fulbright Program, in which China was the first country to participate when a Fulbright accord was signed in 1947 between the nationalist government of China and the United States government. The Fulbright Program resumed after a lapse of several decades in 1980. As of 2016, over 300 thousand Chinese students account for 32% of all international students studying in the United States, while China is the 5th largest recipient of US students at its education institutions. Given the level of distrust and misunderstanding that characterizes the bilateral relationship today, the 2018 ASN Conference will reflect on the history of US-China relations through people-to-people exchange, explore current trends, and determine how the past can inform the future of the most important bilateral relationship in the world.

Conference Summary

USCET and ECNU invited several distinguished speakers that highlighted international education exchange’s importance from academic, historical, and political perspectives. Shelly Fisher Fishkin, Joseph S. Atha Professor of the Humanities, Professor of English, and Director of American Studies, Stanford University and former President, American Studies Association; Cheng Li, Director, John L. Thornton China Center, Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy, Brookings Institution. Fishkin’s keynote remarks highlighted the USCET’s role in developing a community of American Studies scholars in China and the importance of face-to-face interaction and direct dialogue, “USCET would play a central role-by bringing Chinese scholars of American Studies together for conference in China and the US, and disseminating their work through publications.” Professor Fishkin also remarked that “USCET’s impact on the field of translational American Studies has been deep, as well as proad, and I am exhibit A of that fact.” The conference participants presented 53 papers during 10 concurrent sessions divided into four broad themes: US-China international education exchange; American society; American politics; American Literature. The papers focused on the conference theme succeeding in examining the history, successes, and missteps in US-China international education exchange. In other panels, participants presented research and engaged in conversation on the current state of American politics, and discussed how the domestic situation in the United States helped contribute to current US-China tensions. Given the turbulent relations between the United States and China, it was heartening to know that these well-informed presenters will go on to train the next generation of Chinese policymakers.

During the special session of the Graduate Student Forum, the 11 students presented their research in front of a packed room of their peers and professors in two separate sessions. Long questions and answers period followed each session, and the Forum was extended another half an hour given the lively discussion. Professor Fu Meirong, Director of American Studies Center at Beijing Foreign Studies University and Professor Mei Renyi chaired the sessions, and Professor Priscilla Roberts, the editor of all four volumes of ASN publications served as a commentator.

Download the 2018 ASN Conference Agenda Below:

第十五届美国联络研究会会议

“教育交流影响下的中美关系：昨天、今天和明天”

11月2-4日，上海

会议主题

纵观中美关系的起起伏伏，国际教育始终是互相理解的力量。但是，在中国崛起的背景下，两国关系正处于关键时刻。相互竞争的利益、观念上的差距以及不同的政治制度阻碍了两国实现更深层次的合作。现在，下一代领导人比以往任何时候都更重要的是，研究如何利用国际教育交流作为缓解不信任、促进和平以及合作的力量。

从1854年容闳成为第一个从美国大学毕业的中国留学生开始，教育和文化交流就成为中美关系的重要组成部分。被称为“对留美中国学生最重要的教育计划”的庚子赔款奖学金后来成为了福布莱特计划的模型。当中华民国政府与美国政府与1947年签署福布莱特协议时，中国成为了第一个参与国。福布莱特计划在1980年，中断了几十年之后重新启动。截至2016年，占了国际学生32%的30万留学生在美国留学，同时中国也是美国第五大留学教育接收国。鉴于现如今中美关系中存在的不信任与误解，2018年的美国研究联络会将通过人文交流、探索当前局势、以及确定过去是如何影响世界上最重要的双边关系的未来去解读中美关系的历史。