China Daily reporter Tan Yingzi interviewed Ambassador Bloch at the conclusion of USCET’s Study of the US Institute on US Foreign Policy for East Asian Leaders and wrote up a profile called “In Education We Trust,” appearing in the “People” section of both the China Daily USA and the China Daily Weekend Edition in China.
Excerpt from the article:
Starting from lecturing at Beida, Bloch has been devoted to developing the local capacity of American studies on Chinese campuses, which she believes can be more sustainable than by hiring American teachers. So far, USCET’s American Studies Network is working with about 50 academic institutions in China and it also holds an annual meeting for members to exchange ideas and experiences in teaching about America.
This month, USCET will partner with Beijing University of Foreign Studies to carry out a faculty training program which aims to strengthen the knowledge and skills of Chinese professors who teach American Studies.
In China, the Ministry of Education requires that all the universities and colleges that provide English language majors must teach American Studies, which means almost every higher education institution in China teaches about America.
“American Studies is quite popular on Chinese campuses, but their quality varies and it is still developing,” she says.
She finds that China’s American Studies is strong in instructing about US-China relations, or the political side, but inadequate in social and cultural areas.
“You cannot understand US-China relations if you don’t really understand America,” she says.
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在USCET的东亚学生领袖美国外交政策研究暑期交流项目结束之际采访了张之香大使，并发表题为“通过教育诞生信任”的文章报道张大使的轨迹，刊登于中国日报美国版与中国日报周末版上。
文章摘录：
从在北大授课开始，张之香大使一直致力于发展国内美国研究教育的能力，她认为这比聘请美国人当教师更有可持续性。到目前为止，USCET的美国研究网络正在与大约50所学术机构合作，并且每年召开一次大会交流有关美国教育的想法和经验。
本月，USCET将于北京外国语大学合作举行教员培训项目，强化国内教授美国研究的教员的知识能力。
在中国，教育部要求所有设立英语专业的大学与学院教授美国研究，这意味着几乎每一所中国的大学都会教授关于美国的知识。
“美国研究在中国大学里挺热门的，但是教学质量参差不齐，还在发展当中。”张大使说道。
她发现国内的美国研究强调中美关系或政治方面的教学，在美国社会和文化领域教育不足。
“对美国没有真正的了解的话就不可能理解中美关系。”她表示。