Drawing on its strength of being located in China and being home to scholars with diverse research interests working in various research disciplines and approaches, the Department of China Studies serves as a lively center for research on China. The research of Department’s staff contributes to the knowledge about China in and beyond academia in numerous areas of humanities and social sciences, including culture and philosophy, contemporary literature, modern and contemporary history, social change and development, political economy, governance, and foreign policy.
Over the years, the Department has established a substantial track record of publications in both internationally and domestically leading academic journals as well as for globally renowned publishers. All of Department staff maintain an active network of external collaborators in China and internationally and regularly contribute to international collaborative projects, publications and activities.
Department boasts a vibrant and stimulating research environment. It regularly hosts conferences and workshops that attract participation from scholars from China and abroad, solidifying its role as an important research hub for China Studies. In 2025, the Department further developed its research infrastructure by establishing three Research Clusters which examine some of the key aspects of contemporary China’s development through multidisciplinary lenses. Moreover, departmental staff are active in various cross-departmental research endeavors at the University, including in the research groups under the University Research Centre for Culture, Communication and Society, the Global Challenges Research Group, and numerous other ad hoc collaborative projects.
We also run two regular lecture series. China Studies Lecture Series provides a platform for scholars from China and overseas to present their ongoing research at XJTLU and engage in academic exchange with the specialist audience of staff and students from the Department and the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Department’s China Talk series introduces the research from the Department and invited external scholars to the broader academic community at XJTLU and the general public, offering a platform for non-specialists to grasp key issues affecting China today and understand better a country that is having such a profound impact on the world.
Through its Visiting Scholar and Visiting Graduate Student schemes, China Studies Department has over the years hosted a number of scholars and PhD students for academic exchange, which contributes to the vibrant research culture and environment at the Department and expands Department’s collaborative network and resources. In addition to a growing and academically productive PhD student community and alumni network, the department is also committed to supporting student research, with staff providing research training experience to undergraduate and master-level students through the University’s student-led Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) and individual projects.
Drawing on its strength of being located in China and being home to scholars with diverse research interests working in various research disciplines and approaches, the Department of China Studies serves as a lively center for research on China. The research of Department’s staff contributes to the knowledge about China in and beyond academia in numerous areas of humanities and social sciences, including culture and philosophy, contemporary literature, modern and contemporary history, social change and development, political economy, governance, and foreign policy.
Over the years, the Department has established a substantial track record of publications in both internationally and domestically leading academic journals as well as for globally renowned publishers. All of Department staff maintain an active network of external collaborators in China and internationally and regularly contribute to international collaborative projects, publications and activities.
Department boasts a vibrant and stimulating research environment. It regularly hosts conferences and workshops that attract participation from scholars from China and abroad, solidifying its role as an important research hub for China Studies. In 2025, the Department further developed its research infrastructure by establishing three Research Clusters which examine some of the key aspects of contemporary China’s development through multidisciplinary lenses. Moreover, departmental staff are active in various cross-departmental research endeavors at the University, including in the research groups under the University Research Centre for Culture, Communication and Society, the Global Challenges Research Group, and numerous other ad hoc collaborative projects.
We also run two regular lecture series. China Studies Lecture Series provides a platform for scholars from China and overseas to present their ongoing research at XJTLU and engage in academic exchange with the specialist audience of staff and students from the Department and the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Department’s China Talk series introduces the research from the Department and invited external scholars to the broader academic community at XJTLU and the general public, offering a platform for non-specialists to grasp key issues affecting China today and understand better a country that is having such a profound impact on the world.
Through its Visiting Scholar and Visiting Graduate Student schemes, China Studies Department has over the years hosted a number of scholars and PhD students for academic exchange, which contributes to the vibrant research culture and environment at the Department and expands Department’s collaborative network and resources. In addition to a growing and academically productive PhD student community and alumni network, the department is also committed to supporting student research, with staff providing research training experience to undergraduate and master-level students through the University’s student-led Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF) and individual projects.