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TBC Hosts AJCU-AP CEOs Meeting 2024

From August 25 to 28, 2024, The Beijing Center for Chinese Studies (TBC) hosted the AJCU-AP Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) Meeting 2024 in Beijing, China.

Xavier High School Faculty’s Cultural Experience at TBC

The Beijing Center is thrilled to have hosted Xavier High School faculty members Headmaster Kim, history educator Edward, Fr. Spinale, assistant professor at Fordham University, and alumnus James and his wife Penny during their week-long visit to Beijing.

ChinaContact: University of Hong Kong

In mid-March, a group of students and faculty from the MBA program at the University of Hong Kong embarked on a journey of cultural exploration through TBC’s ChinaContact program, starting with a tour to TBC. They visited various companies in Beijing, immersing themselves in the local work atmosphere and corporate culture.

ChinaContact: Universidad del Pacífico

TBC recently hosted a week-long cultural immersion experience for a delegation from Universidad del Pacífico in Peru. The delegation consisted of students and faculty from the Faculty of Engineering and Business at the University of the Pacific in Peru. One of the professors was visiting China for the second time, and his first trip during the 2008 Beijing Olympics left a deep impression on him. After 16 years, he returned and marveled at the great changes in China.

President of Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro Visits TBC

On December 8th, Anderson Pedroso, President of the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio) and esteemed member of the International Association of Jesuit Universities (IAJU), embarked on his first visit to China. On the 29th of the same month, President Pedroso had a private audience with Pope Francis at the Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican, where the Pope commended PUC-Rio for its contributions to human and social development through its robust educational and research initiatives.

TBC Participates in the AJCU International Liaison Officers Meeting at Sophia University, Japan

On December 1st, The Beijing Center (TBC) participated in the annual meeting of the Asia-Pacific region’s Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU) International Liaison Officers, hosted by Sophia University in Japan. Representatives from various AJCU schools, such as the University of Hong Kong, Fu Jen Catholic University in Taiwan, and Sogang University in South Korea, convened to address and forge solutions to issues identified during the AJCU Leadership Meeting earlier in August in the Philippines.

BISHOP STEPHEN CHOW, S.J., ELEVATED TO CARDINAL

Bishop Stephen Chow S.J. of Hong Kong was elevated to the rank of cardinal by Pope Francis during a ceremony at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City on September 30, 2023. Dr. Simon Koo, the Executive Director of The Beijing Center, was invited to Vatican City to celebrate Cardinal Chow’s elevation.

OUR SHARED HOME: ASIA PACIFIC JESUIT SCHOOL LEADERS IN CONFERENCE

The Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities in Asia Pacific (AJCU-AP) convened from 27 – 30 August 2023 at the Mirador Jesuit Villa and Retreat House, Baguio City, Philippines, for the AJCU-AP Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) Meeting 2023. Representing 18 member institutions from 9 countries were 28 meeting participants composed of CEOs or their representatives, and International Networking Officers (INOs) of their respective institutions. This August 2023 gathering was the largest ever and most well-attended CEOs Meeting of the AJCU-AP and was hosted by Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines.

THE FUTURE IS GLOBAL: TBC AND THE IAJU 2022 WORLDWIDE ASSEMBLY

This month, The Beijing Center attended the IAJU 2022 Worldwide Assembly at Boston College. What a week! The International Association of Jesuit Universities was started in 2018 and approved by Fr. Arturo Sosa, Superior General of the Society of Jesus – who also played a big role in TBC’s participation at the conference. After all, it was Fr. Sosa who personally recommended our Executive Director, Simon Koo, be a member of the Task Force on Peace and Reconciliation.

COMMUNITY AND CREATION: LAUDATO SI’S CONFERENCE AT OXFORD

At first, the weather on May 17 did not seem very good – typically English weather meant a grey and overcast sky and some sprays of rain. But closer to the end of the day, just before the sunset and “The Last Forest” movie screening as I stepped onto the beautiful Christ Church, University of Oxford campus, the sun shone again, and a rainbow seemed to descend with a blessing of the day.

CHINA IMMERSION TRIP, JAVERIANA CALI UNIVERSITY

From November to December 2018, ChinaContact, TBC’s short-term program team, hosted a group of eight students and faculty from Javeriana Cali University for their “China Immersion 2018” program. During their 21 days in China, the group traveled Beijing, Xi’an, and Shanghai, learning about the different customs in different parts of China, witnessing the beautiful scenery of early winter, and immersing themselves in Chinese culture. To help them better make sense of all the things they saw, ChinaContact helped organize lectures about Chinese history, politics, economics, and business, taught by distinguished local and international professors.

SITE VISIT TO BEIJING

A group of 12 administrators and study abroad advisors from TBC partner universities in the U.S. and Colombia made the trip to Beijing for a one-week visit. With lectures, discussions, and cultural and internship site visits arranged by TBC’s ChinaContact, the participants were able to learn more about TBC and life in China. They also were able to interact directly with their university’s students currently here.