China-UK Humanities Annual Forum 2018 held in Hong Kong

On December 6th -7th 2018, the China-UK Humanities Annual Forum was held at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, one of the founding universities of the China-UK Association for the Humanities in Higher Education. Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Tan Tieniu, Deputy Director of the Central People's Government's Liaison Office in Hong Kong, Chen Xu, Chairperson of Tsinghua University Council and Chairman of the China-UK Association for the Humanities in Higher Education, Jeff Streeter, Director of the British Council in Hong Kong, Rocky S. Tuan, Vice-Chancellor and President of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Yang Bin, Vice President of Tsinghua University attended the opening ceremony.

Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor noted that both China and the UK have a profound cultural foundation. The members of the China-UK Association for the Humanities in Higher Education are all top universities in both countries. The annual humanities forum hosted by the association plays a very important role in the exchanges of humanities and China-UK culture between the universities of the two countries. Hong Kong is honored to host this year’s humanities forum and hopes that the forum will bring new vision and inspiration.

Tan Tieniu noted it was of great significance for the forum to be held in Hong Kong. With the rapid development of science and technology in today’s world, countries all over the world are facing many common challenges, and people are increasingly aware that humanism is an indispensable part of the development of science and technology. He hoped that the association would further strengthen the cultural exchanges between the universities of the two countries, add glory to the “golden age” of China-UK relations, and make new and greater contributions to a global community of shared future.

Chen Xu, on behalf of the forum organizer, the China-UK Association for the Humanities in Higher Education, and Tsinghua University, a founding university of the association, welcomed and thanked everyone for coming. She said that education, especially higher education, plays an important role in international cultural exchanges and has far-reaching influence and important value in promoting humanism and enhancing mutual learning among civilizations. The China-UK Association for the Humanities in Higher Education is dedicated to promoting academic, educational and related exchanges among members of the association, enhancing the vitality of humanities research and training high-caliber young talents capable of addressing the complex issues of the times.

Chen Xu said that Tsinghua University has always valued the interaction between Chinese and Western cultures, the ancient and modern, the sciences and humanities, attaching importance to the development of high-quality and profound humanities education, vigorously developing the humanities, and endeavoring to build a world-class university on the “roots” of China’s cultural tradition and humanistic spirit, which laid a profound foundation for Tsinghua to carry out global education cooperation and to promote the development of the humanities at home and abroad. Tsinghua University would like to work with all member universities to promote humanities education and cultural exchanges between China and the UK, influence and drive neighboring universities and regions, and contribute to the promotion of cultural exchange and development in all countries around the world.

This was the third year for the China-UK Association for the Humanities in Higher Education to carry out its annual academic activities. This year’s forum focused on the topic of “China and the Humanities”, and more than 80 guests, experts and scholars were invited to have wonderful discussions and exchanges on topics such as humanities research, humanities education, humanities tradition and the globalization of the humanities in China.

The “China-UK Association for the Humanities in Higher Education” was proposed by Tsinghua University in 2016 and jointly initiated by 12 Chinese and British universities, with 17 member universities so far. It aims to strengthen, consolidate and develop academic cooperation and cultural exchanges between Chinese and British universities through cross-cultural dialogue and cooperation in the fields of the humanities and humanitarian education.

Writer: Edward He
Editors: John Olbrich, Guo Lili