An Israel studies program will open at a Chinese university for the first time.
The program, offering undergraduate and graduate courses, extracurricular activities and options for study in Israel, will launch at the Sichuan International Studies University in Chongqing for the 2012 spring semester. It is being started in cooperation with the Israel-based Sino-Israel Global Network and Academic Leadership.
Two of the university’s lecturers will study for this fall semester at Bar-Ilan University to prepare them to teach Israeli history, culture and politics to Chinese students. Their studies are funded by a grant from the Diane & Guilford Glazer Foundation.
The university has invited lecturers from Israel, the United States and Australia to give introductory seminars, lectures and workshops on Israeli history, culture and literature. During the fall semester this year, the university will organize a series of forums to discuss Israel-related topics.
In addition, the Washington-based American Jewish Committee’s Asia Pacific Institute pledged to donate more than 100 new and used books on Israel and the Middle East to the university’s new Israel studies library.
