Since the 19th CPC National Congress, public diplomacy has increasingly become an important part of the external work of the country. On Oct 24, 2013, President Xi Jinping pointed out at the meeting on neighboring diplomacy that efforts should be made to strengthen the publicity, public diplomacy, and people-to-people exchanges with neighboring countries, so as to consolidate and expand the social and public support for the long-term development of China's relations with neighboring countries. The world is undergoing unprecedented changes unseen in history, and China is moving closer to the world’s center stage. Now, China is entering the public diplomacy era.
As China becomes the second largest destination for international students, colleges and universities has become the main platform for training the public diplomacy talents and an important platform for connecting China with the world. Endeavoring in the training for international students is like opening a door for communication, it not only can promote the understanding between countries, but also can contribute to a harmonious, friendly and responsible image of China. This is an era calls for action, in the process of the internationalization of China’s higher education, colleges and universities have taken a unique and important position in the public diplomacy, and a number of international students who understand China, love China, and are willing to contribute to the friendly exchanges between China and the world, emerged.
School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) is a pioneer in establishing the English-taught International Relations program in China, it is also an important practitioner of the internationalization of the high education of JLU. In 2006, with the strong support of China Scholarship Council and the Center for Contemporary International Relations Studies (the predecessor of Institutes of International Studies), the school enrolled 7 international students to the International Relations program, which was taught fully in English. All 7 international students completed the training and finished their dissertation. Later, the school also created PhD and master program in international relations for international students based on this program.
As a Chinese saying goes “River, though long, has its sources; Trees, though tall, has its roots”. Deeply rooted in the Chinese culture and emersed in the new tradition of New China, School of International and Public affairs has been telling the Chinese stories of our time to the world, and won credits of international preeminence. SIPA has been devoted in developing high-quality courses, a nurturing academic environment and paths to accomplishment. In addition, SIPA also involved internship and practical activities to introduce the international students the real Chinese society. Through these experiences, SIPA is vowed to inform international students to formulate an balanced understanding of China, and become the “public diplomacy ambassadors” to tell the Chinese stories to the world, and build a positive image of China in the international community.
With years of great effort being made and difficulties being conquered, SIPA has made fruitful achievements. By 2021, SIPA has trained neyarl 500 international students from more than 100 countries. Among all the registered students of SIPA, the proportion of international students takes 43%, which is still increasing. With combined efforts of international students themselves and SIPA faculties, after graduation, most of the international students went back to their own country and made progress in their careers and lives. Nowadays, the distinguished international alumni of SIPA are standing out in politics, universities, medias and enterprises etc., some even made significant achievement and enjoyed high status domestically or even internationally.
Many international alunmi served in politics. For example, Brima Patrick Kapuwa, 2012 PhD graduate, is currently Sierra Leone Ambassador Plenipotentiary to Ethopia and Sierra Leone Permanent Representative to African Union; Kem Sambath, 2009 master graduate, 2012 PhD graduate, is currently the Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Central Committee of the Cambodian People's Party (CPP); Gor Sargsyan, 2009 master graduate, is currently the Director of Confucius Institute at Yerevan Brusov State University of Languages and Social Science. On Nov 15. 2019, Brima Patrick Kapuwa visited SIPA, his Alma Mater, and delivered a lecture titled “Beyond the Stereotype of China-Africa Resource Diplomacy”. He explained with enthusiasm that the reason why he returned to Africa is to contribute more to the friendship between China and Africa.
Some distinguished international alumni started their career in higher education as researcher or teachers. Manzoor Khan Afridi, 2009 PhD graduate, is currently the director of Department of Politics and International Relations in International Islamic University of Islamabad; Musarat Amin, 2013 PhD graduate, is currently the Assistant Professor of Defense and Diplomatic Studies of Fatima Jinnah Women University; Joseph Muita Ndungu, 2017 PhD Graduate, is currently Senior Lecturer of Kenya School of Government. They have been working hard for their careers, and has cultivated many talents under their guidance, and the students they have influenced will become a new force to contribute to the friendship with China.
In media, Rafael Goncalves de Lima, 2015 master graduates, works as an editor in Xinhua News Agency. He also participated in the translation of Xi Jinping’s The Governance of China (Volume I, II) to Portuguese. For him, this is not only a job highly links to his major, but also a first-hand experience to gain a deeper understanding of how China conducts the domestic governance and pushes forward the reform. This opportunity not only improved his skills, but also let him know more about China and how she communicates with the world. He said he would spare no effort in contributing to the friendship between China and Brazil.
In enterprise, Nhlanhla Junior John Ngulube, 2017 master graduate, works as Research Consultant for Africa and Emerging Markets in Deloitte, providing environmental and policy consulting services to a number of Chinese companies investing in Africa. In think tanks, many SIPA international alumni are playing their roles: Alireza Khoshrou, 2010 PhD graduate, works as a research fellow in Islamic Cultural Relations Organization in Iran; Efem Ubi, 2012 PhD graduates, is currently a research fellow in Nigerian Institute of International Affairs.
Just as Lao Tzu put in Tao Te Ching - the greatest thing itself is hard to be seen or heard. The influence of alma mater is of great might that light the torch for the future, nurturing humanity and passion that ultimately brings honor back to herself. The contribution and achievement of these distinguished alumni not only reflect their own efforts and hard-work, but also are the honor of SIPA, which establish a firm base of the international reputation of Jilin University. So, in this path full of hope, SIPA will adhere to developing its own ability in the spirit of inclusiveness in order to cultivate more outstanding international students and future alumni, insist on practicing public diplomacy in order to serve the national strategy and improve the national image, and contribute to build the international brand and world reputation of Jilin University
