From September 27 to 28, 2024, Professor Chen Jie, Dean of the Institute of International and Regional Studies at Sun Yat-sen University, attended the first meeting of the China-Arab States Think Tank Alliance, held at Shanghai International Studies University. The event was hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China and organized by the China-Arab Research Center on Reform and Development.The opening ceremony was chaired by Li Chen, Ambassador for China-Arab Cooperation Forum Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Opening remarks were delivered by Deng Li, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, and Ahmed Khattabi, Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League.The conference featured discussions on three key topics:Promoting Reform and Innovation for High-Quality China-Arab Development in the New EraEmbracing inclusiveness and mutual learning to Advance High-Level China-Arab Open CooperationAdvocating for a Gaza Ceasefire and Achieving a Comprehensive, Just, and Lasting Resolution to the Palestinian IssueDuring the session on the first topic, Professor Chen Jie delivered a report titled "Think Tanks should be Contributors to China-Arab Development Cooperation."Throughout the conference, Professor Chen engaged in discussions with representatives from multiple Arab think tanks and media professionals. Two Ph.D. students in Arabic Language and Literature from the School of International Studies at Sun Yat-sen University, Ma Ting and Zhang Xin, also participated in the inaugural meeting.In June 2024, the Institute of International and Regional Studies at Sun Yat-sen University officially became a Chinese member of the China-Arab Think States Tank Alliance.

From September 20 to 22, 2024, the Sixth Annual Conference of the College Alliance for Talent Cultivation and Discipline Construction of Regional Studies (hereinafter referred to as "the Alliance") was successfully held at the South Campus of Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou.The theme of this year's conference was "Regional Studies and Chinese-Style Modernization." Over 350 experts and scholars from nearly 100 universities and research institutions—including the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Peking University, Tsinghua University, the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, and the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences—attended the event. Additionally, more than 140 university students and their mentors participated in the semi-finals and finals of the Sixth National College Student Speech Contest on Regional Studies.The conference featured three roundtable forums and eight parallel sessions. The roundtable discussions focused on "Regional Studies and Targeted International Communication," "Regional Studies and Corporate Globalization," and "Pathways for Talent Cultivation in Regional Studies: From Region to Country vs. From Country to Region." In the parallel sessions, over 100 experts and scholars engaged in in-depth discussions on topics such as the theoretical, methodological, platform, and tool-building frameworks of regional studies; theoretical and practical explorations in talent cultivation; interactions between foundational disciplines and regional studies; Regional and thematic research from an Area Studies perspective; and the history and practice of regional studies both domestically and internationally.During the conference, the Alliance hosted its first Annual Regional Studies Awards Ceremony, recognizing winners of the National Women Scholars Award in Regional Studies, the National Outstanding Thesis Award in Regional Studies, and the Sixth National College Student Speech Contest on Regional Studies. The inaugural National Women Scholars Award in Regional Studies aimed to amplify the voices of women in the discipline, encouraging and supporting female scholars in achieving outstanding contributions. The National Outstanding Thesis Award in Regional Studies was established to identify and promote exceptional master's and doctoral dissertations, fostering young talent and inspiring rigorous academic research and societal contributions in support of Chinese-style modernization and the building of a shared future for humanity.A major highlight of the conference was the first-ever National Roundtable for Directors of Graduate Programs in Regional Studies. Members of the Academic Review Committee for Regional Studies under the State Council Academic Degrees Committee and representatives from over 30 newly authorized first-tier doctoral programs in Regional Studies engaged in face-to-face discussions on graduate advisor selection, program duration, admissions, curriculum design, dissertation evaluation, degree conferral, and employment prospects. This provided valuable insights and recommendations for strengthening the discipline across universities.A Milestone in the Development of Regional Studies in ChinaHeld on the first anniversary of Regional Studies’ formal establishment as a primary academic discipline, the Sixth Annual Conference of the Alliance provided a vital platform for universities and research institutions to discuss disciplinary development, talent cultivation, and contributions to Chinese-style modernization. The event was also part of the academic and educational celebrations for Sun Yat-sen University's centennial anniversary, themed "SYSU Centenary Legacy, Searching Peaks, Everlasting Streams."The Alliance was first initiated in 2019 by Sun Yat-sen University, in collaboration with several other universities, under the guidance of the Secretariat for Country and Regional Studies at the Ministry of Education. It aims to promote the systematic, large-scale, and high-quality development of Regional Studies in China. Through rapid expansion, the Alliance has become the earliest, largest, most influential, and most active academic community for Regional Studies in China. As of September 2024, the Alliance includes 181 member universities and over 400 academic departments and research institutions, including 65 Double First-Class universities. It spans more than ten first-tier disciplines, such as Foreign Languages and Literature, Political Science, World History, Economics, Journalism and Communication, Ethnology, Law, and Geography. The Alliance has also launched over ten national academic initiatives, including:Annual Conference of the AllianceChina Regional Studies 50-Person ForumYoung Scholars 50-Person ForumNational Forum for Directors of Regional Studies InstitutesHigh-Level Editors’ Forum for Regional Studies JournalsAdvanced Training Workshops for Young Faculty in Regional StudiesChina Regional Studies YearbookAlliance Policy ProposalsNational College Student Speech Contest on Regional StudiesCase Awards for Talent Cultivation in Regional StudiesNational Outstanding Thesis Award in Regional StudiesNational Women Scholars Award for Outstanding Contributions to Regional StudiesInauguration of the Sun Yat-sen University Institute of International and Regional StudiesA notable event during the opening ceremony of this year's conference was the unveiling of the Institute of International and Regional Studies at Sun Yat-sen University. Established in January 2024, the Institute aims to better support major country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics and global initiatives, the internationalization of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and the development of Regional Studies as a first-tier discipline at Sun Yat-sen University. Currently, the Institute is recognized as a Guangdong Provincial Philosophy and Social Science Research Base and a Chinese partner institution in the China-Arab Think Tank Alliance, jointly endorsed by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the League of Arab States. The Institute also serves as the secretariat of the Alliance.A Century of Regional Studies at Sun Yat-sen UniversitySun Yat-sen University has a century-long tradition of fostering talent and research in Regional Studies. Its contributions to the field include:1924: The predecessor of Sun Yat-sen University, National Guangdong University, began training specialists in international affairs within its Law and Political Science disciplines.1954: Establishment of the Asian History Research Group.1957: Creation of the Southeast Asian History Research Office.1978: Founding of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.2007: Launch of the Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies.2012: The Oceania Research Center was approved as a Ministry of Education Regional and Country Studies Cultivation Base.2015: Establishment of the Institute of International Studies (later renamed the South China Sea Strategic Studies Institute, then the Institute of Belt and Road Studies).2017: The Middle East Research Center, European Studies Center, and Latin American Studies Center were approved as Ministry of Education Regional and Country Studies Research Centers.2019: Initiation of the College Alliance for Talent Cultivation and Discipline Construction of Regional Studies.2023: Sun Yat-sen University became the first institution in China to be authorized for a first-tier Ph.D. program in Regional Studies.With its longstanding legacy, Sun Yat-sen University is now advancing Regional Studies into a new era, charting an ambitious course for disciplinary growth and academic excellence.

On the morning of August 12, 2024, Professor Chen Jie, Dean of the Institute of International and Regional Studies at Sun Yat-sen University, along with Professor Liang Yutian, Deputy Dean of the institute, visited the Guangzhou Municipal Government to meet with Vice Mayor Tan Ping. The meeting was also attended by Xie Weiguang, Deputy Secretary-General of the Guangzhou Municipal Government, and Wu Bingxiang, Deputy Director of the Guangzhou Municipal Commerce Bureau.During the meeting, Dean Chen Jie provided an overview of the development of the Country and Region Studies discipline at Sun Yat-sen University and the progress of the Institute of International and Regional Studies. He proposed three collaborative initiatives between the institute and the Guangzhou municipal government. Vice Dean Liang Yutian further elaborated on how Country and Region Studies can support enterprises in their efforts to expand internationally. In response, Deputy Secretary-General Xie Weiguang and Deputy Director Wu Bingxiang shared constructive suggestions on fostering collaboration between both parties.After listening to the presentations, Vice Mayor Tan Ping expressed strong appreciation for the proposed cooperation initiatives. She provided specific guidance on the next steps and emphasized her hope that the institute would actively contribute to Guangzhou’s internationalization efforts and provide intellectual support for local enterprises in their global expansion.Since its establishment, the Institute of International and Regional Studies at Sun Yat-sen University has identified serving the internationalization of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as one of its three core missions. Engaging with local government leaders helps the institute gain firsthand insights into the real challenges faced during internationalized development. This also reflects the essential requirements of the discipline of regional and national studies as an "academic field of practice" and an "academic field for practical application".