Hopkins-Nanjing Center Blog

The Sumerians of Ancient Mesopotamia established the first well documented government in human history, as they systematically ruled over their city-states with kings and religious leaders. Over 4500 years later we see a world organized by government entities from top to bottom, and educational institutions are no exception. So, what does this look like at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center? This blog introduces how student governance works at the HNC and the current student leaders in office. Orientation is a whirlwind of new information, but an exciting time as you get to know your classmates, professors, and staff. Halfway through orientation elections are held for the positions of 班委 (Bān wěi). This position roughly translates to class committee, which is made up of four members who act as student representatives that meet with the administration. Their main roles are the planning of student events, tackling of any student issues which may arise, and relaying crucial information from the ...

When I first became interested in studying abroad in China, I was not thinking about the practical side of my daily life. In the United States nut allergies are very common and restaurants typically do not use peanut oil or are specific about allergens on their menus. In China; however, this is not always the case. I have a peanut allergy, which impacts how I can go out and consume food in China. However, though my allergy is something I now have to think about in my daily life here, it is manageable with a few tricks. This week's blog explores some useful considerations to staying safe with allergies.  1.                     Know how to say your allergen correctly!  The Mandarin characters for peanut are 花生 [huā shēng] and to express my allergy I say “ 我对花生过敏 .[w ǒ duì huāshēng guòmǐn] ” You can say “ 我对 [insert allergen] 过敏 .” Make sure you are pronouncing this correctly and get t...

Let the fall 2024 semester begin! Hopkins-Nanjing Center students recently arrived on campus for orientation, and are already exploring all of the sights (and food) that Nanjing has to offer. There's nothing like the annual hike up Purple Mountain to start the semester off right! Students pose for photos in front of the new welcome banner. The hike up Purple Mountain begins! Posing for a group shot after making it to the top.  Discovering the culinary delights of Nanjing.  The opening ceremony officially kicks off the start of the academic year. 

Some HNC programs require prior Chinese language proficiency, while others do not. Applicants to the Master of Arts in International Studies, Certificate, Certificate + MAIR or Certificate + MAIA programs must demonstrate intermediate to advanced Chinese language proficiency at the time of application. Prior language proficiency is not required for the Master of Arts in International Relations or Master of Arts in International Affairs programs.  To apply for any HNC program where Chinese is the language of instruction, you must provide Chinese reading and listening proficiency test results from one of the following language assessments: STAMP, HSK, ACTFL, CEFR, or ILR. Test results must be from within the last 12 months, and available for review before the application deadline. If you have not yet taken any of these tests, you can request to take the STAMP test via the  online application .    Should I even bother taking a language assessment? How could I possibly b...

Students at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center choose their coursework from several concentration areas, including Energy, Resources and Environment (ERE). ERE focused students take classes from Professor Roger Raufer, Resident Professor at the HNC who joined the faculty in 2014. He has more than four decades of  engineering  consulting experience and has been an advisor for the UN, USAID, and World Bank. This week's blog explores Professor Raufer's busy spring semester. Prof. Raufer at Nanjing University's School of Business HNC’s Professor Roger Raufer had an especially busy Spring semester!  He spent the first part of the semester in Europe, giving his annual lectures on environmental policy at the IFP School near Paris.  He then went to Italy to present a Professional Skills Course (PSC) about emissions trading at the SAIS Europe campus in Bologna.  This course had a special focus on China’s nascent emissions trading program.  The course was funded by the Yeung...

HNC alumni thrive in various sectors related to US-China relations, including government, business, journalism, and think tanks, often carving out unique specialties within their organizations. Brian Hart has done just that at CSIS. In our latest alumni profile, Brian shares captivating insights from his time at the HNC and his focused career journey. Brian Hart is a fellow with the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), where his research concentrates on Chinese foreign policy, military modernization, and Taiwan security issues. Before his current role, Brian conducted research for the Project 2049 Institute, the Freeman Chair in China Studies at CSIS, and Trivium China. He holds an HNC certificate and a master’s in international relations from SAIS, as well as a bachelor's degree in politics and international affairs from Wake Forest University. How did you find yourself at the HNC? I knew I wanted to go into a field focusing on China, w...

The Hopkins-Nanjing Center (HNC) is a unique academic community where students with diverse interests converge, united by a shared focus on US-China relations. Below, students Alec Nash, Yan Manshu, and Wyatt Crooks share their paths at the HNC, individual passions, and multifaceted experiences in international relations. Also, be sure to check out last semester's student profiles . Alec Nash 亚历山大 MAIS '24 Concentration: International Economics Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia Undergraduate Institution: Emory University  Yan Manshu 严曼舒 HNC Certificate '24 Hometown: Nanjing, China Wyatt Crooks 康沃业 HNC Certificate + MAIR '25 Concentration: Governance, Politics, and Society Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina Undergraduate Institution: North Carolina State University Tell us about your background, how you became interested in China, and what led you to the HNC. Alec Nash Alec: During my undergraduate years at Emory University I studied international relations. At the tim...