Hopkins-Nanjing Center Blog

The Hopkins-Nanjing Center is excited to announce the launch of a new English-language pathway, beginning in September 2026. This pathway will allow students admitted to the SAIS MAIR (Washington, D.C.) or MAIA (Bologna) programs to spend their first year at HNC, taking courses in English that count directly toward their degree. Students will also have the option to pursue Chinese language study while in Nanjing. This new pathway complements our long-standing certificate and master’s programs taught in Chinese, which remain a core part of HNC’s offerings.  Master of Arts in International Relations (MAIR) The Master of Arts in International Relations program begins at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center, where students take courses in English that integrate China-focused study into the larger field of international relations. This first year builds a strong grounding in China’s role in global affairs while introducing regional dynamics across Asia. In the second year at SAIS DC, students exp...

While coursework at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center includes standard assignments such as readings, presentations, exams, and papers, some classes invite students to explore ideas more creatively. This blog features highlights from those innovative learning experiences.   International Water Politics - Role Play Simulations     International Water Politics is an Energy, Resources, and Environment course taught by Professor Wang Zhijian in Chinese. The course introduces various academic perspectives regarding current international freshwater politics (such as water security, water war, water politics, water hegemony, water justice, etc.) and explores some typical international river conflict and cooperation cases. Professor Wang takes an unconventional approach in the classroom by requesting international students to read and respond in Chinese, while the Chinese students read and respond in English. This provides a good challenge for anyone practicing their target language. ...

  It can be intimidating to start conducting research in Mandarin. There are so many types of sources and when Mandarin is not your native language it can be challenging to quickly identify which sources are legitimate , well-regarded, and the most useful for your research. Most professors will assign research papers throughout the semester, so knowing how to utilize the HNC library and its resources from the get-go, as well as having a basic understanding of the Chinese online academic research landscape, can help save time and frustration. This post offers an in-depth overview of library research resources and tips for navigating useful Chinese databases. Future students are encouraged to use this post as a guide. Overview of Accessing Library Resources at the HNC   The HNC library is located on the third and fourth floors of the Samuel Pollard building and hosts an impressive collection of both English and Chinese journals and books, separated by section . The li...