Oxford is one of the leading centres for the study of China in Europe
and the world, with over 70 academics across disciplines specialising
in this area. The role of the University’s China Centre is to ensure
strong connections between academics in these different departments.
Since its launch, the Centre has hosted academic visitors and dynamic
seminars and has become an important information source about
China-related academic activities in Oxford. The new Dickson Poon China
Centre building underpins the University’s commitment to the study of
China and will ensure that the University's relationships with both
China and with other centres of scholarship in Chinese Studies worldwide
continue to develop and expand.
In the past two decades, the
University has steadily been expanding and bringing together its
China-focused research. In 1994, Oxford founded the Institute for
Chinese Studies, a cross-disciplinary centre for the study of China
which organises lectures and classes for the MSt course in Chinese
Studies. The
Institute is part of the Faculty of Oriental
Studies, and it is the centre for all teaching programmes at Oxford on
China – for instance, the Centre for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign
Language is developing new multimedia language-teaching materials in
modern Chinese.
In 2008, the University launched the University of Oxford China
Centre, which joins together academics from across the whole
University, co-ordinating activities in all areas of study of China. It
is the largest centre of its kind outside of North America. Work began
in October 2012 on the Dickson Poon China Centre Building at St Hugh’s
College, a new and dedicated building which will feature a floor space
of 5491 square metres over five floors, the new University of Oxford
China Centre Library, a 100 person lecture theatre, a dining room
seating 200, reference rooms and study areas, a state-of-the-art
language laboratory and a green, ecologically efficient, roof terrace
area, which will provide inspiring views over the dreaming spires of
Oxford for visitors to enjoy.
The University has also created a
significant and varied physical presence in China. Oxford University
Press in China was first established in the early 20th century, but was
re-established in 1961 in Hong Kong after the two World Wars. It now
operates in four other offices in Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen and Macao
and serves millions of English language learners and readers in the
country. In 2007 the University opened the Oxford China Office in Hong
Kong, focused on alumni and external relations and development
activities in China and across the region. And in 2012, the
Vice-Chancellor, Professor Andrew Hamilton, officially opened a new
office in central Beijing to support the University’s extensive medical
research in China, focused initially on clinical trials in diabetes. The
office houses the Oxford University Beijing Science and Technology
Company Ltd.
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