On December 5, 2025, the Fourth Peking University-Shanghai International Studies University Youth Forum on Middle East Studies was held at Peking University. The forum was jointly organized by the Department of Arabic, School of Foreign Languages, Peking University; the Peking University Middle East Research Center; and the Middle East Studies Institute(MESI) of Shanghai International Studies University(SISU). Themed “China and the Middle East from a Global South Perspective”, the forum brought together over 30 Middle East experts, young scholars from China and abroad, as well as master's and doctoral candidates from Peking University and SISU.
Professor Lin Fengmin, Deputy Director of the Middle East Research Center at Peking University; Professor Ding Jun, Director of the MESI of SISU; and Fu Zhiming, Vice Dean of the School of Foreign Languages at Peking University, delivered opening remarks at the forum. The opening ceremony was chaired by Associate Professor Lian Chaoqun, Deputy Director of the Department of Arabic Language and Culture at Peking University.
Professor Lin Fengmin extended a warm welcome to the faculty and students from the MESI of SISU. He reviewed the forum's development journey and highly commended its positive role in fostering the academic community of Middle East studies and building an autonomous knowledge system with Chinese characteristics in Middle East research. He noted that Peking University and SISU each possess distinctive strengths in Middle Eastern studies and should leverage their respective advantages for collaborative innovation. He expressed hope that young scholars from both institutions would respond to the demands of the times and the nation, deepen exchanges through the forum, and contribute their wisdom and strength to fostering friendly cooperation between China and Middle Eastern countries.
Professor Ding Jun highly commended the forum's role in promoting innovative development in Middle East studies and cultivating young talent. He emphasized that Middle East studies is a challenging, interdisciplinary field of great significance. Young scholars and students should boldly explore and strive to become pioneers driving innovation in regional and country studies of the Middle East. The forum has established an academic platform for dialogue and exchange among young researchers. The theme selection for this edition not only reflects an academic response to profound shifts in the international landscape and Middle Eastern dynamics but also embodies the patriotic sentiments and sense of responsibility among young scholars.
Professor Fu Zhiming stated that faculty and students from both universities have established strong academic ties, with the forum serving as an annual highlight for mutual exchange. He emphasized the need to further develop and refine this collaboration. He noted that the Global South represents a critical contemporary research topic, expressing hope that scholars and students from both institutions would engage in thorough discussions on this subject. He anticipated that this academic exchange would spark new intellectual insights and yield fruitful research outcomes.
This forum features a keynote session for young scholars and two parallel sessions for graduate students.
The keynote session, chaired by Associate Professor Lian Chaoqun with commentary by Professor Ding Jun, will feature presentations by six young scholars.
The first sub-forum for young scholars was chaired by Ding Hengrui, a doctoral candidate from the Department of Arabic at Peking University's School of Foreign Languages. Assistant Professor Li Haipeng from the same department and Associate Professor Han Jianwei from the MESI of SISU served as discussants. A total of eight graduate students delivered presentations.
The second sub-forum for young scholars was chaired by Li Rufei, a master's student from the Department of Arabic at Peking University's School of Foreign Languages. Commentaries were provided by assistant researchers Wen Shaobiao and Zhao Jing from the MESI of SISU. A total of nine graduate students delivered presentations.
The closing ceremony of the forum was chaired by Assistant Professor Li Haipeng, with Associate Professor Lian Chaoqun delivering the conference summary and closing remarks. Lian noted that this year's forum covered a wide range of topics, highlighting the interconnected nature of Middle Eastern studies globally. He encouraged young scholars to exercise greater rigor in selecting research questions and sourcing information materials in the future. Lian expressed hope for continued high-level collaboration between the two universities and extended gratitude to all faculty and students involved in organizing and managing the forum.
The Peking University- Shanghai International Studies University Youth Forum on Middle East Studies serves as a collaborative academic platform jointly established by the two universities in the field of Middle East research. It aims to enhance academic exchange and cooperative efforts in Middle East studies, strengthen the cultivation of emerging scholars, and jointly advance the development of an academic community and autonomous knowledge system in Middle East research. Through the concerted efforts of both institutions, the forum has successfully convened three sessions to date, achieving positive outcomes.
