Registration
As the coolness of autumn crept past the lingering summer heat, students in the 2026 cohort arrived at Peking University. On August 31, Yenching Academy received its latest cohort at Shaoyuan. With luggage packed and minds brimming with aspirations, our newest members will start a new voyage together across the vast expanse of the intellectual world.
Orientation Session
On the morning of September 1, the new batch of YCA Scholars attended the orientation session held at B101 inside the Second Gymnasium.
The orientation session was hosted by YCA Associate Dean Brent Haas, who extended a warm welcome to the new cohort; this year marks the first time students from Costa Rica and Jordan have joined the Academy. He then introduced the Academy’s leadership and faculty to the students.
Associate Dean Fan Shiming detailed the Academy’s educational philosophy, research tracks, scholarships, exchange programs, and overall student profile.
Lu Yang, Director of Graduate Studies, introduced the structure and design of YCA master’s program in China Studies and China’s disciplinary system for graduate education and degree conferral. Lu placed emphasis on the Academy’s academic integrity policy, especially responsible AI use. He also explained the Academy’s curriculum design and mentorship program.
Assistant Dean Chen Changwei outlined the Academy’s student affairs, spanning campus life, career development, leadership programs, and mental health support. He explained what Banjiti—the class community—means to students and teachers and highlighted that all the Scholars should follow the Academy’s rules and regulations.
Academic Affairs Briefing
The Academy held an academic affairs briefing on the afternoon of September 1. Zhou Siyuan, Deputy Head of Curriculum and Scholarship, gave details of the Academy’s scholarship types, requirements, and selection criteria, as well as the exchange programs YCA Scholars. Zhou also gave tips for studying and living during an exchange period.
Cui Xiaoyun, Deputy Head of Curriculum and Scholarship, outlined the Academy’s program setup, course requirements, and academic resources, and elaborated on course selection.
Wang Rong, Head of Degree and Student Status, clarified the Academy’s regulations on maintaining student status, completing the dissertation, degree requirements, and the mentorship program.
Class Meeting
Our newcomers gathered for their first class meetings the afternoon of September 1. The class advisors Ren Anqi, Wang Ruonan, and Shi Hui elaborated on the functions of the Academy’s offices, PKU rules and regulations, and safety issues, and offered guidance on how to adapt to study and life in a new environment.
Following brilliant ice-breaking games designed by the Residential Assistants, new students shook off their initial nervousness and got familiar with each other through team work.
Campus Safety and Health
On the evening of September 1, the 2026 cohort attended the “Campus Health, Safety and Insurance” and first-aid training. Residential Assistant Giordana Scotto di Perta (Italy) from the 2025 cohort briefed students on medical insurance and reimbursement, as well as medical visit procedures. Yuan Changyi from the 2025 cohort introduced how to seek services from the counseling practices at the University and the Academy. Wu Haofeng, lecturer at the American Heart Association Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) Programs and Director of Sinoaid Health Promotion Center provided a systematic overview of CPR and on-campus first-aid skills.
First Campus Tour
On the afternoon of September 3, Vicente Revello (Argentina), a RA from the 2025 cohort organized a guided campus tour introducing PKU’s landmarks, history, and culture.
Consent Workshop
On the evening of September 3, the 2026 cohort attended the Consent Workshop. Dr Michelle Lu-Ferguson, President of Ferguson Health and Lorraine Le, trainer from Ferguson Health, delved into related issues from their professional perspectives, providing fundamental knowledge to build safety, harmony, and mutual respect on campus. Associate Dean Haas detailed the related rules in the Academy’s code of conduct.
PKU Convocation
On the morning of September 4, Peking University held the convocation for its 2026 cohort at the May Fourth Stadium, welcoming the new PKUers from all over the world. Together, our 2026 YCA Scholars sang the Peking University alma mater, embarking on their new journey as PKUers.
Dean’s Lecture
On the afternoon of September 4, YCA Dean Dong Qiang addressed the 2026 cohort and delivered a bespoke lecture on the Chinese language, the inaugural lecture in the Topics in China Studies Lecture Series for the 2026‒27 academic year. In his revealing lecture, Dean Dong elaborated on the characteristics of the Chinese language, its history and culture, and its infinite potential. Through a couple of examples, Dean Dong illustrated why the Chinese language is a source of inspirations for art and cross-cultural thinking. He called for contributions from our Scholars to enhance the Chinese language’s humanistic values and global influence in this AI-dependent age.
Meeting the Mentors
On the afternoon of September 4, the 2026 cohort met their mentors at Jingyuan Courtyard 4. The 22 mentors recalled their university days, where they also learned how to communicate with mentors effectively. The mentors also showcased their latest research and the cutting-edge developments across diverse disciplines.
Hutong Go!
On the afternoon of September 5, Associate Brent Haas hosted a lecture themed “Getting to Know Beijing” at the Shaoyuan activity room. After the tea party, our new Scholars went to a hutong tour of Xihai, Houhai, Yinding Bridge, and the Bell Tower, diving headfirst into the cultural fabric of Beijing.
A Cross-Cultural Event
On the evening of September 5, An Qi laoshi, Deputy Head of Student Affairs and RAs from the 2025 cohort—Jiang Jianxing, Chen Jining, Liu Ruoqi, and Giordana Scotto di Perta (Italy)—organized a cross-cultural event, discussing relevant topics in a multicultural community such as diverse greeting styles, social distance, and conversational boundaries. They also recommended a variety of restaurants nearby. Majduleen AlAli (Jordan), Naqibullah Mashwani (Afghanistan), Boi Ngoc Thai (Vietnam), and Sahib Rasulov (Azerbaijan) shared their anecdotes from prior cross-cultural experiences.
Student Recruitment Events
On the evening of September 7, the GSU Executive Committee held a recruitment session for potential 2026-27 candidates.The YGS Executive Committee hosted another recruitment session for its next organizing team on the evening of September 11. Through the two sessions, our new Yenching Scholars received a detailed overview of the Academy’s student union and annual flagship event.
Library Tour
On the afternoon of September 11, Peking University Library and the Yenching Academy Library co-sponsored a library services orientation session. Fu Juzheng from the PKU Library and Zhang Fan from the YCA Library introduced collection locations, database access, the literature search service, and demonstrated how to use library facilities. Fu Juzheng gave Scholars a guided tour of the university library, where the they had an hands-on explanation of the borrowing, research, and digital academic services.
My China Story
On the evening of September 16, Associate Dean Brent Haas gave a lecture “My Experience of Learning Chinese.” Drawing upon his lived experience, Haas noted that Chinese learning requires sustained engagement and intensive practice, and stressed the importance of perseverance, peer learning, and student-teacher communication.
Go Cohort 2026!
The orientation week has come to an end, but it is the prelude to a vibrant two-year YCA experience. Dear 2026 Cohort, we charge you be brave in the face of challenge and explore the unknown fearlessly!
