Lide Chair Professorship Fund Starts at the Yenching Academy of PKU

In March 2022, the Yenching Academy of Peking University established the Lide Chair Professorship Fund, with a 20 million RMB generous donation from PKU alumni couple Li Ge and Zhao Ning, both B.Sc. ’85 from the Department of Chemistry and honorary trustees of Peking University. The Fund aims to improve YCA’s teaching staff structure and future development of the Academy. For years, the couple has contributed to their alma mater's academic innovation and advancement.

Eight years since its founding in May 2014, the Yenching Academy has enrolled seven cohorts of 748 Scholars from 82 countries and regions. Drawing upon the PKU’s traditional strengths in humanities and social science disciplines, the Academy leverages resources within and outside the University and China to provide cross-cultural, global, and practical interpretations of China’s development while training the next-generation global leaders. Our young Yenching Scholars have been active in intercultural communication and dialogues around the world, carrying Peking University’s spirit and ethos with them. The Academy invites teachers mostly from PKU’s colleges, departments, institutions, and centers, and deeply appreciates their tireless efforts to cultivate young scholars who are willing to contribute to the world’s development with their keen insights on China. The Lide Chair Professorship Fund facilitates YCA’s efforts to provide a more robust international high-caliber teaching staff and advanced academic research. The Academy will thus be better oriented with more possibilities.

PKU Vice President Wang Bo expressed gratitude to the couple for maintaining good cooperation with the University and contributing to its academic development. Wang hoped that the Yenching Academy would adhere to its original aspirations and develop the China Studies international program with the Academy’s interdisciplinary focus, striving for stronger influence in China and the world, and cultivating more talents linking China and the world.