May, 13th, 2017: Dr. Xiong Jianhui, who is a fellow research at the Education Development and Research Center of MOE, visited GDUFS's CCS. The director of CCS, Prof. Tang Xiaosong, hosted the meeting, which was attended by all the research fellows. During the meeting, Prof. Tang introduced the CCS to Dr. Xiong briefly and discussed the further development of CCS.     

CCS is one of the 42 Cultivation Bases for Regional and National Studies. On December 2011, the center was approved by the Ministry of Education as belonging to the first group of Cultivation Base for Regional and National Studies. On June 18th 2012, the Center for Canadian Studies, the Cultivation Base for Regional and National Studies of the Ministry of Education, was formally established. The main research areas in the center include: the studies of Canadian politics and foreign affairs, Canadian economy and trade, Canadian society and law, and Canadian culture and education. It is currently the main research center studying Canada in China. CCS takes the country’s major strategic needs as its central task and the coordination of the basic theoretical research and practical strategy as its focus, trying to promote its scientific research achievements and international influence. Aiming at cultivating international personnel and strengthening disciplinary construction, the reform and innovation of the scientific research systems and mechanisms, CCS has been striving to offer intellectual support for national policy-making.     

During the past five years since CCS was formally established, CCS has achieved a great deal. The annually-published Blue Book of Canada and the yearly-hosted international conference on Canadian studies are good evidence. Now, CCS is updating and transforming itself. Facing the dilemma so many institutes studying middle powers face, how can CCS grow bigger and stronger yet retaining its characteristics?

Dr. Xiong offered some advice based on his own working and educational experiences: the first is to expand the outlook and develop CCS with a global mind, focusing on all the aspects of Canadian society, including politics, economy, society and culture at the same time as emphasizing the cultural exchange between Canada and China; the second is to widen the coordination between CCS and research institutes and government and deepen communication and cooperation with Canadian consulates in China; the last but not the least is to strengthen talent training on the basis of existing communication and exchange with some foreign universities, establishing and promoting programs jointly, if necessary. In its current phase of transformation and updating, CCS should solidify and enrich its content rather than confining its attention to its form.