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Peking University to celebrate 120 years with inauguration of its UK campus

OXFORD, England, March 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Peking University, the leading institution of higher education in China, will mark its 120 anniversary this year with a series of celebrations highlighting its rich history and its dedication to teaching, learning, innovation, and research. The anniversary will start with festivities on its first offshore campus in Oxford, England. The kick-off event overseas will run from March 23 to 25 featuring an academic symposium, inauguration ceremony of its UK Campus, and the inauguration of the Peking University Alumni Finance Association London.

The two-day academic symposium will be a highlight of PKU's 120th anniversary celebratory events and a significant platform for Sino-British academic exchange. Scholars from the UK and China will discuss contemporary issues across a variety of fields, and the schedule will include Nobel Laureates Thomas Sargent and Sir John Gurdon's lectures and discussions. A sampling of topics ranging from research fields of  international relations, science and technology, economics, and globalization includes  "Why Should Governments Pay Their Debts?", "Cell Replacement Therapy in Humans," "Preventing Systematic Financial Crisis in China," " Humans Are Always in the Making," and "R&D at Peking University ."

Professor Wen Hai, the founding dean of PHBS and vice chairman of the Peking University Council will preside over the inauguration ceremony on March 25. President of Peking University Jianhua Lin will deliver a keynote speech for the inauguration. President Lin considered the opening of UK Campus a turning point for Peking University and China's higher education. By taking this initiative, he hopes it can further strengthen the university's international reputation and bolster its research and teaching capabilities. Supporting dignitaries scheduled to participate include China Ambassador to the UK Xiaoming Liu and representatives of the U.K. government.

The UK campus began operations this spring and mainly serves students from the UK and Europe. Students spend their first year on the UK Campus and their second year on PKU Shenzhen campus. Additionally, all students enrolled in the Shenzhen program can apply to spend one semester studying at the UK campus. As the initiator of this overseas campus, Peking University HSBC Business School (PHBS) in Shenzhen, China, undertakes the main administration duties of the UK Campus.

Professor Wen Hai remarked that "this new campus is instrumental in facilitating further academic exchanges among China, UK and Europe." The overseas celebration with the UK Campus inauguration in Oxford is an essential event on Peking University's 120th Anniversary calendar, as the UK campus is a major milestone in the development of internationalized offerings for one of China's oldest and most prestigious institutions, as well as a beacon of current global developments with China playing an increasingly influential role in the global economy."

About Peking University and PHBS

Founded in 1898, Peking University was originally known as the Imperial University of Peking before it adopted its present name in 1912. It was the first national university covering comprehensive disciplines in China and has been a leading institution of higher education in China since its establishment. Peking University is a member of the C9 League, analogous to the Ivy League in the United States. In 2017, Peking University was ranked the best university in China by Chinese Universities Alumni Association (CUAA) for the 11th consecutive year. According to Times Higher Education, Peking University ranked 27th in the 2018 world university rankings.

Peking University HSBC Business School (PHBS) was founded in 2004 to advance PKU's involvement in global economics, finance and management research. Promoting its international purview, classes in the school's full-time master's degree and full-time MBA programs are conducted in English. Nearly half of the faculty are international. Located in Shenzhen (just north of Hong Kong), PHBS brings Peking University's historical presence and first-tier business education programs to the country's south and benefits from the dynamic and entrepreneurial spirit of the thriving city. PHBS is accredited by EPAS and is in the final process of AACSB accreditation, the hallmark of excellence in business education.

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CONTACT: Yingqi Jin, +86-131-6801-1645,  jinyq@phbs.pku.edu.cn