Harvard China Fund offers student opportunities in China

Established in late 2006, the Harvard China Fund (HCF) is Harvard’s “academic venture fund” for China. In service of the entire University, it supports teaching and research on China and promotes Harvard’s presence there. The University has allocated $15 million in support of the fund, and has made a commitment to raise $50 million over the fund’s first 10 years. HCF’s core objectives include preparing Harvard students for a lifelong engagement with China and supporting Chinese students coming to Harvard for graduate and professional education; promoting interdisciplinary teaching and research about and in China, in collaboration with institutions across greater China; and strengthening Harvard’s capacity to address challenges facing China through the Harvard Center Shanghai.

The Harvard China Student Internship Program is a collaborative effort involving Harvard’s Office of Career Services and Office of International Programs, in partnership with Chinese corporations, nongovernmental and nonprofit organizations, and multinational companies in China. Students experience modern China through internship placements and gain an introduction to its history and culture, all while learning firsthand about life in the workplace. The program includes a 10-week internship, a weeklong field trip, and numerous cultural events. This summer, 40 undergraduates will intern in seven different cities throughout greater China.

The Harvard China Student Language and Culture Program is an eight-week immersion in Chinese language and culture, in collaboration with Sichuan University in Chengdu, China. It is open to all returning Harvard degree students. The program combines intensive classes in Chinese language, history, and social sciences with visits and field trips in Chengdu and to nearby sites. Participants will also have an opportunity to interact with other international and local students at Sichuan University. In its inaugural summer, six students from different Harvard Schools will participate in the program.

The Harvard China Student Service Program supports all returning Harvard degree students in performing public service in China, in collaboration with Tsinghua University in Beijing. Visiting underdeveloped areas enables these volunteers to contribute to — and reflect on — the complexities of Chinese society. Harvard students and Chinese students are paired together to teach English, conduct poverty alleviation research, and visit rural villages. The program also includes a weeklong introduction to Chinese language, culture, and history in Beijing and Xi’an. In its second summer, the program will send four Harvard student volunteers to experience urban and rural life in China.

For more about HCF and a list of this year’s student participants.