中国加拿大研究网

Guangdong has been the overall experiential zone for the opening and reform policy in China; it has taken the lead in market economy and in economic and social development. To meet this situation, the Center for Canadian Studies in Guangdong University of Foreign Studies was funded in 1989.

At beginning, the center had only 9 members. Supported and encouraged by the leaders of GDUFS and the Canadian Embassy in China, more and more scholars have joined the center, under the center, there’s a Quebec Studies Group consisting of French teachers. It has played a more and more important role in the field of Canadian Studies in Guangdong. Now it has 24 members, all of them are English, French or economic lecturers or professors; professors occupied 66% of the total. The former and present presidents are members of the center. Founded by Canadian government, 18 members went Canada to have the academic tours or studied relevant courses, some of our members even paid academic visits to Canada for 3 or 4 times. After its establishment, the center had a series of activities and did a quite good job, such as:

1. It published a research magazine Prospective in Canada from 1990 to 1996, 11 issues in all with publications of more than 100 articles on Canadian studies. Some of the articles were republished by other magazines. Scholars from Guangdong, Inner Mongolia, Jinin Province, Shanxi Province, Hubei Province, Sichuan Province, Jiangsu Province, Fujian Province, and Beijing City made the contributions to this magazine. The magazine contained the following columns: Canadian Languages and Education, History, Culture and Economy of Canada, Canadian Politics and Society, Sino-Canada Exchanges, Chinese Community in Canada. It had been popular in the circle of Canadian Studies. It stopped publishing in 1997 because of the financial difficulties.

2. The center held several seminars since its founding. The topics of the seminars were: Canadian Studies in Guangdong; Personal Experience in Canada; Multiculturalism in Canada; Chinese Community in Canada; Higher Education in Canada, Sino-Canadian cooperation in service trade, etc. Participants to the seminars were mainly from universities, research institutions, and news agencies in Guangdong.

3. The center sponsored series of lectures and consulting activities for those who were going to study, work, and immigrate to Canada.

4. The center held 5 translation contests of Canadian literature publications among the students in GDUFS. The last one was held in 2003 among all postgraduates in GDUFS, which was supported by the Canadian General Consulate in Guangzhou. After each contest, teachers gave winners prizes and published a collection of winners’ translations.

5. Most of the center’s members have been actively in Canadian studies. From 1989 till present, they published three books (i.e. Bilingual Education in Canada by professors He Ziran and Yu Yaonan; Selected Poems of Quebec by Prof. Chen Yirong; Chinese Community in Canada by Prof. Mo Xuqiang and Prof. Zhu Jiancheng) and about 140 articles.

6. The center has established close relations with nearly all the centers for Canadian studies in China and some institutions abroad. We have had the information and personal exchanges with those centers and institutions.

7. The center has undertaken a series of teaching activities and lectures related to Canadian studies. Since most of its members are teachers, they have taken advantages of their research fruits and materials gained from Canada to innovate teaching content and textbooks. Some member even designed and produced slide-shows or VCD about Canadian society, customs and habits, arts and education to serve the students.

8. Suggested by the center, our university offers a MA in Canadian Literature. We also teach courses about “Canadian Literature”.

Main Research areas of the center:
        1, Biliguistics
        2, Literature ( English and French )
        3, Canadian society and history
        4, Chinese Community in Canada
        5, Canadian economy and trade
        6, Canadian multiculturism
        7, Canadian higher education
        8, Canadian political system
        9, Sino-Canada relationship

The center’s address: Baiyun Ave. North No.2 Guangdong University of Foreign Studies
    Tel: 020-36317075
    Fax: 020-36207367
    E-mail: jszhu@mail.gdufs.edu.cn
Director of the center: Prof. Zhu Jiancheng.
Members of the team：He Yuangui, Dong Jinwei, Mu Lei, Pan Gaofeng, Xu Hai, Xu Guobin, Yao Wenjun,
                     Zhou Wengui, Zhu Jiancheng, Zuo Liancun.