This article was written by Dr. David Grossman, founding Director of BAYCEP and SPICE, and draws on a conference paper that he presented in 1978. The updated excerpt and photos (taken in 1974 in the People's Republic of China) were reprinted with permission from Dr. Grossman. Dr. Grossman was the Director of SPICE from 1976 to 1988. This is the first of several articles—focusing on the 50-year history of SPICE—that will be posted this year. 

Prior to World War II, the systematic study of Asia in American schools was rare. Studies of school textbooks found that the few references to Asia were marked by paternalism and stereotypes at best, and by racism and imperialist assumptions at worst. Following U.S. involvement in World War II and the Korean War, there was a notable increase in Asian studies at the collegiate level. At the pre-collegiate level, however, this growing attention to Asia was largely reflected in the addition of a Cold War dimension to the civics curriculum. In this context, China was typically studied as a geopolitical adversary, portrayed even more negatively than the Soviet Union.

In February 1972, a dramatic shift occurred in the tone of U.S.–China relations as a result of President Richard Nixon’s surprise visit to China. This watershed moment generated a surge in public demand for more current and reliable information about China and created new opportunities for reconsidering how China might be taught in American schools.

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While the roots of the Bay Area China Education Project (BAYCEP) can be traced to earlier initiatives, the pivotal moment in its development was the June 1972 Wingspread Conference, “China in the Schools: Directions and Priorities.” Previous meetings addressing China education had been convened by professional organizations such as the Association for Asian Studies (AAS), but what distinguished the Wingspread Conference was its timeliness. The three sponsoring organizations—the National Committee on U.S.–China Relations, the Center for War/Peace Studies, and the Johnson Foundation—shared a widely held belief that the moment was ripe for a focused effort to improve education about China in American schools.

One of the central themes of the Wingspread discussions was a critique of prevailing models of scholar–teacher interaction, particularly the assumption that scholars should serve merely as visiting lecturers. Conference participants urged China scholars to become more attentive to the needs of teachers and school systems and to conceive of their work as part of a reciprocal, two-way process. In perhaps the most influential proposal to emerge from the conference, Yale historian Jonathan Spence called for the development of a cohort of “scholar consultants” who would be both substantively knowledgeable and pedagogically sensitive. This idea would become a cornerstone of BAYCEP.

Ultimately, BAYCEP was the only program to emerge directly from the Wingspread Conference. As early as August 1972, Stanford professor John Lewis convened a meeting of San Francisco Bay Area educators and scholars focused on “Teaching China in the Schools.” This group subsequently submitted a proposal to the National Endowment for the Humanities under the auspices of the National Committee on U.S.–China Relations. The proposal was successfully funded and outlined a pilot project designed to strengthen humanities teaching in Bay Area schools by creating new mechanisms of cooperation between university scholars and pre-collegiate educators. It emphasized the educational value of Chinese history, society, and culture for enhancing multicultural education and sought to organize locally available resources on China through consultancy relationships, training programs, and curriculum materials that could later be adapted for use in other communities and fields of study.

The transition from this broad mission statement to a fully functioning program was not linear. Stakeholders debated the project’s target audience, the selection of appropriate content, and staff qualifications. Acceptance of a China-focused initiative in schools was by no means assured; at one point, a district superintendent rejected participation on the grounds that the project constituted “Communist propaganda.” The underlying challenge was to design a China-focused program that was both curriculum-relevant and pedagogically sound.

In this regard, BAYCEP’s most innovative component was the development of an associate, or “scholar intern,” program intended to strengthen links between universities and schools. Graduate students and recent graduates in Chinese studies or related education programs were appointed as project associates. These associates underwent intensive training and mentoring to familiarize them with effective pre-collegiate teaching methods and available instructional resources, which were notably scarce at the time. They then worked directly with teachers through professional development workshops, helping translate scholarly knowledge into classroom practice.

Although BAYCEP was not initially conceived as solely a curriculum development project, the need for instructional materials soon became apparent. In collaboration with university scholars and classroom teachers, the project first produced guides to recommended resources on China. As these guides proved necessary but insufficient, BAYCEP later developed instructional units on topics such as the Chinese language, family life, education, sports, and stereotyping. As with the professional development workshops, careful attention was given to both substantive content and pedagogical effectiveness.

True to its original mission, BAYCEP emerged as a model for linking university scholarship with pre-collegiate education. In subsequent years, parallel projects focusing on Japan, Latin America, Africa, and Eastern and Western Europe were initiated. Together with BAYCEP, these initiatives were brought under a common umbrella in 1976, enabling collaboration and cross-fertilization across area studies. This umbrella program—the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE)—continues to operate to this day.

Beyond its immediate contributions to China education, BAYCEP’s enduring legacy lies in its redefinition of the relationship between universities and pre-collegiate schools. By institutionalizing the role of the scholar consultant and embedding graduate students and recent graduates within K–12 professional development, BAYCEP moved beyond episodic outreach toward a sustained, collaborative model of knowledge exchange. Its emphasis on pedagogical relevance, mutual learning, and curriculum integration anticipated later approaches to public scholarship and teacher professionalization in area studies. The success of BAYCEP also demonstrated that international and cross-cultural education could be both academically rigorous and responsive to local educational contexts, even amid political uncertainty. As the foundational program within what became SPICE, BAYCEP served not only as a prototype for subsequent regional initiatives but also as a durable model for translating university-based scholarship into meaningful educational practice—an approach that continues to shape international education well beyond its original historical moment.

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Three of SPICE’s online programs for U.S. high school students have begun accepting applications for the spring 2026 academic term. The Reischauer Scholars Program (RSP) and the Sejong Korea Scholars Program (SKSP) welcome applications from high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors in the United States. U.S.–China Co-Lab on Climate Solutions brings together 10th–12th graders from the United States and China in the same program to collaborate on solutions to the global climate crisis.

The RSP engages students in an intensive study of Japan and the U.S.–Japan relationship, facilitating discussions with scholars, diplomats, and other guest speakers with personal and professional expertise in Japanese culture, society, and U.S.–Japan relations. The 2026 RSP course dates are February 1 to June 14. The application deadline is October 17, 2025.

The SKSP provides students an enriching and academically rigorous overview of Korean history and U.S.–Korea relations through online lectures with top scholars and experts and engaging student discussions. The 2026 SKSP course will run February through early June. The application deadline is November 1, 2025.

The U.S.–China Co-Lab program focuses specifically on climate-related issues and U.S.–China cooperation, past and potential, and strategies for global cooperation. High school students from the U.S. and China will get to know each other’s lives and environments and actively work together on projects to develop their expertise on local, bilateral, and global climate action. This is a joint program of SPICE’s Stanford e-China (for students in China) and China Scholars Program (for U.S. students). The spring 2026 Co-Lab course dates are February 27 to May 22. The application deadline for U.S. students is November 1, 2025.

Students who are interested in applying to more than one program may do so and rank their preferences on their applications. Those who are accepted into multiple programs for spring 2026 will be invited to enroll in their highest-preference course.

Applications for all three programs can be found at https://spicestanford.smapply.io/. Deadlines vary:

• Reischauer Scholars Program: October 17
• Sejong Korea Scholars Program: November 1
• U.S.–China Co-Lab on Climate Solutions: November 1

For more information on a specific online course, please refer to its individual webpage.

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To learn more about SPICE’s student programs, visit our Student Programs page.

China is at the center of global dynamics today. What does its new superpower status mean for the world? For China? How will the worsening U.S.–China tariffs affect world trade? Is China’s clean energy leadership the key to the world’s climate crisis or will China remain the world’s top emitter of greenhouse gases? Would China go to war over Taiwan? Would the U.S.? What are China’s internal challenges? Is this China’s century?  

U.S. high school students wondering about these questions and more, who want to explore the nuance and history behind the headlines, in conversation with diverse experts and classmates, are invited to apply for SPICE’s China Scholars Program.

Fall 2025 China Scholars Program: Introduction to Contemporary China
Application period: April 22 to June 15, 2025
Tuition: $2500

Program dates: August 28 – December 20, 2025

This online, college-level course for advanced 10th through 12th graders provides an overview of China’s internal dynamics and recent history, as well as its complicated relationship with the United States, with critical, timely insights into this superpower of the 21st century.

Kristina Danilenko (Huntersville, NC, Fall 2024 CSP alum) observes, “[W]ith all the generalizations and inaccuracies I hear about China (whether it be its government or people as a whole) due to the volatile political environment right now, taking your class was especially valuable in that I’m able to navigate through these swirling narratives and think critically about the information I’m consuming.”

Each week, CSP students engage with leading scholars and experts on Zoom, read deeply on that week’s topic, and engage in analytical discussion with classmates. In addition to weekly written assignments, students conduct independent research, which culminates in an academic paper. Students will also have an opportunity to meet online with Chinese students enrolled in the Stanford e-China Program.

The program’s interdisciplinary nature encourages wide-ranging student research topics. Recent papers have addressed education (“Gaokao: How Effective Is the Gateway to Chinese Meritocracy?”); economics (“Impacts of Taiwan’s Microchip Monopoly on U.S.–China Economic Relations”); environmental issues (“Till the Well Runs Dry: Water Shortages in Northern China”); cultural politics (“Children and Politics: How Children’s Cinema Shapes China’s Youth”; “Mao’s Playlist: Music of the Cultural Revolution”); as well as language, demographics, literature, and beyond.

“[My son is] getting to watch his research topic on tariffs and China play out in real time (for better or worse),” comments Jaime Zollars, parent of Griffin Zollars (Newbury Park, CA, Fall 2024 CSP alum). “The course has inspired many conversations since, and it really gave him a working base knowledge, strengthened his skills, and solidified his interest in continuing to explore Chinese studies and language alongside economics in college!”

CSP’s rigor helps students build a strong foundation for college and future careers. “This course only solidified my desire to pursue studies pertaining to Chinese politics and history, particularly within the realm of international relations,” reports one Fall 2024 alum. “Yet, even for those whose primary academic aspirations lie elsewhere, the abilities you develop during CSP—whether it involves a deeper understanding of China or building cross-cultural skills—are ones that can be applied across a wide range of fields and pursuits both within and beyond academia.” 

As China’s influence expands, the U.S. is heading towards a shortage in China expertise. CSP alums may ultimately find themselves in high demand.

For more information, please see http://chinascholars.org. Or contact Tanya Lee with questions.

The China Scholars Program is one of several online courses offered by SPICE.

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We teach Americans about China. Or Japanese about the United States. Or Chinese about Silicon Valley. Our student cohorts are often very diverse, but usually share a similar national perspective. What if we mixed that up? What if we put students from different countries in the same program and asked them to learn together—and from each other? What if we then put them to work on a common problem, sharing common goals?

[Image above: Part of one group’s final project, “Buzzing Biodiversity: The Vital Role of Pollinators in Enhancing Ecosystems,” aimed at local Beijing, Suzhou, and Irvine, CA, communities. Poster designed by Jimmy Qiyuan Zhang (Suzhou). Other group members: Annie Meitong Song (Irvine) and Xinyi Nancy Zhao (Beijing).]

This past spring, Carey Moncaster and I decided to try it. We created a joint program, the U.S.–China Co-Lab on Climate Solutions, combining the Stanford e-China Program for high school students in China, which Moncaster runs, with my China Scholars Program for high school students in the United States. Sixteen students in each country spent 14 weeks online together, exploring collaborative solutions to the climate crisis.

The U.S.–China Co-Lab (as in both “collaboration” and a hands-on “lab” done together) has two goals:

• To learn about current and potential solutions to climate change and its impacts, through a transnational lens; and
• To learn about and practice the cross-cultural collaboration skills necessary to achieve those solutions.

Climate issues were an obvious choice for the theme of the course. Not only is it the most urgent issue facing all of humanity, it is also one that avoids some of the stickier political issues between the United States and China. Chinese and American students could easily find common ground and common inspiration.

We chose to emphasize climate solutions—as opposed to problems—as a counter to discouraging narratives of crisis that surround this young generation, to instead emphasize the tools we have to correct course and heal.

“Solutions” also provided the structure for the course. Each module of the course was centered on a different area of climate solutions: Global Governance and Climate Diplomacy; Biodiversity; Green Finance; Clean Energy; Food and Agriculture. We were honored to draw on the expertise of Stanford faculty, as well as leaders from institutions like the Wilson Center and the Paulson Institute.*

In addition, we spent one week reading about cross-cultural skills. Stanford’s Scott Rozelle spoke with the students about his decades of practical experience running the Rural Education Action Program (REAP), a highly collaborative research and policy project involving transnational researchers, Chinese villagers and educators, and government officials. One student emphasized that it was Rozelle’s example in particular that “allowed me to see the ways professionals have worked together and made important findings.”

U.S.–China Co-Lab students had to work together for every assignment. The most straightforward were the in-class discussions on Zoom and the weekly, written discussion boards—which nonetheless required teaching and interpretation, with each student explaining a reading that other students had not done.

We used a design thinking approach for another assignment, the “Collaborative Prototype Challenge” developed by our SPICE colleague Mariko Yang-Yoshihara, in which each student was paired with a classmate from the other country. Through interviews, the students identified a key environmental need in their partner’s local community and brainstormed a creative prototype solution, using only materials at hand to represent it. Feedback and revision amplified this exercise in cross-cultural empathy, and the results were thoughtful, technical, artistic, and even goofy—ranging from Chinese paper lanterns made from repurposed packaging waste to a wearable air-conditioning suit to electricity generated by hamster wheels.

For our final project, the “Bilateral Media Campaign,” we stepped up the teamwork and the cross-cultural empathy. In groups of four (2 U.S., 2 China members), students created a media campaign targeting a specific climate solution, tailoring two versions for parallel audiences: one in China and one in the United States. Together, each group needed to agree on a message to inspire specific public action and two specific audiences for that message—which involved both academic and local, community-based research. With the resulting data, they had to choose medium, means, and strategy, and finally, create the materials themselves.

One group tackled invasive species and challenged teens in Arizona and Beijing to weed them out of their local ecosystems, with informative slides on buffelgrass and ragweed, respectively. A second group imagined schoolwide carbon footprint competitions between group members’ high schools in California and Shanghai. Another group sought to encourage families to adopt solar energy—for their own homes in North Carolina, or by using solar-charging personal devices in Beijing, where single-family homes are rare.

Students found the logistical coordination necessary to complete this multi-step project quite challenging and sometimes frustrating. But we considered that a realistic aspect of all collaborative problem-solving—all the more so when dealing with national boundaries, the international date line, and internet firewalls!

Feedback from the class suggests that the project was worthwhile. “I learned about the nuances and similarities between both audiences, which helped me appreciate the common ground we shared despite our diverse backgrounds,” commented one student. “The synergy that emerged from our collaboration was remarkable.”

Overall, Moncaster and I took extra care to represent a wide range of perspectives in the speakers and readings and other course materials, representing diversity in profession, academic discipline, strategy, personal background, etc. Several students commented on how their future plans had changed as a result: students who joined the program interested in policy now wanted to study climate tech as well; STEM-oriented students now understood the need for culturally informed messaging; a humanities student now felt confident in exploring environmental sciences as well.

Most importantly, friends were made, and almost all of the students plan to stay in touch with one another. Anfeng Wilson Xie, of Shanghai, China, was thankful for the opportunity to meet so many “passionate youths in the environmental field, as I have truly learned a lot from my peers.”

Feedback from the students on our first iteration of the U.S.–China Co-Lab has been overwhelmingly positive. “Its transformative journey surpassed my prior expectations,” Raiden Smith, of Tucson, Arizona, told us. He added that it “strengthened my interest in climate studies and broadened my perspective on the importance of cross-cultural communication as I’ve become more hopeful for our collaborative future.”

For our part, Moncaster and I were heartened and inspired by the intelligent, open-minded, and imaginative young people we got to know in the program and look forward to watching them forge their own future. Who knows what new solutions for our planet they may dream up together?

*We would like to offer our thanks and appreciation to all of our guest speakers for the Spring 2024 U.S.–China Co-Lab on Climate Solutions:

Thomas Fingar, Senior Scholar, Shorenstein APARC Fellow, Affiliated Scholar at the Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI), Stanford University

Darrin Magee, Director, Institute for Energy Studies, Western Washington University

Rose Niu, Chief Conservation Officer, Paulson Institute

Scott Rozelle, Faculty Co-director of the Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, Helen F. Farnsworth Endowed Professorship, Senior Fellow at FSI, Senior Fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research

Mark Thurber, Associate Director for Research, Program on Energy and Sustainable Development, FSI, Stanford University

Jennifer L. Turner, Director, China Environment Forum, Wilson Center

For more information about the U.S.–China Co-Lab on Climate Solutions, please visit https://spice.fsi.stanford.edu/fellowship/uschinacolab. The application for the spring 2025 session is open now.

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SPICE is currently accepting applications for the China Scholars Program (CSP), an intensive, college-level, online course on contemporary China for U.S. high school students. The program is open to rising 10th, 11th, and 12th graders across the United States. The Fall 2024 course will run from late August through December.

Stanford University China Scholars Program for high school students
Fall 2024 session (late August through December)
Application period: April 15 to June 15, 2023
Tuition: $2000

This exploration of China’s internal dynamics and recent history, as well as its complicated relationship with the United States, offers students critical insights into the world’s largest economy and growing superpower of the 21st century. “This program has provided me with a much broader and more nuanced understanding of China and U.S.–China relations. It has reshaped the preconceived notions I held about China and replaced them with academically vetted historical analyses” (Fall 2023 CSP student). 

Designed to provide high-achieving high school students a rich and comprehensive online learning experience, the CSP offers college-level instruction, featuring guest speakers from Stanford University and other top-tier institutions. Students engage with leading scholars, experts, and diplomats on Zoom each week, read deeply on that week’s topic, and engage in analytical discussion with classmates from across the United States. CSP students will also have an opportunity to meet online with Chinese students enrolled in the Stanford e-China Program.

The rigorous level of readings, discussion, research, and writing is a key feature of the program, helping students build a strong foundation for their college careers. Students who complete the course will be equipped with an unusual level of expertise about China and international relations—something notably lacking in the current generation of university students—which may guide their career choices. Many CSP alums have gone on to major in international relations, journalism, business, and other fields with global dimensions.

“CSP has helped me contextualize China’s transformation as it’s happening, which is something you wouldn’t really be able to study in any other kind of course,” said Angela Yang, a 2018 CSP alum who is now a reporter for NBC. “The curriculum is intensive yet very comprehensive, and it gives the inquisitive young mind a strong foundation to launch into further study of China or just a new lens through which we can better understand the world.”

More information on the China Scholars Program is available at http://chinascholars.org.

The China Scholars Program is one of several online courses offered by SPICE.

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SPICE’s programs for U.S. high school students are now accepting applications for next spring. Joining our long-running Sejong Korea Scholars Program (SKSP) and Reischauer Scholars Program (RSP) on Japan is a new program called the U.S.–China Co-Lab on Climate Solutions that will enroll U.S. and Chinese students together. 

The new Co-Lab program will be SPICE’s first truly transnational course, bringing equal numbers of 10th–12th graders from the United States and China into conversation to discuss the challenges with the global climate crisis. This program is based on four years of limited collaboration between SPICE’s China Scholars Program for U.S. students and the Stanford e-China Program for Chinese students.  Instructors Carey Moncaster and Tanya Lee are taking this experience to the next level by expanding the collaboration into a standalone program.

As in other SPICE online programs, Stanford faculty will be featured as guest speakers, sharing expertise on climate-related issues, U.S.–China relations, and strategies for global cooperation. Under the guidance of Moncaster and Lee, students will get to know each other’s lives and environments and work together on projects that could improve their own communities.

Meanwhile, the RSP and the SKSP will continue their academically rigorous introductions to East Asia, with students engaging with leading scholars, former diplomats, and other experts from Stanford and beyond.

High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors in the United States are eligible to apply to any of these three online courses. Students who are interested in more than one program can apply to two or three and rank their preferences on their applications; those who are accepted into multiple programs will be invited to enroll in their highest-preference course. 

Chinese students may apply to the U.S.–China Co-Lab on Climate Solutions after October 15.

Applications for all three programs can be found at https://spicestanford.smapply.io/. Deadlines vary:

• RSP: Oct 20
• SKSP: Nov 3
• Co-Lab: Nov 15 for U.S. students and Dec 10 for Chinese students

For more information on a specific online course, please refer to its individual webpage at https://spice.fsi.stanford.edu/fellowship/uschinacolab , sejongscholars.org, or reischauerscholars.org.  

The China Scholars Program (CSP) for U.S. high school students will not be offered in Spring 2024; applications for Fall 2024 CSP will open in April. 

The following is a guest post written by Sarah Sumire Nomoto, who participated in the G7 Hiroshima Junior Conference in Hiroshima Prefecture. Sarah was a participant of the fall 2022 Stanford e-Japan course, which was taught by Meiko Kotani.

I am Sarah Sumire Nomoto. I am 17 years old, and I was born and raised in Hiroshima. My father is American, and my mother is Japanese. In this post, I would like to share thoughts on my experiences at the G7 Hiroshima Junior Conference, which was held from March 27th to 30th, 2023, and was organized by the Citizens Council for the Hiroshima Summit. 

In advance of the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, this conference had the aim to have young people from the G7 countries come together to consider, discuss, and deepen understanding about international issues and initiatives and forge a resolution from the perspective of youth. There were 24 high school students participating, including 12 Japanese students from Hiroshima Prefecture and 12 students from the remaining G7 countries: France, the U.S., the U.K., Germany, Italy, and Canada. We were divided into three groups: (1) Peace; (2) Sustainability; (3) Diversity and Inclusion. Because of my background as a Japanese American living in Japan and my mother’s involvement in LGBTQ+ issues in Japan, I have been interested in the topic of diversity from an early age, which led me to join the diversity group.

On the first day, we went to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum and listened to a story from a hibakusha (atomic bomb survivor)—something I have experienced many times as a student in Hiroshima. I knew from the Stanford e-Japan program that American students are usually taught the reasons of the bombings, but little of the impact. Then, I saw a lot of G7 country participants getting shocked by the hibakusha’s story and the museum exhibits. After this experience, we talked together about finding the difference between “knowing” and “realizing.” This was exactly the point I had tried to make in my Stanford e-Japan research paper which was coming true in front of me at the G7 Hiroshima Junior Conference.

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The second day marked the start of our group’s focus on the theme of diversity. We went on a study tour which was meant to broaden our cultural horizons. However, we learned and realized that Japanese societal views are often limited to cultural and ethnic diversity, and other critical issues such as gender equality, LGBTQ+ rights, disabilities, and generational differences are less discussed. We felt that the perspectives of how our society sees diversity and inclusion must be expanded. 

On the third day, as youth representatives of the G7 countries, we presented our final outcome to Hiroshima Prefecture Governor Hidehiko Yuzaki. We recommended and demanded that youth play key roles in the discussions surrounding diversity and inclusion, as there are many crucial issues that must be addressed now. When we talked about and created our document, I realized how valuable the Stanford e-Japan program had been in preparing me to be involved in discussions like this.

I am currently doing the International Baccalaureate program in high school, and my dream is to raise people’s awareness of global issues through film production. I would like to continue my efforts based on what I have learned at this conference and through Stanford e-Japan.

The following is a guest article written by Yujia Zhai, PhD student at Zhejiang University and Special Research Student at the University of Tokyo. Zhai enrolled in a course at the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Education called “Introduction to International and Cross-Cultural Education,” which was co-taught by SPICE Director Dr. Gary Mukai and former CASEER  Director Dr. Hideto Fukudome. SPICE will feature several student reflections on the course in 2023.

Last fall, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Visiting Fellow Gary Mukai, Professor Hideto Fukudome, and several distinguished guest speakers introduced a range of important topics and research hotspots in the field of international and cross-cultural education. This learning journey provided me with a great deal of inspiration, and the discussion with the speakers left a lasting impression on me.

During one of the classes, we discussed the gender gap in STEM education as well as gender inequality in employment, which prompted me to consider the underlying reasons behind these gender inequality phenomena. Even though there are undoubtedly socio-cultural factors at play, I would like to re-examine the issue from the perspective of curriculum based on my research expertise. 

As the main carrier of school education and the primary tool for disseminating human social culture, state-mandated curriculum essentially reflects the values and interests of the dominant class in society and assists to maintain the existing social hierarchy. Obviously, studying gender inequality in the curriculum, particularly fathoming the role of the curriculum in the reproduction of gender culture and its operating mechanism, will be of great significance to the reconstruction of school curriculum culture and the richer realization of gender equality education.

After careful inspection of the reality of Chinese education, I have noticed that gender inequality exists in several areas including curriculum content selection, the teaching process, and evaluation methods. Besides their higher representation in Chinese school textbooks, males are more often depicted as knowledgeable and highly capable people who are engaged in creative and indispensable jobs, whereas females are portrayed as ignorant and ill-informed, holding low-status, auxiliary roles, and frequently appear in domestic contexts. This gender discourse—imperceptibly suggested by the content of the textbooks—is continuously instilled in students’ minds, potentially shaping their thoughts and behaviors in the future.

In addition, different expectations held by teachers depending on gender will result in divergent interaction and evaluation methods adopted in common classroom settings. Male students are more frequently called on to answer questions in classrooms and assigned tasks that require more physical strength and intelligence, whereas female students are assigned simple and tedious tasks that only require attention and patience. What’s more, it might seem quite inexplicable that teachers may not hesitate too much to give criticism or punishment to male students, which possibly could be regarded as concern, love, or motivation for female students. In essence, these actions will ultimately lead to the separation of male and female students in the process of learning, inherently causing serious consequences for the students’ future intellectual development, academic achievements, and career choices.

To address the issues outlined above, we must strive to eliminate the influence of traditional gender ideology on the curriculum via regarding gender equality as the primary principle and basis for the selection of curriculum knowledge. Curriculum experts, local education administrators, gender research experts, women’s federation staffs, female teachers, representative matriarchs, and female students should all be involved in the development of curriculum, ensuring that both men and women have equal rights to behave and speak. Only by promoting a culture of gender equality and advocating the concept of gender equality through curriculum reform can we create a gender-equal school environment, achieve true educational equity, and advance the harmonious development of society.

Applications opened this week for the China Scholars Program, an intensive, college-level online course on contemporary China for U.S. high school students. The China Scholars Program (CSP) is offered by the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE) at Stanford University, and is open to rising 10th, 11th, and 12th graders across the United States. The Fall 2023 online course will run from late August through December. Applications are due June 15, 2023.

Stanford University China Scholars Program for high school students
Fall 2023 session (late August through December)
Application period: May 8 to June 15, 2023

Accepted applicants will engage in a rigorous academic exploration of key issues in China, spanning politics, economics, social issues, culture, and the arts, with an emphasis on the relationship between the United States and China. In real-time conversations with leading scholars, experts, and diplomats from Stanford University and other institutions, participants will be exposed to the cutting edge of U.S.–China relations and scholarship. CSP students will also have an opportunity to meet online with Chinese students in our Stanford e-China Program. Students who complete the online course will be equipped with a rare degree of expertise about China and international relations that may have a significant impact on their choice of study and future career.

“CSP was one of the best academic programs that I have attended,” said Michelle Jin, a recent alum of the program. “By engaging with CSP’s rigorous and unique curriculum, I explored aspects of contemporary China that were not covered in my high school curriculum and had meaningful discussions with invited professors and cohort peers. The curriculum culminated with an independent research paper that allowed me to delve deeper into understanding China’s ‘Rust Belt,’ a topic of immense personal interest. I would highly recommend CSP to any student willing to challenge themselves and grow!”

More information on the China Scholars Program is available at http://chinascholars.org. Interested high school students should apply now at https://spicestanford.smapply.io/prog/china_scholars_program/. The deadline to apply is June 15, 2023.

The China Scholars Program is one of several online courses offered by SPICE.

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