Call for Application丨UCAS International Summer School 2024:Global Change and Ecological Health

  I. Project Introduction

  University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) is a research-oriented university with a high degree of fusion with the affiliated scientific research institutions of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and focuses on postgraduate education.  UCAS welcomes talents from all over the world. UCAS has nearly 2,000 international students from 98 countries, including Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the United States, Australia, Japan, and more.

  Climate change is one of the world's most critical challenges today, with a far-reaching impact on the planet's ecological balance and human society. To promote exchanges between Chinese and international young scholars to jointly address the effects of global change on ecosystems and actively protect our living environments, UCAS plans to host the 2024 "Global Change and Ecological Health" International Summer School in Beijing, which lasts for ten days (July 18-27, 2024).

 

 The International Summer School will be organized by Sino-Danish College, UCAS. Participating units include the College of Resources and Environment, UCAS; Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, CAS; Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS; Institute of Atmospheric Physics, CAS; Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, CAS and Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, CAS.

  UCAS will invite Chinese and foreign experts and scholars in global change and ecological health to gather at the beautiful scenic spots at the foot of the Great Wall and the shore of Yanqi Lake to exchange academic ideas in the SDC Building. To this end, we will recruit 30-45 international students interested in ecology and environment with professional backgrounds in related subjects such as ecology, geographical resources, biology, chemistry, and other majors from well-known universities worldwide. Participants not only have the opportunity to learn about successful ecological environment protection cases and interact with academicians face to face but will also visit Huairou Science City, participate in scientific research activities, investigate the humanistic environment of Beijing, and experience traditional Chinese culture. Students will receive a graduation certificate from UCAS upon successful completion of the international summer school program. Exceptional participants can also receive a UCAS international student scholarship recommendation letter from an academic advisor.

  II. Content

  Global change has occurred and will continue to affect the ecological environment on which humans depend for survival. Global change and its impact on terrestrial ecosystems have seriously affected the human living environment and sustainable social development, which has aroused great concern from governments, scientists and the public. However, human activities are also one of the leading causes of global change. When designing worldwide change and ecological health, ecological and environmental science has to consider and balance many aspects such as natural resources, social development, ecosystem stability, causes and consequences of global change, global change observation techniques and methods, and responses to global change.

  Detailed content in the course:

  Background, characteristics and rules of global change, Human activities affect the health of terrestrial ecosystems and human health processes caused by global changes, status and consequences of global change on terrestrial ecosystem health and human society, Major ecological and environmental problems caused by global changes facing humanity, global change research content, technology and method, and its significance.

  III.Academic reports

  1. Cryosphere Change and Global Change: QIN Dahe, Academicianof Chinese Academy of Sciences and Professor of the College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
  2. Ecosystem Health and Sustainable Development: FUBojie, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Professor of the Research Center for Ecological Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences)
  3. Ecosystemmicrobiome science: Exemplified by antimicrobial resistance: ZHU Yongguan, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Professor of the Research Center for Eco-Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences
  4. The uplift of the Tibetan Plateau, the coupled evolution of Asian Monsoon-inland drought and their impacts on global climate change: FANG Xiaomin, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Professor of the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences
  5. Grassland changes, drivers and ecological consequences over 40 years on Qinghai Tibetan Plateau: WANG Yanfen, Professor, College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
  6. Microbes and Climate Change: WU Qinglong,Professor of the Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
  7. 7. A Study of Water Cycle in basin using the integrated Observation Method: SONG Xianfang, Professor of the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences
  8. Our future world at global warming levels of Paris Agreement: ZHOU Tianjun, Professor of the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
  9. An Introduction to Ecological Study Based on the Chinese Ecosystem Research Network: LI Shenggong,Professor of the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences

  IV. Learning Outcomes

  Knowledge

  • Understand the definition of global change
  • Understand the characteristics and laws of global change
  • Master the background, research content and significance of global change science
  • Understand the process and mechanism of global change affecting ecosystem health
  • Understand how human activity affects global change
  • Show overview of the impact of global change on the global ecological environment
  • Understand how ecosystems adapt to global change
  • The main environmental problems facing humankind in the global change
  • Understand global change observation techniques and methods

  Skills:

  • Skills in presenting and explaining the relationship between global change and ecosystem health
  • Skills in applying theoretical concepts to anticipate the impact of global change on human society

  Competences:

  • Analyze and discuss the effects of global change on the health of terrestrial ecosystems
  • Analyze and discuss the impacts of human activities on the health of ecosystems and humans
  • Independent work in groups and writing report

  V. Application Requirements

  1. The applicant must be non-Chinese citizen and be willing to abide by Chinese laws and regulations.
  2. The applicant should be in good physical and mental health, without any illness, which is unsuitable for entry into China.
  3. The applicant should be an excellent foreign undergraduate student in his/her senior year or above, studying in well-known universities globally, generally under 35. Danish students from SDC Danish partner universities will receive priority.
  4. The applicant should have a relevant background in environmental science, ecology, geography, resources, biology, chemistry, and other related majors. Interdisciplinary majors are also welcome to apply.
  5. Fluent in English.
  6. Applicants with particular scientific research experience and a willingness to apply for master's or doctoral degrees at UCAS will receive priority consideration.

  VI. Application Deadlines and Procedure

  1. Application Period:

       April 1st—May 31st , 2024.

  1. Application Materials

     (1) A scanned copy of the passport's personal information page (valid for at least six months).

     (2) Electronic copy of a recent two-inch half-length bareheaded and full-face passport photo.

     (3) Certificate of bachelor's or master's degree (Current students provide study certificate).

     (4) Transcript of bachelor's or master's degree (Current students provide the latest transcript)

     (5) Proof of English proficiency (Not required for native English speakers or students from SDC Danish partner universities).

     (6) Recommendation letter from an associate professor or higher (not mandatory).

  1. Online Application

       Please log in the Online Application System (https://is.ucas.ac.cn) and follow its instructions to finish all the required application procedures. Submit your application in the system as requested within the application period.

  VII. Agenda

 

  VIII. Fees and Scholarship

  This summer school is supported by CAS-ANSO Scholarship Non-Degree Program which covers one-off return travel subsidy, tuition waiver, medical insurance, local accommodation and meals.

  IX Contact Information

  BAI Qiwei

  International Students Office,UCAS

  TEL/Mobile:+86-10-62522162

  Email: baiqiwei@ucas.ac.cn

  WANG Xin

  Sino-Danish College, UCAS

  TEL/Mobile:+86-13269196612

  Email:xinwang@ucas.ac.cn

  About UCAS:

  UCAS, formerly named Graduate School of CAS, was the first graduate school in China. In 2014, UCAS started enrolling undergraduate students, and since then an intact higher educational system has been established. Being the largest graduate education institution in China, UCAS has over 60,000 ongoing students, and more than half of them are doctoral students. With strong support from CAS institutes all over China, UCAS espouses the philosophy of “The Fusion of Scientific Research and Teaching” as its basic system of education. The disciplines represented at UCAS include all fields of science and 90% of engineering. UCAS ranked 2nd among world leading university and 1st in China in the institution research output table released recently by Nature Index. According to the Global University Ranking by Essential Science Indicator (ESI) in January 2024, UCAS ranked No. 1 in China and No. 24 worldwide. As a member of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), UCAS has established close ties with over 100 world-renowned universities. Based on CAS overseas institutions, UCAS is building overseas joint centers for education and research to promote capacity building on B&R. UCAS is responsible for the enrollment and management of the master’s and doctoral candidates of the ANSO Scholarship Program, Chinese Government Scholarship and UCAS Scholarship for International Students. Read more about UCAS: https://english.ucas.ac.cn/

  About SDC

  Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research is a scientific and educational cooperation platform established by UCAS and 8 Danish universities including the University of Copenhagen, Aarhus University, the University of Southern Denmark, Aalborg University, Roskilde University, Technical University of Denmark, Copenhagen Business School and IT University of Copenhagen. The overall objective is to promote and strengthen the collaboration between Chinese and Danish learning environments and increase mobility of students and researchers between China and Denmark.

  SDC takes advantage of research and education resources from hundreds of institutes of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) together with all eight Danish universities. SDC creates a unique teaching mode, inviting top talents from CAS and all Danish universities to teach both Chinese and Danish students in one classroom in English.

  Sino-Danish College, founded in September 2012, is a Chinese-foreign cooperative school of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences approved by China’s Ministry of Education. The College serves the function of education of the Sino-Danish Centre for Education and Research. SDC’s activities include Danish-Chinese research collaboration within five selected research areas and seven Master’s programmes with an annual intake of over 150 Master’s students and training of 50 PhD students.

  SDC offers seven Master’s degree programs in English including Water and Environment, Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Public Management and Social Development, Innovation Management, Life Science Engineering and Informatics, Nanoscience and Technology, International Food Quality and Health. The Doctor’s degree programs currently include five research areas: Environmental Sciences, Life Sciences, Nanoscience, Social Science, and Food and Health. Upon completion of the program, the students will obtain the double degree certificates issued by UCAS and their Danish partner university.

  The House of Danish Industry Foundation (SDC building) was donated by the Danish Industry Foundation, and is a visionary, architectural showpiece of Danish design with education, scientific research and accommodation as functions. The building has enabled SDC to compile teaching and research activities under one roof. Read more about SDC: https://sdc.university/