On November 5, 2016, School of International Relations/Research School for Southeast Asian Studies, Xiamen University welcomed its 60th anniversary. Dozens of alumni returned to Xiamen for 60th birthday event.
At 9 a.m., the 60th anniversary celebration was held in the lecture hall of the Centre for Science and Arts. Zhu Chongshi, President of the Xiamen University, Professor Zhu Weilie, the Middle East Research Center of Shanghai International Studies University and a member of the Department of Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education, Professor Leonard Blussé, a famous Sinologist and historian of Leiden University, Holland, Professor Li Yiping and other experts and scholars from Xiamen University attended the celebration and delivered speeches. Zheng Mingzhou, the representative of the alumni, the student representative Chen Zhenyin also made wonderful speeches at the celebration, offering the best wishes to School of International Relations/Research School for Southeast Asian Studies.
Professor Zhu Chongshi, President of Xiamen University, articulated that “under the new situation, the One Belt One Road initiative means new research projects for the academic circles, especially the relations between China and Southeast Asia. It will bring a brand-new view and direction for the study of Southeast Asia and international relations.” Professor Leonard Blussé recalled his first visit to Research School for Southeast Asian Studies in 1980 and a deep friendship with many teachers here. Prof. Blussé said half-jokingly “There was only one car at the Xiamen University at that time, and the President sent people to Fuzhou to pick me up. Now there are too many cars on the campus and it's difficult to walk. Luckily, the research style of the Xiamen University has not changed over the past 30 years. ” He said that, in the past 15 years, he had co-published 17 books with several teachers of the School of International Relations of Xiamen University. “This is a very difficult task. I sincerely wish School of International Relations a prosperous future."
The celebration was followed by an international academic symposium entitled "Sixty Years of Research in Southeast Asia: Review and Prospect", which was held at the lecture hall of the Science and Art Center of Xiamen University.
Professor Li Yiping, Dean of School of International Relations/Research School for Southeast Asian Studies of Xiamen University, presided over the opening ceremony of the symposium. The symposium consisted of two parts in the morning and afternoon. Three experts made keynote speeches in the morning, i.e. Professor Zhuang Guotu, the School of International Relations/Research School for Southeast Asian Studies of Xiamen University, Professor Zhang Xizhen, Thammasat University in Thailand, and Professor Wu Jiewei of Peking University. Their speeches were around "Southeast Asia research in China", "Southeast Asia Political Research" and “Southeast Asian language and culture research and personnel training", respectively. They reviewed the research of Southeast Asia in China in the past sixty years as well as its prospect.
