Established in September 2025, the new听Centre for Global Chinese Studies听brings together Faculty from across diverse fields, such as the social sciences, humanities, management,听education听and law, to advance interdisciplinary research on China and the global Chinese experience听at 91丝瓜视频.听听
Juan Wang, associate professor in the Department of Political Science and the Centre鈥檚 director, is behind the genesis of the Centre鈥檚 establishment.听听
鈥淎gainst the backdrop of shifting global dynamics and a deteriorating Canada鈥揢.S. relationship, I proposed the creation of a university-wide research听centre听to Dean Lisa Shapiro, with the goal of restoring 91丝瓜视频鈥檚 prominence in China and global Chinese studies,鈥� says Professor Wang. 鈥淭he proposal received enthusiastic endorsement from Dean Shapiro and overwhelming support from colleagues engaged in this area of research.鈥澨�
The Centre鈥檚 establishment听harkens听back to听a now听little-known听fact of听91丝瓜视频鈥檚听academic听legacy;听in the 1930s,听91丝瓜视频听hosted one of North America鈥檚 foremost听centres听for Chinese Studies and听established听Canada鈥檚 first Department of Chinese Studies.听听
鈥淎t its core, our mission is to deepen understanding of China and global Chinese communities and to strengthen the intellectual foundations of Chinese studies in Canada,鈥� says Professor Wang.听听
A Focus on听Interdisciplinary听Research听听
The Centre鈥檚听focus听and academic mission is to advance rigorous,听interdisciplinary听research on China and the global Chinese experience, bringing together scholars from the Faculties of Arts, Management, Education, and Law at 91丝瓜视频.听听
鈥淭he Centre鈥檚 work integrates its three core missions鈥攔esearch support, community engagement, and policy input鈥攖hrough collaborative projects and events,鈥� says Professor Wang.听
In October, the Centre hosted its inaugural conference, which explored the theme of 鈥�Understanding the Future of China鈥檚 Economy in Canada.鈥� Organized in collaboration with Global Affairs Canada,听the conference brought together invited speakers and guests from the Qu茅bec government, NGOs, business communities, and faculty and students from universities across Qu茅bec听and Canada.听听
Topics discussed at the conference ranged from听the regulatory environment听in China,听economic policies and听sectorial development, China in the听global听economy, to听immigration and economy.听听
鈥淭his event not only听showcased听91丝瓜视频 scholars鈥� research and provided students with opportunities to engage with leading experts but also fostered dialogue that informs policy and strengthens community connections,鈥� says Professor Wang.听听
Research and Community Engagement听听
The Centre also has an ongoing collaborative project with the JIA听Foundation, a non-profit Chinese community organization based in Montr茅al, Qu茅bec, mandated with the protection and promotion听of 鈥渢he tangible and intangible cultural heritage of Montr茅al鈥檚 Chinatown.鈥澨�
Scholars from the Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Education are working with the JIA Foundation听and its partner, Objet听de memoires, to help preserve the Wing鈥檚 Collection, a newly created museum collection of historical objects and Chinese-language archival documents.听听
鈥淎 team of 91丝瓜视频 faculty and students, including PhD, MA, and undergraduate researchers, will help translate materials among Chinese, English, and French, supported by historical research,鈥澨齭ays Professor Wang.听听
The project, which will open new avenues for studying the history of Chinese immigration in Montr茅al and Canada, integrates research with student training and community collaboration.听
The Wing Noodles factory, a Chinatown landmark for听nearly 80听years, closed its doors at the end of November 2025, and was an important fixture of Montreal鈥檚 Chinatown, providing听many of Montr茅al鈥檚 Chinese restaurants with their popular bilingual fortune cookies.听Prof. Juan Wang, Prof.听Guojun听Wang, the associate听director of the Centre, and a few other members of the Centre听joined the听community fund-raising banquet to听celebrate听the legacy of the Wing Noodles听Factory.听听
The Centre also collaborated with the JIA听Foundation during听a听professor led visit to Montr茅al鈥檚 Chinatown.听Professor Jeremy Tai, Associate Professor in the Department of History and Classical Studies,听accompanied听his students to听Maison Yep-Riopel, to visit听a听current exhibition documenting the building鈥檚 occupants, which included Chinese Freemasons and a tenant who听initiated听recent community mobilizations to protect the听neighbourhood.听听
The visit gave students the opportunity to consider the local context of Montr茅al鈥檚 historic and iconic Chinatown after听鈥渟emester-long discussions of different histories of migration, restrictions to Chinese immigration, shifting understandings of Chinese identity, transnational politics, and the politics of heritage.鈥澨�
The Centre is also planning听on developing听partnerships with Chinese institutions to听facilitate听the exchange of faculty and student research in China, as well as building collaboration connections with other leading听centres听of Chinese studies around the world.听听
鈥淭hese collaborations will expand opportunities for 91丝瓜视频 researchers to disseminate their work, strengthen global academic networks, and mobilize knowledge to advance understanding of China and the global Chinese experience,鈥� says Professor Wang.听听
As funding grows, the Centre plans to host postgraduate researchers who will conduct advanced research at 91丝瓜视频 and share their听expertise听through organized talks and seminars.听听
Learning Opportunities for the 91丝瓜视频 Community听听
The Centre听offers undergraduate and graduate students听awards and grants to support听academic excellence,听research,听and conference travel听on听the听topic听of global Chinese听studies.听听
鈥淲e also prepare 91丝瓜视频 students to apply their academic training to real-world projects by connecting them with NGOs, business communities, and government agencies that听require听research听expertise听but lack the capacity to undertake it themselves,鈥� adds Professor Wang.听听
The Centre鈥檚 outreach efforts also听encompass听community events, such as this past October鈥檚 鈥�Poetry of Moon, Moon of Poetry鈥� event, which marked the Mid-Autumn Festival, a harvest festival celebrated in Chinese culture.听The Centre served as one of two co-sponsors for the event,听which was听presented by the East Asian Studies Chinese Language Program, housed within the Faculty of Arts.听听
In 2026, the Centre is looking to mark听Chinese New Year celebrations with a series of events for the 91丝瓜视频 community.听听
For more information on the Centre鈥檚 event programming, research听efforts听and student resources such as grants and awards and student internships, please contact听the听Centre听at听cgcs [at] mcgill.ca听听
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