The First Chinese Universities PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economy) Forum was held on November 7, 2020 in Renmin University of China (RUC). Teachers and student representatives from more than 10 universities attended the forum, including Wuhan University, Renmin University of China, Peking University, Tsinghua University, Beijing Normal University, Nankai University, Shandong University, and Inner Mongolia University. Prof. Anita Avramides and Mr. Nick Bunnin from Oxford University, Prof. Olive Davies from King’s College London attended the forum online. This was the first major event attended by teachers and students of PPE from Wuhan University to communicate with other universities.

The conference hall

This year’s forum was on the theme of “New Era-New Liberal Arts-New Integration: Reform and Innovation of PPE Education in a New Context”. PPE is relatively new in the Chinese educational system. Composed of three disciplines, PPE enables students to learn as much as they want, while posing great challenges when it comes to students’ access to expertise in a certain discipline and considerable pressure due to internal demand. Here at Wuhan University, the Hongyi Honor College established its PPE program in 2019, with 72 students across two grades having registered on the program up to now.

At the conference, Shi Jing, Dean of WHU’s Hongyi Honor College, introduced the trans-disciplinary background of the College, where PPE of WHU was born and bred, and put emphasis on the novel and immature character of this discipline, hoping for guidance and insights from other universities. While there were difficulties like the arrangement of teachers and the organization of lessons, improvement and achievement are evident in the spirit of cohesion, comprehensive competence and academic potential of the first class of students in the PPE program. Shi Jing expressed his desire for cooperation among universities and the sustainability of this forum.

Dean Shi Jing delivering a speech

Following various scholars’ speeches and heated discussions, the conference moved on to the speeches of student representatives. Zhang Yanwei, on behalf of Wuhan University, shared his observations and experience from his learning process, and conveyed his emotions towards this program as well as his views on how to improve it. Confusion and uncertainty have already become normal, and the attitude for a student in the PPE program is not to escape from it, but instead to find his or her purpose. Taking himself as an example, he talked of his plans to purchase further education and get a diploma in politics. His words gave inspiration to the students present.

Zhang Yanwei sharing his experiences and thoughts

The forum ended with the concluding remarks of Zang Fengyu, Dean of the School of Philosophy of Renmin University of China. Participants from Wuhan University actively engaged in the conference and looked forward to collaboration in the disciplinary construction of PPE.

Forum participants

Photo by Zheng Zicheng

Edited by Qin Zehao, Zhang Yilin, Sylvia and Hu Sijia