Notre Dame’s relationship with Asia perhaps first came from its students. To date, more than 16,000 Asian students have attended the University, and in 2017, more than 55 percent of international students were from Asia. But undergraduates aren’t the only ones on campus – upwards of 200 other student and leadership delegations visit Notre Dame each year for tailored, non-degree seeking programs. These continued collaborations bring China to Notre Dame and further enhance and internationalize campus.
Though Notre Dame Beijing is but a few years old, Notre Dame’s interest in China dates back many decades. Once China’s doors were open in the late 70s, Father Hesburgh made it a priority to visit and begin creating a network of partners and prospective students. Thanks to Dr. Gu Yijian ’50M.S., then Secretary-General of China’s Academy of Sciences, Father Hesburgh was given a number of contacts in academia, government, religion, and science which served as the building blocks for the relationships Notre Dame now boasts.
In the 1980s, shortly after Father Hesburgh’s visit, China was added to the list of places undergraduates could study abroad. Now, eight different Chinese programs spanning Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong all welcome undergraduates, as do other Asian locales such as Japan, Singapore, and South Korea.
Since the establishment of Notre Dame Beijing in 2012, the number of partnerships and research collaborations in China has grown. Located in Genesis Beijing, a community development project focused on serving the common good, Notre Dame Beijing is ideally located in the Chaoyang District. This location provides proximity to the Central Business District, foreign embassies, and several esteemed universities, and ensures faculty and students have access to leaders in business, government, and academia.
As one of the world's ancient capitals and today's megacities, Beijing is one of the world's leading centers for politics, business, and higher education. Beijing has more than 90 universities, seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and it is home to the largest number of Fortune Global 500 companies in the world.
For those looking to explore Beijing, a city where the ancient and modern meet, please contact us.
Notre Dame Beijing is part of the University of Notre Dame’s global network. Notre Dame Global oversees locations centered in Beijing, Dublin, Hong Kong, Jerusalem, Kylemore, London, Mexico, Mumbai, Nairobi, Rome, Santiago, and São Paulo. These global locations create unique opportunities for Notre Dame to engage the world and the world to engage Notre Dame through scholarly collaboration, undergraduate and graduate study, as well as cooperative programs with governments, foundations, corporations, alumni, parents, and friends of the University.