Program Overview

---

University of Chinese Academy of Sciences

The 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 the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and focuses on postgraduate education.

Introduction to the Program

UCAS welcomes talents from all over the world and has nearly 2,000 international students from 98 countries. The university plans to host the 2024 "Global Change and Ecological Health" International Summer School in Beijing, which lasts for ten days (July 18-27, 2024).

Program Overview

The International Summer School will be organized by the Sino-Danish College, UCAS. Participating units include:

• 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
• 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.

Content

Global change has occurred and will continue to affect the ecological environment on which humans depend for survival. The program will cover:

• Background, characteristics, and rules of global change
• Human activities affecting 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

Detailed Content

The course will include:

• Introduction to global change and ecological health
• Cryosphere change and global change
• Ecosystem health and sustainable development
• Ecosystem microbiome science
• The uplift of the Tibetan Plateau, the coupled evolution of Asian Monsoon-inland drought, and their impacts on global climate change
• Grassland changes, drivers, and ecological consequences over 40 years on the Qinghai Tibetan Plateau
• Microbes and climate change
• A study of the water cycle in a basin using the integrated observation method
• Our future world at global warming levels of the Paris Agreement
• An introduction to ecological study based on the Chinese Ecosystem Research Network

Academic Reports

The program will feature academic reports from renowned experts, including:

1. QIN Dahe, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Professor of the College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
2. FU Bojie, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Professor of the Research Center for Ecological Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences
3. ZHU Yongguan, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Professor of the Research Center for Eco-Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences
4. FANG Xiaomin, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Professor of the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences
5. WANG Yanfen, Professor, College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
6. WU Qinglong, Professor of the Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
7. SONG Xianfang, Professor of the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences
8. ZHOU Tianjun, Professor of the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
9. LI Shenggong, Professor of the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, participants will:

• 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 an overview of the impact of global change on the global ecological environment
• Understand how ecosystems adapt to global change
• Understand the main environmental problems facing humankind in the context of global change
• Understand global change observation techniques and methods

Skills and Competences

Participants will acquire skills in:

• Presenting and explaining the relationship between global change and ecosystem health
• Applying theoretical concepts to anticipate the impact of global change on human society
• Analyzing and discussing the effects of global change on the health of terrestrial ecosystems
• Analyzing and discussing the impacts of human activities on the health of ecosystems and humans
• Independent work in groups and writing reports

Application Requirements

To be eligible for the program, applicants must:

1. Be non-Chinese citizens and willing to abide by Chinese laws and regulations
2. Be in good physical and mental health
3. Be excellent foreign undergraduate students in their senior year or above, studying in well-known universities globally, generally under 35
4. Have a relevant background in environmental science, ecology, geography, resources, biology, chemistry, and other related majors
5. Be fluent in English
6. Have particular scientific research experience and a willingness to apply for master's or doctoral degrees at UCAS (priority consideration)

Application Deadlines and Procedure

• Application period: April 1st - May 31st, 2024
• Application materials:
  • Scanned copy of the passport's personal information page
  • Electronic copy of a recent passport photo
  • Certificate of bachelor's or master's degree
  • Transcript of bachelor's or master's degree
  • Proof of English proficiency (not required for native English speakers or students from SDC Danish partner universities)
  • Recommendation letter from an associate professor or higher (not mandatory)

Fees and Scholarship

The summer school is supported by the CAS-ANSO Scholarship Non-Degree Program, which covers:

• One-off return travel subsidy
• Tuition waiver
• Medical insurance
• Local accommodation and meals

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.

About SDC

The Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research is a scientific and educational cooperation platform established by UCAS and 8 Danish universities. The overall objective is to promote and strengthen collaboration between Chinese and Danish learning environments and increase mobility of students and researchers between China and Denmark. SDC offers seven Master's degree programs in English and Doctor's degree programs in five research areas. Upon completion of the program, students will obtain double degree certificates issued by UCAS and their Danish partner university.