The world is undergoing unprecedented changes unseen in a century, with China increasingly taking center stage in global affairs. In December 2021, the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council published a revised draft of the *Catalogue of Doctoral and Master’s Degree Disciplines and Training Programs*, proposing the addition of "Area Studies" as a first-level discipline under the category of "Interdisciplinary Studies." This highlights the national emphasis on area studies and reflects strategic-level expectations for advancing research in this field.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, President Xi Jinping has prioritized building China's international communication capacity. He has emphasized the importance and necessity of strengthening and improving international communication work under new circumstances, advocating for the establishment of a strategic communication system with distinct Chinese characteristics. The goal is to enhance China's international communication influence, cultural appeal, image affinity, discourse persuasiveness, and ability to guide global public opinion, thereby securing a voice in international affairs that aligns with the nation’s comprehensive strength and global standing.

The Institute of Area and International Communication Studies (IAIC) at Shenzhen University is a relatively independent research institution within the university. Originally established in 2008 as the Advanced Research Center, it was renamed the China Overseas Interests Research Center in 2013, the China Overseas Interests Institute in 2017, and finally the IAIC in 2023. The institute serves as a member organization of the Chinese Council for the BRICS Think Tank Cooperation under the International Department of the CPC Central Committee. It is also a key humanities and social sciences research base supported by both Guangdong Province and Shenzhen City.

The IAIC hosts several specialized research centers, including:

- The China Overseas Interests Research Center

- The Institute for the Bay of Bengal Region Studies

- The Center for International Organizations and Global Governance

- The Netherlands Research Center

- The Latin America Research Center

- The East Asia Research Center

- The Africa Research Center

- The Portuguese-Speaking Countries Research Center

- The Russia and Central Asia Research Center

- The Middle East Research Center

- The Jewish-Israeli Studies Center

The IAIC leverages Shenzhen University's strengths in disciplines and talent to conduct theoretical and applied research in fields such as area studies, international communication, international political economy, international organizations and global governance, geopolitics, and security. Its interdisciplinary foundation spans area studies, international communication, foreign language and literature, international politics, world economics, international law, and history.

The institute aims to integrate research with education, cultivating globally competent and innovative talents with expertise in "foreign language and literature + area studies + international communication." It operates as a modern think tank, focusing on four core functions: discipline development, academic research, talent training, and policy advisory services.

The IAIC is the 31st research institute in China to specialize in area studies and the first to combine area studies with international communication. Situated in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, a socialist pilot demonstration zone, and an international benchmark city, the IAIC embraces its mission to contribute to national development and rejuvenation in the new era. With a forward-looking approach, the institute explores cutting-edge interdisciplinary areas in area studies and international communication, producing high-quality research and policy recommendations while training top-tier, internationally-oriented talents.

Dean：

Dai Yonghong

Executive Dean：

Xu Man

Honorary Director：

Qian ShengDan（Director, Institute for Regional Country Studies, Peking University）

Zhang Yunling（Member of the Academy of Social Sciences, Director of the Institute of International Studies, Shandong University）

Wu YuMin（Former Dean of the School of Communication, Shenzhen University, and Head of the Doctoral Program in Communication Studies）

Director：

Luo Lin（Specially Appointed Changjiang Scholar of the Ministry of Education, Director of the Secretariat of Country and Regional Studies for University Professors, Director of the Institute of Country and Regional Studies of Beijing Language and Culture University）

Council：

Yu YunQuan（Director, Institute of Contemporary China and the World, Foreign Languages Bureau, Central Propaganda Department）

Liu HongWu（Changjiang Scholar, Ministry of Education, Director of Institute for African Studies, Zhejiang Normal University）

Huang RenWei（Executive Director, Belt and Road Institute, Fudan University）

Zhong ZhiXiang（Member of the Foreign Language Discipline Review Group of the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council, Director of the Center for Country and Regional Studies of Information Engineering University）

Zhu JunKai（Dean, School of International Relations, Sun Yat-sen University）

Qiu YongHui（Chief Expert, Center for China South Asia Studies, Sichuan University, a national high-end think tank）

Zhang Zhenjiang（Dean of the School of International Relations and Director of the Institute of Overseas Chinese Studies, Jinan University）

Liu Jun（Director of Editorial Department of Modern Communication, Communication University of China, National Ten Thousand Program Talent）

Ji Deqiang（Deputy Director of the International Communication Research Institute of Communication University of China (CUC), Young Top Talent of the Ten Thousand People's Plan）

Ma Lirong（Director, Institute of Silk Road Strategy, Shanghai International Studies University; Director, Research Center of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Ministry of Education）

Chen Yiping（Vice President of the Overseas Chinese Research Institute of Jinan University, Director of the Research Center for China's Overseas Interests, and Chief Expert of the Base for Building a Firm Community of Destiny for the Chinese Nation Wei）

Chao Naipeng（Distinguished Professor and Dean of the School of Communication, Shenzhen University）

Zou Pingxue（Director, Center for Hong Kong and Macao Studies, Shenzhen University）

Chang Jiang（Distinguished Professor of Shenzhen University, Director of the Research Center for Integrated Media and International Communication）

Dai Yonghong（Distinguished Professor of Shenzhen University, Dean of the College of Foreign Languages/Director of the Center for the Study of China's Overseas Interests）

The Institute has a highly educated, high-quality, broad vision, strong, outstanding seafarer background of the faculty, including two national second-class professors, one enjoys the State Council special allowance, the Ministry of Education of the New Century Outstanding Talents 2 people, Shanghai Oriental Scholars 1 person, Guangdong Province, “Thousands of Hundred and Ten” project provincial training 1 person, the Shenzhen National Level Shenzhen national leading talent 1 person, Shenzhen local level leading talent 2 people, Shenzhen local reserve talent 1 person, Shenzhen Pengcheng Peacock Plan B talent 1 person, Shenzhen Pengcheng Peacock Plan C talent 18 people, Shenzhen University outstanding scholars 3 people.

https://iaic.szu.edu.cn/