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Department of Public Policy Leadership
University of Mississippi

Study Abroad in China

Students gathered on steps while studying abroad in China

Every other year Dr. Mark Chen, Chair and Professor of Public Policy Leadership, takes students to China, where they live and study in Beijing for a few weeks and take short visits to other locations. They learn about many different aspects of Chinese culture from lectures, site visits, and experiences, such as Confucianism, language, religion, traditional festivals, performing arts, tea culture, etc. They also receive faculty lectures about various major policy areas such as economic development or healthcare.

“I better understand just how much we have to learn through different cultures. It’s easy to stereotype others, but at the end of the day we’re all simply human. The communication and thinking skills we practice are so evident here abroad with the students I’m with—from the way we get around town to the way we interact with the diverse groups of people we meet.” —Yates Pepper

“Studying abroad was one of the best experiences of my life. Exploring Beijing, Xi’an, and Chengdu was an opportunity to gain a new perspective on the values and struggles of individuals from totally different experiences than my own while allowing me to form incredible relationships with my classmates and professors. Eating very delicious yet sometimes concerning food, visiting ancient wonders of the world, and partying with locals are just a few of the stories I could tell after spending five weeks in beautiful and exotic China.” —Ben Payne