The Institute of International Relations (IIR) of China Foreign Affairs University (CFAU) is one of the earliest research and teaching institutes on international studies in China. It was the Research Section of International Relations History of People’s University. When CFAU was founded in 1955, the Research Section of International Relations History shifted to be part of CFAU. It was renamed as Institute of International Relations in 1984. Since then, we have made significant progress on discipline, faculty, research, teaching, exchange, social service etc.
Since the beginning, IIR has concentrated its research on international relations history, theory and policy analysis. IIR set up an MA program in International Relations History in 1981 and PhD program in International Relations in 1984. By now, IIR has one post-doctoral program in International Relations, two PhD programs in International Relations and International Politics, one MA program in International Relations. The MA program has several concentrations, including contemporary international relations, contemporary American diplomacy, Russian Diplomacy, Asia-Pacific studies, Middle East Studies, and International Economic Relations. The International Studies discipline became the Beijing priority major in 2002 and a national priority major in 2011. IIR also set up several research centers, including International Security Research Center, European Union Studies Center, Russian Studies Center, American Studies Center, BRICS Research Center, and National Soft Power Research Center.
IIR has a highly professional faculty. We have 17 faculty members, including 7 full professors, 5 associate professors, and 5 lecturers. IIR has had 14 professors rewarded with state special allowance since 1991. Professor Qin Yaqing, Professor Zhu Liqun, Professor Wang Fan, and Professor Zhao Huaipu received Distinguished Teaching Award of Beijing Municipal Government respectively in 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2014. IIR also won the award of “Excellent Teaching Team in Beijing”. IIR has invited former ambassadors, diplomats, and distinguished professors as adjunct professors as well.
Teaching is also our priority. We have 1 national bilingual teaching model course, 3 Beijing distinguished teaching award winners, 2 model course awarded by Beijing government, and 1 double degree MA program. Every year we recruit about 15 PhD students, 60 graduate students, and 30 foreign students.
We have built cooperation with over 20 research institutes or universities from the major countries, such as Unites States, Russia, France, Japan, Italy, Belgium, Belarus, Singapore and South Korea. Each year we invite 3-5 foreign experts to visit our institute. We also set up two platforms, Sino-US Scholars’ Strategic Dialogue and North-East Asian Community Building, to promote cooperation among scholars from the region.
IIR serves as think tank as well. We undertake research projects for Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Beijing Municipal Government, or other Government branches. There are several faculty members served at China’s embassies around the world as senior diplomats. We also provide training programs for the civil service.
We are dedicated to become a world-known research and teaching institute with outstanding academic and policy-oriented research.
Director：Bo Qu
Deputy Director: Wenjuan Nie
