The German Studies Center (ZDS) at Peking University focuses on issues specific to Germany. Since 2005, it has been funded by the DAAD with support from the Federal Foreign Office. It forms part of the global network of centres for German and European studies.
In Berlin, the ZDS is supported by an advisory board that coordinates academic matters and develops perspectives for research and teaching. Prof. Dr Martin Heger (HU) and Prof. Dr Almut Hille (FU) chair the advisory board, which comprises around five other academics from various disciplines at both universities.
Further information about the German Studies Center and all current events can be found on the ZDS’s Berlin page.
Opportunities and insights
The ZDS offers a wide range of opportunities to students, early-career researchers and teaching staff at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.
- Gaining international experience in Berlin: Every year, Master’s students and PhD candidates from Beijing are given the opportunity to spend a year or a research period in Berlin. Students and researchers at Humboldt University also benefit from these programmes. These stays offer them the chance to engage in intercultural exchange and gain insights into international research practices, whilst at the same time attracting talented early-career researchers to Berlin as a centre of academic excellence.
- Research stays at Peking University: Researchers, early-career researchers and prospective German language teachers can carry out research and teaching projects in China through the ZDS. Further information on the Young Scientist Fellowship.
- Academic exchange: Regular colloquia, workshops and networking events organised by the ZDS promote cooperation between German and Chinese research institutions.
The 7th DAAD East Asia Centres Conference took place at Peking University in 2025. The conference was held under the overarching theme of ‘East Asia and Europe in the Age of Post-Globalisation’ and brought together academics from China, Japan, South Korea and Germany.
The conference focused on current global upheavals and their impact on relations between East Asia and Europe. Topics discussed included:
- the challenges and opportunities of deglobalisation and post-globalisation
- the consequences of geopolitical shifts and ongoing wars for the international order
- the role of democracy and populism in a changing political landscape
- the question of the future of shared values and international cooperation
- and the significance of the humanities and social sciences in an increasingly technocratic world.
The conference made it clear that both Europe and East Asia are particularly affected by current deglobalisation trends. Participants discussed how relations between East Asian countries, as well as between East Asia and Europe, can be reshaped under these conditions – and whether deglobalisation might also provide new impetus for regional integration.
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