IMUSE

Initiating Mutual Understanding through Student Exchange

Official Site: English & Chinese
Organizer: IMUSE, an NPO run by Harvard, Tsinghua, & Peking University students
Wikipedia: Here. Facebook: Here.

Official Program Objective: "Initiating Mutual Understanding through Student Exchange (IMUSE) aims to foster mutual curiosity, respect, and understanding between people in China and the United States by providing top college and graduate students from these regions an intimate forum for discussion and deep personal reflection about the key issues affecting China and their own regions today."

Program Eligibility: "All students in an American postsecondary school (including two- and four-year colleges, graduate schools, and vocational, technical, and trade schools) are eligible to apply; overseas American citizens in non-American postsecondary institutions are also eligible. Students need not be American citizens to apply."

Number of Participants: It varies depending on the activity, but the main summer program appears to involve 30 participants.

Program Duration: Several activities exist, but the main one appears to be a two week program in Beijing in August. Mainland Chinese students also participate in activities in the United States.

Cost: "Students will stay the two weeks in a hotel and have all necessary living expenses paid for, including accommodations, food, ground transportation, and $500 toward transportation to and from Beijing."

Admission Difficulty: Presumably difficult. The website references a competition for 15 positions that had 600 applicants.

Repeat Participants? Unknown.

The Low-Down: From the official website, "During the fellowship, Chinese and American delegates will participate alongside one another in a variety of activities designed to be both academically and personally enriching. Delegates will participate in panel discussion events with a student audience, where they will discuss the pertinent issues facing Chinese-American relations today. They will interact with and learn from distinguished guest speakers, which in past IMUSE events have included distinguished academics and celebrities from both America and China. As IMUSE is strongly committed to improving the quality of life for individuals in both countries, the fellowship will include a short period of public service within an underprivileged community. Other activities and workshops will cover a variety of topics from politics to pop culture to food. All events will be carried out in English, and no knowledge of Chinese is necessary."

Related Links:
Link : 2009 Oikono Photoalbum