Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Cooperation and Exchange between BNU and Dartmouth College

In 1982, Beijing Normal University (BNU) and Dartmouth College reached an agreement to establish the China FSP (Foreign Study Program) at the School of International Chinese Language Education of BNU, which was one of the earliest Sino-American intercollegiate exchange programs since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States in the 1970s. In the fall of 2005, the two institutions initiated the Beijing BNU LSA+ (Language Study Abroad) program. In 2018, Dartmouth consolidated its two China BNU programs, and now offers only the Beijing LSA+ program in the fall term. The fact that such a famous cooperative program has lasted 40 years is rare in both China and the United States, and deserves our warm celebration.

Both Beijing FSP and LSA+ programs are totally immersive and intensive Chinese language and culture programs. Their academic curriculum consists of 24 class-hours per week, from Monday through Friday. Classes are taught by BNU teachers from the School of International Chinese Language Education. There are daily quizzes and weekly tests and each student has two one-on-one individual tutorial sessions per week. This curriculum conducted in a target language environment helps Dartmouth students improve their Chinese proficiency effectively and quickly. Additionally, through their life on BNU campus, weekly cultural activities, and especially the field trip of over 15 days outside Beijing (such as Tibet), Dartmouth students can experience different cultures and customs in China first-hand.

Over the past 40 years, nearly a thousand Dartmouth students have participated in these two programs to study Chinese language and culture in China. And BNU has sent more than 20 faculty members to teach at Dartmouth College.

At this moment, as we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the cooperation, we are especially grateful to Dartmouth Professor Hua-Yuan L. Mowry, who has contributed so much to the development of the programs from its very first days. We also want to thank the teachers of BNU who have worked hard at Dartmouth. They are (Sorted by the first name):

Fangmin Wu,    Fenru Shi,    Fu Chen,   Hesheng Zhang,   Jiankun Wang, Jianming Feng,   Jidong Wei,   Kai Li,     Kuijing Wang,    Mengchun Gui,       Picheng Wang,   Ping Shang,   Quan Bai,   Qinghui Yang,    Shengyu Li,    Shining Zou,    Shouzhen Li,   Xuesong Wang,  Yanchun Li,   Yanxin Bu,   Yuhua Ren,     Yuhui Lyu,     Zhiping Zhu.

至臻至诚四十载

北京师范大学 国际中文教育学院 陈绂

写下这个题目，不禁百感交集，四十年，在历史的长河中，并不算什么，但就我们与国外大学友好合作开展汉语教学而言，确是一段值得骄傲的时间！

四十年前，中外合作开展汉语教学还很稀少，两校领导以他们智慧的眼光，看到了美国学生学习汉语的重要意义，签订了合作开展汉语教学的协议。这在当时，的确是风毛麟角的新事物。从此以后，两所大学相互信任，愉快合作，在汉语作为外语进行教学的事业中取得了辉煌的成绩。在北师大的校园里，总能看到达大学生们可爱的身影，而在地球的另一端，在达慕思大学的校园里，也总有中国教师在忙碌。两校间的友谊就是在这样的“互换交流”中日渐加深，且日臻完善。当中外合作办学的模式风靡全球的时候，北师大与美国达慕思大学的合作已经相当成熟了。

在这四十年的合作中，有着许许多多感人的事迹和场景，更有着许许多多感人的老师和学生。

感谢李华元老师、白素贞老师和众多的达大的老师们，是她（他）们不辞辛苦，率领着达大的学生来中国留学。特别是李华元老师，年年岁岁、岁岁年年，四十年中，她几乎年年带学生来，从青春洋溢一直跑到两鬓斑白，饱尝辛苦却乐此不疲。每年学院都要派老师去达大任教，这些老师背井离乡，只身在外，认真而愉快地教授着异国的子弟。李老师、白老师等达大老师将这些老师视同家人，热心地关心着、照顾着，无微不至。让我们在异国他乡也能感受到家一般的温暖。所有这些，都是两校能够顺利合作至今的重要保障！

在两校合作四十周年的喜庆日子里，作为一个在曾经在达大任教过的老教师，我感到由衷的高兴，也表示衷心的祝愿，祝两校的合作蒸蒸日上，祝我们的友谊万古长青！

携手向着共同目标继续前进

美国达慕思大学李华元

   2022是北京师范大学与美国达慕思大学（Dartmouth College）自1982建立校际交流以来的第四十个年头。无论是对建校已有两百五十三年的达大（始创于1769）还是对有一百二十年历史的北师大（始创于1902）来说，四十年都不是一个短暂的时期。回顾两校在这一段路程中，风风雨雨，尤其是最近三年，Covid 病毒横扫全球，跨国校际交流顿受阻扰；但双方一直坚持互信、互助与互谅的原则，期望在病毒攻势逐渐变弱，环球经济逐渐复苏的今日，很快就能恢复两校所有的交流项目。

   两校之所以能维持四十年不断的交流，主要因素有三：

   1. 学生：自1982年夏季达大在北师大开设第一期中文学习班以来，达大对中国语言文化有兴趣的学生就成了这个交流项目最忠实的追随者、拥护者。四十年来后浪推前浪，毕业于达大与北师大合办的北京学习班学生近千人，而选修过北师大在达大校本部任教教师中文课的学生更是不计其数。这些学生中不少已成为美国教育、文化、政治或经济界举足轻重的领导者。

   2. 教师：四十年来，两校教师为推动交流项目而默默付出的心血真是无法衡量。他/她们无论是在北师大或达大，都体现出了师大校训提倡的“学为人师，行为世范”的精神。

   3. 目标：两校每三年或五年一签的合约并没有强调校际交流各项目的最终目标。但有心的项目参与者（尤其是两校的教师），大多都是怀抱着 “百年树人” 的理想，兢兢业业地从事他/她们的工作。

《论语·为政篇》有这么一段话：“吾十有五而志于学，三十而立，四十而不惑……” 这是至圣先师对有志向学的学生以自己为例而说的。我们庆祝北京师范大学与美国达慕思大学四十周年校际交流，是否也可以用 “四十而不惑” 这句话来自勉呢？希望两校都不为外界阻力而迷惑失落，努力克服困难，继续向着共同的目标前进。