Amid profound shifts in the global landscape and accelerating changes unseen in a century, Global South countries have become an indispensable force in global governance and international cooperation. To actively respond to China's strategic need to deepen its engagement in global governance, Tianjin University took the lead in establishing the Institute for Global South Studies on September 29, 2024, with the goal of building an interdisciplinary, innovative and comprehensive academic platform and a high-level think tank.

  I. Mission and Goals

Guided by its development principle of “Global Vision, Global South Wisdom, and TJU Responsibility,” the Institute is committed to serving national strategies and advancing the university’s “Double First-Class” initiative. It aspires to become a national high-level think tank that is “world-class, distinctively Chinese, and imbued with TJU character.” We integrate academic research, policy advisory, talent cultivation, academic exchanges, and public consultation services. Our aim is to contribute to robust, academic and intellectual support for fostering a more equitable and inclusive new international order and facilitating the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

II. Research Fields and Interdisciplinary Features

The Institute for Global South Studies deeply integrates Tianjin University’s interdisciplinary strengths across the humanities, sciences, engineering, and medicine, spanning such fields as language, culture, politics, economics, science and technology, and education. It leverages multilingual expertise in English, Japanese, French, Russian, German, Arabic, and Spanish, and builds on cross-disciplinary resources in areas including foreign languages and literature, journalism and communication, law, Marxist philosophy, computer science, management science, education, Chinese language and literature, economics, history, and emergency medicine. The Institute concentrates its research on key regions and topics such as Francophone Studies, Shanghai Cooperation Organization Studies, East Asian Studies, and U.S.-India Studies.

The Institute houses the “Multilingual Public Opinion Big Data and Intelligent Translation Center”, which conducts real-time monitoring of political, economic, and social developments, as well as emerging hotspots in key countries and regions of the Global South. By leveraging AI and big data technologies, it builds a cross-lingual public opinion analysis and intelligent translation service system, aiming to become a nationally leading strategic think tank and technological engine for Global South-related public opinion insight and language services.

III. Organizational Structure and Team

The Institute is headed by Professor Ming Dong, Vice President of Tianjin University, who serves as its dean Organizationally affiliated the School of Foreign Languages, it brings together top scholars and experts from within and outside the university to form a highly efficient and outcome-oriented management and research team.

IV. The Global South Academic Research Consortium

On April 26, 2025, Tianjin University held the Inaugural Conference of the Global South Academic Research Consortium and the International Forum on Sustainable Development and Talent Cultivation in the Global South. Over 100 experts and scholars from more than 60 universities and research institutions across the world gathered at Peiyangyuan Campus, contributing their wisdom and strength to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. At the conference, a Joint Initiative for the Global South Academic Research Consortium was released. Led by Tianjin University, the Consortium was co-founded in collaboration with 46 universities and research institutions at home and abroad. As a pivotal academic platform in Global South studies, the Consortium will focus  on resource integration and scientific research innovation, deepen international talent cultivation and academic exchanges, promote the development of research paradigms for Global South studies, to facilitate dialogue among civilizations and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

V. National Social Science Fund Major Project

On December 12, 2024, the National Office for Philosophy and Social Sciences announced the List of Approved Major Projects of the National Social Science Fund in 2024. Among them, the project "Fundamental Theories and Methodology of Regional and Country Studies," led by Professor Wang Zhan, Executive Dean of the Institute for Global South Studies at Tianjin University, was granted Major Project Funding. This approval marks a significant breakthrough for the Institute and provides solid theoretical support for the development of Regional and Country Studies as well as Global South research in China.

VI. Social Impact and Future Prospects

Since its establishment, the Institute has swiftly garnered public attention. Leading media outlets such as Xinhua News Agency, Tianjin Daily, and Beijing Daily, provided in-depth coverage of its inauguration ceremony and the symposium on “Global South Cooperation and Development in a Changing World,” recognizing the Institute’s groundbreaking role.

Looking ahead, the Institute for Global South Studies of Tianjin University (TJU) will give full play to its academic influence and policy guidance role. It is committed to becoming a vital link for common development between China and countries of the Global South, and contributing “TJU strength” to deepening South-South cooperation and promoting global  shared prosperity.

Contact Us

Address: Tianjin University, No. 135 Yaguan Road, Haihe Education Park, Jinnan District, Tianjin, China

Telephone: 022-27403691 (General Office)

E-mail: qqnf@tju.edu.cn