The American Mandarin Society organizes a unique annual professional development program designed to give China-focused American professionals a more detailed and nuanced understanding of the Chinese policy environment and an opportunity to learn from Chinese policy educators not typically accessible through the Fellows’ normal courses of work.
The program, conducted entirely in Chinese, is built around a one-week trip to Shanghai to learn from experts and professors from Party-affiliated schools who train rising Chinese leaders. AMS Fellows engage with these experts in order to develop a more in-depth understanding of China’s policy processes, goals, challenges, and perspectives, while also honing their Chinese-language skills.
After postponing our program due to COVID, we are now reopening applications for our 2023 program, which will run from November 12-18. Applications are open and will be considered on a rolling basis until all spots are filled.
Program Structure
The program takes place over the course of six days (eight days including travel time from the U.S.):
- The program runs from November 12 through 18 at the Shanghai Academy of Governance (Shanghai Party School). The program is a combination of lectures and site visits, all in Chinese, focusing on domestic governance issues, Party structure and organization, ideology and the meaning of Marxism in China today, technology and urban management, and selected topics according to the school’s current focus.
The Fellows Program is funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York and through proceeds of our self-developed online Chinese class. We are also seeking corporate support. It is logistically supported in China by the Shanghai Association for International Friendly Contact, who sponsors the foreign NGO activity permit, but all costs are borne by AMS. All costs are covered, including economy airfare, tuition, meals, and housing, except for visas. A visa invitation letter will be provided.
Eligibility
- Fellows should be registered members of AMS (registration at www.mandarinsociety.org) generally between the ages of 30 and 45 (age exceptions may be considered under certain circumstances).
- Fellows should have advanced professional proficiency in Chinese. There will be a phone assessment of applicants’ ability to converse in Chinese.
- Fellows should be professionally engaged with Chinese policy issues.
- Fellows should obtain employer approval before applying.
- After the program, each fellow may be asked either to provide a briefing or write a brief (2-3 pages) memo highlighting what he/she learned from the program about one or more aspects of Chinese policy. (Fellows may request that their names and affiliations be withheld from the memo.)
Application Process
- Applications are now open. Applicants should submit a cover letter and CV to amsfellows@mandarinsociety.us . The cover letter should clearly explain your interest in this program how you see it fitting into your professional development. Please also include the name and contact information for one relevant professional reference. Selected applicants will be contacted for a phone interview before final selection is made. Up to 10 participants will be chosen.
A full list of our prior fellows is as follows (affiliations shown from time of participation):
- Jude Blanchette, 21st Century China Program, School of International Relations and Pacific Studies, University of California, San Diego [former]
- Martin Chorzempa, Peterson Institute for International Economics
- Robert Daly, Kissinger Institute on China and the United States, The Wilson Center
- John F. Fei, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation [former]
- Jimmy Goodrich, Information Technology Industry Council [former]
- Andrew Green, Securities and Exchange Commission [former] (attended on personal basis)
- Leslie Griffin, UPS [former]
- Jesse Heatley, Albright Stonebridge Group [former]
- Marika Heller, Albright Stonebridge Group
- Patricia Kim, Center for Strategic and International Studies [former]
- Aynne Kokas, University of Virginia
- Susan Lawrence, Legislative Branch, U.S. Government
- LtCol Brendan S. Mulvaney, United States Naval Academy [former]
- Nathan Beauchamp-Mustafaga, The Jamestown Foundation [former]
- Ann-Marie Padgett, Caterpillar Inc.
- Jen Pearce, Asia Pacific Regional Analyst
- Erik Quam, U.S. State Department
- Lauren Reed, Qualcomm [former]
- Aly Rose, New York University
- Samm Sacks, Eurasia Group [former]
- Piper L. Stover, United Technologies [former]
- Travis Tanner, GreenPoint Group
- Nicole White, CENTRA Technology [former]