Duke-UNC China Leadership Summit 2015

The Duke-UNC China Leadership Summit is an annual student-run conference organized by Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. We invite leading experts to speak on topics of importance to Sino-US relations and create a platform for students from across the globe to exchange perspectives on these issues, connect with speakers, and network with one another.

Mission
The twin objectives of the China Leadership Summit are to promote greater understanding of China, while fostering a collaborative environment in which delegates can emerge with resources and contacts as future leaders in U.S. - China relations--first as undergraduates and later as academics, government officials and businessmen.

The  Delegate  Experience
CLS brings together 100 of the most promising undergraduates from around China and the U.S. who are interested in deepening their understanding of China and creating a more productive relationship between the U.S. and China. As a delegate, you will attend panels, roundtable discussions, seminars and keynote speeches led by professionals committed to the U.S.-China relationship in various fields including academia, business, government, and social activism. You will have the chance to discuss some of the most pressing issues pertaining to Sino-U.S. relations with your peers as well as network with our speakers, corporate sponsors and each other. You will also have the opportunity to learn about and discuss academic research pertaining to our conference theme presented by graduate students in our first-ever Graduate Research Symposium.

History
The China Leadership Summit hosted students for the first time in spring of 2011. Since then, our annual conference has more than doubled in size from 40 students in 2011 to over 100 students in 2013 and 2014. In addition to Duke and UNC, we have drawn students from more than 20 schools, including Yale, Harvard, Columbia, UC Berkeley, Johns Hopkins, and Davidson. In 2013, we institutionalized our relationship with Wuhan University and will be receiving two delegates from Wuhan every year. Forbes Magazine has recently cited our conference as an example of a “collaborative program” between Duke and UNC.

Host Organizations
The Carolina China Network hosts the conference on the UNC side. Throughout the year, the Carolina China Network provides China-related academic events and resources in an effort to bring together students across all academic disciplines who share an interest in China. For more information, please contact carolinachinanetwork@gmail.com.

The Duke East Asian Nexus (DEAN) hosts the conference on the Duke side. DEAN is a student organization that seeks to enrich the Duke Community's understanding of political, economic, and cultural issues facing the region of East Asia. For more information, please contact dukenexus@gmail.com.

Together Duke East Asian Nexus and the Carolina China Network fundraise for the event and coordinate the PROGRAMMING.