On June 30, 2024, the Tsinghua-Johns Hopkins SAIS Dual Master’s Program (TSDM) Alumni Gathering was held in Tsinghua University’s Third Teaching Building. Alumni and students from the all ten cohorts of the TSDM program gathered to reminisce about their shared experiences and exchange insights on both academic and career pursuits.
Professor Tang Xiaoyang, Director of the Department of International Relations at Tsinghua University, attended the event, warmly welcoming the attendees. Seeing so many familiar faces, he was deeply moved and recalled the history of the establishment and development of the TSDM program. Since its inception, the program’s internationalization and training model have continued to mature. To date, it has cultivated dozens of outstanding students spread across the globe. The program’s graduates are contributing to various sectors such as international organizations, government, energy, finance, and academia, thus bringing youthful energy to global development.
Professor Tang Xiaoyang
Fu Jikai provided details on the academic requirements and shared key considerations for course selection at Tsinghua, offering practical advice to help fellow students better adapt to their upcoming university life. Zeng Kailai shared his experiences studying at Johns Hopkins SAIS, highlighting Washington D.C.’s diversity and rich cultural heritage. The city also hosts many international organizations, multilateral development banks, and private companies, offering ample opportunities for students specializing in international relations. SAIS provides a broad range of courses catering to diverse research interests.
Alumni Lu Zhiyuan, Xia Yiyi, Zhao Anqing, and Xing Yao shared their recruiting experiences in the technology, banking, energy, and public service sectors. They outlined various recruitment pathways, detailed the skills and experience needed in these industries, and encouraged current students to explore their own career paths based on their interests and strengths. Chen Ruoxiao, an alumni currently pursuing a Ph.D. degree, shared insights from his academic journey at Peking University. Gong Yuqing further shared tips and techniques for writing a successful master’s thesis.
The event concluded with an open networking session, where attendees took group photos to capture and commemorate these precious moments. Summer is a time of both farewells and reunions, and all attendees were looking forward to gathering again next summer at Tsinghua.
TSDM Faculty, Alumni, and Students
The Tsinghua – Johns Hopkins SAIS Dual Degree Program is the first global governance dual-degree program between Chinese and American universities. It follows an internationalized model in terms of recruitment, training, and management. Students from China and abroad form a close-knit community, combining academic study with policy training. The program aims to cultivate international governance professionals capable of policy analysis, design, and implementation on a global scale. In addition to academics, the program emphasizes offering a customized learning experience for every student, with the goal of fostering personal and intellectual growth while instilling integrity and confidence in the cohort.