“The way of great learning involves manifesting virtue, loving the people, and abiding by the highest good.”
From The Great Learning
I. Overview
Zhishan College was established by Tsinghua University in 2024 as a key initiative in the university’s efforts to reform undergraduate education.
Zhishan College embraces the benefits of multidisciplinary studies, presenting a comprehensive “Great Social Science” program. This program equips students with a variety of developmental opportunities within a globally-oriented educational setting.
The college emphasizes the intersection of arts and sciences and admits students from both fields. To cultivate leaders for the smart society, the college offers three specialized areas: financial technology, digital economy, and computational social science.
Following the academic philosophy of integrating “Chinese and Western, ancient and modern, liberal arts and sciences, and comprehensive innovation”, Zhishan College encourages students to apply modern scientific ideas and methods to analyze political, economic, and social phenomena. Zhishan College upholds an academic philosophy that integrates Chinese and Western knowledge, ancient and modern wisdom, humanities and sciences, and emphasizes comprehensive innovation. This approach encourages students to employ modern scientific concepts and methods to analyze and understand political, economic, and social phenomena.
II. Talent Cultivation
I) Unique Training Features
Zhishan College offers four undergraduate majors: Economics, Sociology, Political Science and Administration, and International Politics (including International Affairs and Global Governance). Students can choose their major based on personal interests, with no quota restrictions. Each student follows a personalized and flexible academic plan.
The college also offers eight pathways for students to pursue further studies, ensuring a seamless transition from undergraduate to graduate education. Courses span eight fields: economics, sociology, political science, international politics, finance, public management, journalism and communication, and education.
Zhishan College admits both liberal arts and science students fostering cross-disciplinary education. Collaborating with departments of Computer Science, Electronics, and Mathematics, the college has formed a faculty that excels in key fields and addresses major social and economic issues. It features specialized pathways in Digital Economy, Financial Science and Technology, and Computational Social Science, concentrating on key challenges like the balance between quantitative investment and financial regulation, the interplay of digital advancement and security management, and the dynamics of data sharing versus privacy preservation. The goal is to develop well-rounded talents who combine expertise in social sciences with digital literacy, innovative thinking and cross-border integration ability.
The college places a significant focus on internationalization. With the largest share of international students at Tsinghua University, Zhishan College has forged partnerships with nearly a hundred prestigious institutions across the globe, providing substantial opportunities for student exchange programs. To cultivate a global perspective, the college offers the Global Deep Dive (GDD) program, a two-week study tour during the summer to destinations such as China, North America, Europe, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, led by faculty.
II) Training Model
Zhishan College’s undergraduate program is designed with a specific focus for each stage of study. Freshmen receive a broad general education to build a solid theoretical foundation and develop scientific thinking. Sophomores continue with general education while selecting a major based on their interests, encouraging the integration of broad learning and specialized training. Juniors focus on deepening their major, participate in the GDD program, and engage in research and innovation. Seniors are encouraged to integrate their studies and research, promoting independent development and pushing the boundaries of their field.
III) Faculty Resources
Zhishan College draws faculty from the School of Social Sciences, the PBC School of Finance, the School of Public Policy and Management, the School of Journalism and Communication, and the Institute of Education. This rich pool of resources aims to cultivate top-notch social science talents. The college is proud to have a dedicated faculty of nearly 200 full-time members, including 97 professors and 82 associate professors. This translates to a favorable student-to-faculty ratio exceeding 2:1, ensuring personalized teaching and customized academic mentorship for each student.
Zhishan College fosters a mentorship culture known as “Congyou” (which translates to nurturing a follower or apprentice in a holistic way, akin to a lead fish guiding the younger ones in their journey). Professors serve as both mentors and friends, actively guiding students in cutting-edge research, offering advice on academic and career development, and supporting their personal growth. This educational model emphasizes interaction and collaboration, with students and faculty working closely to explore issues and share insights, creating a dynamic learning environment that supports both academic and personal development.
III. A Vibrant Life
Life at Zhishan College extends far beyond academics. The college offers a variety of academic forums, lectures, artistic performances, and as well as non-academic activities such as sports activities to promote the well-rounded development of its students.
Zhishan College is dedicated to fostering leaders in the social sciences with a global outlook and a strong sense of social responsibility. We encourage students to explore diverse academic fields, ignite innovation, and develop interdisciplinary thinking.
Our broad-based learning environment supports students in pursuing their interests and career goals. We emphasize collaboration between faculty and students and promote cross-disciplinary integration through specialized programs such as fintech, digital economy, and computational social science.
International fieldwork is central to our philosophy, offering students opportunities for global practice and enhancing their adaptability, communication, and problem-solving skills in diverse cultural settings.
At Zhishan College, we strive for excellence, empowering students to contribute to the development of a better, data-driven society.
