Preparatory Visits

Prominent feminist scholars Professors Du Fangqin, director of the Women’s Studies Centre at Tianjin Normal University, and Wang Jinling, director of Sociology Department, Zhejiang Academy of Social Sciences, visited University of Toronto, March 1-7, 2001. During their stay, they visited undergraduate and graduate classes on women’s studies, discussed future collaborations with staff at the Office of Research and International Relations, and exchanged ideas with scholars at the Department of Sociology, Institute of Women’s Studies and Gender Studies (IWSGS), Teaching and Learning Services, and Center for Instructional Technology Development, UTSC. During their visit, Professor Du and Professor Wang raised the possibility of organizing a summer institute on feminist pedagogy and program development in women’s studies.

To further discuss the summer institute, Professor Ping-Chun Hsiung, Division of Social Sciences, UTSC and Prof. Leslie Chan, Center for Instructional Technology Development, UTSC, visited Chinese Women’s College, Beijing Normal University, Tianjin Normal University, Zhejiang Normal University, and Zhejiang Academy of Social Sciences, May 1-6, 2001. Professors Hsiung and Chan were very touched by the Principals, Deans, Directors, and other enthusiastic colleagues at the universities and research institutes, who met with them during the May 1 national labor-day holidays. Hopes to establish collaborative exchange with University of Toronto were expressed repeatedly. It also became apparent that all these institutions have invested heavily in the facilities and infrastructure of information technology. However, feminist scholars have yet to take advantages of the development.

Professors Margrit Eichler, Director of the Institute of Women’s Studies and Gender Studies (IWSGS), Ping-Chun Hsiung, and Leslie Chan further discussed possible collaborations with Professors Du Fangqin and Zheng Xinrong, when they attended the international conference, "Enhancing Educational Participation: Women and Nationality Minorities as Change Agents," Lanzhou, Northwestern Normal University, China, May 7-10, 2001. As a result of the discussions, the Canadian and Chinese scholars agreed to raise funds for the Summer Institute, to be held at University of Toronto at Scarborough from July 15-26, 2002.