Our History
In 1964, the Research Institute of African Economic Geography was established to help strengthen China’s relationship with African countries. From 1964 to 1993, with its main research fields focusing on Africa’s economic geography, the institute published a series of papers, books and reports. These were the earliest academic studies of Africa in our country, and they helped Chinese to gain a better understanding of the African Continent.
The time from the late 1970s to the 1990s witnessed a thriving period of African studies at Nanjing University, with many academic achievements, especially in African geographic studies. In 1979, the African Study Society was established with its headquarters set at Nanjing University. The members of the society reached over 500 at that time. In 1993, the Center of African Economic Geography was renamed the Center of African Studies of Nanjing University (CASNJU). Its research fields have expanded since then, covering geographic studies, Sino-African economic relationships, studies of Africa’s traditional culture, history and geopolitics.
In recent years, the center has become a base for multidisciplinary studies with faculty not only from Nanjing University, but also from other institutions and enterprises at home. It has been nominated one of the Higher Learning Institutions International Studies Research Centers of Jiangsu Province and has been active in promoting international cooperation and academic exchange.
Contact
Prof. Zhang Zhenke
Email: zhangzk@nju.edu.cn
