GLOBAL BUSINESS JOURNALISM NEWSLETTER
June 2023
1. ONE BIG THING: A RECORD-SETTING THESIS REVIEW
They did it! 19 students will graduate with master’s degrees from the Global Business Journalism program on June 21 after successful defending their master’s projects.
By the numbers
The grads include nine Chinese students and 10 international students from nine different countries. They are joined by Johora Nawreen of Bangladesh, who passed her thesis defense last fall.
Six international students wrote journalism portfolios, the largest number in GBJ’s 16-year history.
Three international journalists on the Tsinghua faculty served on the thesis review panel, the first time a majority of the defense committee consisted of journalists.
The best of the best
Bisma Ahmad of Pakistan won the best portfolio prize for her series of stories on the changing role of Silicon Valley in global technology startups and the emerging tech community in Pakistan. >> Read her portfolio.
Amy Magee of the United States was awarded the best thesis prize for her research on differing beauty standards in China and the United States and the psychological pressures faced by women to conform to idealized images of female beauty.
Qinghui (Gillian) Tang of Singapore was honored for her thesis on factors that influenced opinions of Traditional Chinese Medicine posted on Weibo.
2. COVID DISRUPTIONS ARE OVER. FINALLY.
The 2023 thesis defense was the first conducted in person on the Tsinghua campus since the coronavirus outbreak disrupted classes on the Tsinghua campus in February 2020.
This June’s GBJ commencement will be the first on campus in four years.
GBJ grads who were unable to attend commencements on the Tsinghua campus from 2020 to 2022 are invited to join this year’s event. Farah Mubarak of Jordan, who graduated remotely in 2022, will be the featured alumni speaker at the 2023 ceremony.
3. GLOBAL RECOGNITION FOR PROFESSOR KUANG KAI
GBJ professor Kuang Kai was honored for her scholarship by a leading organization in global journalism and communication studies.
Professor Kuang won the Top Paper Award and the John Garrison Memorial Award at an International Communication Association conference in Canada for her academic paper on health communication involving mental illness issues.
The Purdue University Ph.D. also was picked as chair-elect of the ICA’s International Communication Division.
4. GBJ JOURNALISM SPOTLIGHT: WHY ARE MORE CHINESE UNIVERSITY GRADUATES PURSUING ADVANCED DEGREES?
Each month, we highlight journalism work created by Global Business Journalism students.
Six students in Professor Rick Dunham’s In-Depth News Writing course wrote a compelling six-part package on challenges facing Chinese university graduates. With jobless rates for young Chinese adults at record highs and the technology industry in tumult, more students are remaining in college to pursue graduate degrees, in China and abroad. >> Read more
5. WHY GBJ? TSINGHUA STUDENTS SPEAK OUT
“From data analysis to multimedia reporting, gain practical skills that set you apart. Join our Global Business Journalism program and shape the future of economic reporting.”
Raphael Perri, computer science and artificial intelligence student from France
“The GBJ program provides us with many opportunities to communicate with teachers and students from different countries. It's like a window to the world.”
Zhao Mingjun, international journalism student from China
“At GBJ, you can be yourself, express your opinions and learn from different perspectives at the same time. It has the perfect balance between dynamic global stories and Chinese traditional values.”
Nguyen Ha Linh, Global Business Journalism student from Vietnam
6. DID YOU KNOW?
GBJ student Charmaine Magbuhos of the Philippines produces a popular vlog – Char in China – that has more than 2,150 followers on YouTube. >> Follow her
2022 GBJ graduate Natalie Meyer organized a visit by Australian business leaders to London, New York and Washington, D.C. The group heard from top journalism, business and diplomatic figures. >> Connect with her
GBJ co-director Rick Dunham has visited the Great Wall 37 times over the past 10 years, from the North Korean border in the northeast to the western terminus in Gansu province.
Professor Chen Changfeng, former executive dean of the Tsinghua School of Journalism and Communication, has more than 4 million followers on Weibo.
Share your GBJ stories with us. We'll include as many as possible in future newsletters. Contact us at GBJprogram@gmail.com or tsjcws@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn.