May Newsletter: A successful GBJ thesis defense; Tsinghua celebrates global dialogue and culture
- Rick Dunham
- Jun 1
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 3
GLOBAL BUSINESS JOURNALISM NEWSLETTER
May 2025
Summer energy is building at Tsinghua, and May has been a month of milestones, global dialogue, and powerful storytelling for the Global Business Journalism community. From thesis defenses and cultural celebrations to high-level diplomatic visits and student achievements, GBJ students and faculty have embraced every opportunity to learn, connect, and inspire. This month has showcased the heart of what GBJ stands for: international exchange, academic excellence, and human stories that matter.
Here’s a look back at the highlights!
GBJ thesis defense: Hard work pays off
Nine international GBJ students who entered the program in 2023 and 2022 have successfully defended their master’s portfolios and thesis projects. Their topics ranged from digital journalism to global economics, showing just how diverse and ambitious this year’s group is.
Five of the nine international students completed professional portfolios of journalism stories, while the other four undertook academic research. The soon-to-be graduates represent eight different countries on three continents.
GBJ Class of 2023 – Left to right: Syed Hannan Gillani, Irene Angelia Tumbel, Christina Yang, Corazon Scheppy, Tran Dieu Thao Nguyen, Valaiporn Chalermlapvoraboon, Tudor Finneran, Emily Dong, Shirley Chen Xiuyi .
Program co-director Rick Dunham praised both students and faculty, writing: “Thank you to the students who worked so hard to pass their master’s defense. But thanks also to the professors who taught, advised, mentored, corrected, encouraged and hopefully inspired this talented and dedicated group.”
He added that thesis season is his favorite time of year, calling it a reminder of why he loves Tsinghua and the GBJ program.
GBJ's graduation celebration is slated for June 20.
China–Pakistan stories that connect
Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Khalil ur Rahman Hashmi, joined Tsinghua faculty and students on May 16 to celebrate a joint doctoral program with Quaid-e-Azam University. Three Chinese students shared powerful fieldwork stories from Pakistan, highlighting cultural exchange and real-world research. From radio hosting to interviews in remote mountain areas, their experiences challenged stereotypes and deepened people-to-people understanding. Professor Li Xiguang, one of China's leading academic and journalistic experts on Pakistan, called the students' efforts, a "narrative infrastructure."
The event also featured a symbolic book presentation and previewed an oral history project on the Karakoram Highway. Ambassador Hashmi praised the initiative as a model of truth-based storytelling in a complex global era.
Tsinghua's global village shines
Tsinghua hosted the 13th International Cultural Festival on May 24, transforming Zijing Sports Field into a vibrant global village. Students from across departments and nationalities — including several Global Business Journalism participants — came together to celebrate culture through traditional food, music, dance, and crafts.
Booths representing countries from every continent offered a chance to taste local flavors, learn customs, and experience the richness of Tsinghua’s international community. Students, faculty and their families strolled from booth to booth getting special "passports" stamped by each country. It was a day of color, connection, and pride, reminding everyone just how global this university truly is.
Former French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier visits Tsinghua journalism school for a diplomatic dialogue
Michel Barnier, the former French Minister of Foreign Affairs and chief Brexit negotiator, spoke at Tsinghua University on May 13 at a special event organized by the School of Journalism and Communication.
GBJ students had the rare opportunity to engage with one of Europe’s most seasoned diplomats. Among them was French GBJ student Alexandre Guery, who asked Mr. Barnier about the future of France–China relations in today’s tense global climate. The visit marked an important moment of openness and international engagement on campus.
“It was truly meaningful to see such a respected French official visit our school,” Guery said. “This kind of exchange reminds us why dialogue matters.”
GBJ's Zuzanna Białas takes the stage in debate
GBJ student Zuzanna Białas took part in her first-ever debate competition this month, representing Tsinghua University alongside teammates from Beijing Foreign Studies University and the University of International Business and Economics.
“I’m beyond grateful for this experience, not just for the debate, but for the chance to meet and work with amazing students I wouldn’t have met otherwise,” she said.
She thanked her GBJ public speaking professor, Kai Kuang, for giving her the confidence and tools to speak up. She also praised Joshua Best for organizing the event.
News meets entertainment — and Professor Caroline Ward explains what comes next
Global Business Journalism students joined a lecture by Caroline Ward, a professor at Hanyang University in Seoul and a former journalist, as part of the TSJC Global Classroom series.
Her May 13 lecture, “News, Entertainment and Infotainment,” looked at how news today often mixes information with entertainment, from old-fashioned sensational headlines (once known as "yellow journalism") to modern clickbait.
With her background in journalism and teaching, she helped GBJ students think about how this trend affects the way we understand and trust the news, as well as the way our news organizations report it.
We will be posting a link to an in-depth report by Alina Lvova soon.
Here are some other stories we've published on our website since our last newsletter, in case you've missed them:
A resource guide to free economic data sources
Turning economic data into user-friendly business news stories
Economic prospects are sparse for American graduates in tough Chinese job market
Despite dwindling numbers, educational exchanges help Chinese and American students break through the negative stereotypes of the other country
A short history of tariffs — and why Trump's actions mark a radical break from global trade history
UN's Tom Fletcher tells Tsinghua students that we're living in "era of distrust" where "progress isn't automatic"
How can journalists promote social justice without sacrificing professional integrity?
Thanks for reading the May GBJ newsletter. We'll be back with more news and updates from students, alumni and faculty next month. If you want to be the first to read each GBJ newsletter, subscribe here and receive an email notification when a new newsletter is published.
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