2024年4月5日，北京大学燕京学堂院长董强应邀出席哈佛大学和哥伦比亚大学共同举办的世界发展论坛开幕式，并发表题为《作为世界发展重要动力的国际教育》的主旨演讲。开幕式在哈佛大学的纪念教堂（Memorial Church）举行。

董强院长根据论坛主题“发展”，提出了汉语理解中“发展”与“发达”的差别，强调了世界发展需要各国持续进步并共同努力。他随即分享了“达则兼济天下”的思想，认为国家在追求自身发展的同时，也应为其他国家及全世界的繁荣发展贡献力量。

董强院长表示，十年前北京大学燕京学堂成立，是中国在国际教育方面的一个重要举措，凸显了国际教育在促进国内外学术交流和文化理解中的作用。如今燕京学堂已经走过第一个十年，吸引了来自全球80多个国家与地区、370余家大学优秀学子，成为重要的国际教育平台。

他进一步强调了国际教育在当今的重要性。随着人工智能对人类社会运作和生存状态带来的深刻影响，知识变得几乎唾手可得，教育将成为一种新的人类接触和共存的方式，尤其是重新定义“成长”的概念，赋予其全新意义。国际教育能够提供一种经验体系，一个人的知识可以在与周围环境的融入中逐渐形成。这将使他能够深入了解外国国家，并通过这一过程反思自己的国家。这种经验和知识是人工智能无法提供的，也是教育的精髓。董强院长强调，国际教育的重要前提是包容。包容并不意味着放弃原则或自我，而是对他人的基本尊重。包容是多方面的，就像世界关系是多边的一样。他坚信，无论面临何种新情况，国际教育都是推动世界发展的重要动力。

据悉，来自全球的多名政要与各行业领军人物参加了此届世界发展论坛。在开幕式上，董强院长与突尼斯前总理Youssef Chahed、世界银行发展委员会前主席Ricardo Hausmann、巴拿马前外交部长Erika Mouynes、墨西哥前能源与环境部副部长Santiago Creuheras、多米尼加共和国总统府发展政策部部长Juan Ariel Jimenez、美国国务院前副助理国务卿Fatema Z. Sumar、美国国务院前副助理国务卿Hanscom Smith、麻省理工学院斯隆管理学院前副院长黄亚生，以及奥运冠军谷爱凌等人同台演讲并亲切交流。

4月6日，在燕京学堂学生工作办公室主任杜岩松和2020级校友Casey Wang的组织下，近20位来自世界各地的燕京学堂校友们汇聚在波士顿，与董强院长进行了面对面交流座谈。校友们分享了毕业后各自在学术和职业发展方面的情况，回顾了在学堂生活和学习的点点滴滴，并祝愿学堂十周年系列庆祝活动顺利开展。

以下是董强院长主旨演讲原文。

What an impressive tribune! The last time I found myself delivering an address with an eagle present was in Napoleon's former residence… in Corsica…! And yet, the eagle was behind me!

Dear distinguished guests and friends,

I'm delighted and honored to be here at Harvard today for this forum jointly organized by Harvard and Columbia University. I'd like to appreciate specially the organizers for putting me in a position that embodies the Chinese saying "继往开来", marking the transition from a panel of "senior" experts to one featuring dynamic young leaders like Miss Eileen Gu. Given our limited time, I'd like to focus on a topic directly related to my current work: "International Education as an Essential Vector of World Development."

In fact, we have never experienced such a common and simultaneous concern for the concept of "development." Interestingly, in Chinese, when referring to "development", there is a notable nuance. In English or other languages, it is often only necessary to distinguish between "developing" and "developed" nations — grammar can solve problems smoothly by using present and past participles to represent two states. However, in Chinese, there is no such word as "已发展", which translates as "already developed," instead, we use "发达" to denote "advancement." This word contains a word "da," signifying "arrival."

That is to say, we distinguish the world into "developing" and "advanced" countries and regions. This distinction implies that developed nations have reached a destination, suggesting a completed journey. But does this mean they no longer need further development? Perhaps not always. Historically, when referring to developed nations, there was often an unconscious assumption that they serve as models to emulate rather than entities needing further development. This mindset led to the common use of phrases in China like "learning from developed countries".

I believe that for many from developed nations, perhaps unconsciously or consciously, harbor the notion that exporting their models would suffice. They believe that if other countries would just emulate and learn from them, global development would naturally follow suit, ushering in a new and transformative era.

The reality has taught us differently. Today, regardless of our developmental status, we understand the necessity of continuous progress, ideally together. However, the question arises: in what manner should this development occur? Should it be competitive, conflictual, or harmonious?

As a simple citizen and professor, I humbly admit that I do not possess definitive answers, even suggestions to this complex issue.

Nevertheless, I'd like to briefly delve into the semantics of the term "developed" or "advanced" in Chinese. The character "达" signifies "arrived" but also "通达," suggesting that a developed nation has greater potential to forge ahead and navigate the future with ease. Moreover, "达" implies personal accomplishment, echoing the Confucian concept of 达则兼济天下, which denotes that upon achieving greatness, one should share the benefits with others.

But how can a developed country assist others in development while continuing its own progress?

One effective approach is to enhance international education efforts. This involves creating an environment where young people from various countries can live together, comprehend the host country's system, and become aware of their cultural differences.

Yenching Academy of Peking University, where I serve as Dean, is set to celebrate its tenth anniversary this May. Establishing Yenching Academy marked a pivotal milestone in the Chinese education sector, with its roots tracing back to Harvard University. Specifically, its inception can be linked to a visit by the then President of Peking University to Harvard University. During this visit, the then President of Harvard University extended a warm invitation to the President of Peking University, inviting him to attend that academic session's graduation ceremony. At the ceremony, Harvard's President proudly noted that the University's outstanding students come from all corners of the world. This statement and the figure of international students studying at Harvard left a profound impact on our President, sparking deep contemplation. At that time, our student body consisted predominantly of Chinese students. It became clear to our President that a truly esteemed university must attract exceptional students from diverse backgrounds to fulfill its role in cultivating talent for the future. And thus, Yenching Academy was born. Over the past decade, through tireless and dedicated efforts, the Academy has grown to encompass nearly a thousand exceptional students from over 80 countries and representing more than 370 universities worldwide. These students excel in various fields and hold influential positions. I am confident that among the audience gathered here today, there are graduates of our program, and tomorrow, I will be meeting dozens of Yenching Academy alumni.

The importance of international education today cannot be overstated. In traditional Europe, there was once a well-known form of education called "the grand tour" or "le grand tour" in French. Originally utilized by the British, this involved exceptional young individuals traveling to European countries, including Italy and France, to enrich their worldview as part of their education. This trend continued with the development of industry and technology, as global travel became an integral component of education due to heightened interconnectivity propelled by globalization.

Chateaubriand's depiction of America, for instance, symbolized European literature's entry into modernity, while Romanticism brought about a new perspective for Europeans. Following World War II, the United States emerged as the epitome of the "New World". Since implementing its reform and opening up policy in the 1980s, China's re-emergence into global affairs has rekindled frequent interactions with Europe and America, echoing the frequent contacts of the early 20th century, especially with Europe. This renewed engagement has significantly contributed to China's rapid development, strengthening its connections with the world and providing vast markets and opportunities for common prosperity and development.

Therefore, irrespective of the current circumstances, international education remains a crucial driving force for global development. However, in the present context, the role of international education has evolved significantly.

Nowadays, the most notable change entails the profound impact of artificial intelligence. Education, especially higher education, is not immune to these changes and will be significantly impacted. I have a personal conviction, that international education will chart a new pathway for the development and transfer of knowledge and will be an important means to safeguard and revitalize education.

This is because, with knowledge almost readily available, education will further evolve as a new medium for human interaction and coexistence, particularly by redefining the concept of "growth" and infusing it with new meaning. As is well known, with the latest developments in artificial intelligence and predictions for the future of large model computers, an important vocabulary is presented to us: "generation." In Chinese, the difference between "生成" (generation) and "成长" (growth) lies in just one character. While both terms convey the idea of achievement, there is a distinction: "generation" signifies the completion of a certain process and the resultant outcome, and "growth" denotes a continuous process of development until reaching a certain stage of maturity. What is astonishing is the immense power of "generative" artificial intelligence like Sora, which operates at such incredible speeds that people often struggle to keep pace. Growth, on the other hand, is a process that inherently considers temporal constraints.

This fundamental nature of education, combined with the vast information provided by artificial intelligence that democratizes the accumulation and exploration of knowledge, underscores the need for an experiential learning system offered by international education. This system allows individuals to gradually assimilate knowledge through their interactions with their environment. It enables them to develop a reflective process, both about foreign cultures and their own, fostering an understanding that transcends artificial intelligence. Such experience and knowledge lie at the heart of true education.

An important prerequisite for international education is inclusiveness. Inclusivity does not entail compromising principles or identity but rather entails basic respect for others. Inclusion is multifaceted, just as world relations are multilateral.

Allow me to conclude with a quote from Hugo von Hofmannsthal, a renowned German poet, who said: "To grow mature is to separate more distinctly, to connect more closely."

In a world increasingly marked by disconnection and an uncertain future, we must remain confident in our individuality while fostering strong communal bonds of hope and connectivity. These are some of the essential vectors for an inclusive world of sustainable development.

Thank you!

文字：郭一兰

图片：杜岩松、Columbia Global Centers