On December 6, 2024, the 2nd Academic Advisory Committee meeting of the Youth Forum for Area Studies was held at the Institute for International and Area Studies (IIAS) at Tsinghua University. The hybrid meeting was attended by Professor Jiang Jingkui, Director of IIAS; Professor Adam Hanieh, Joint Professor of the IIAS, and the College of Social Sciences and International Studies, University of Exeter; Professor Dong Jingsheng from the Department of History at Peking University; Dr. Li Zhonghai, Researcher at the Institute of Russian, Eastern European, and Central Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Professor Zhou Qing’an, Dean of the School of Journalism and Communication at Tsinghua University and Secretary-General of the Youth Forum for Area Studies.

Professor Adam Hanieh delivered an insightful opening address on the role and contributions of young scholars from Western academia in Area Studies. His speech provided valuable perspectives for the future development of the Youth Forum for Area Studies, offering a useful international reference. Then, the Secretariat of the Youth Forum for Area Studies presented its work report for 2024. This report detailed the preparations for the 1st Biennial Conference of the Youth Forum for Area Studies, the drafting of the “Youth Forum for Area Studies—Beijing Chenxing Education Foundation-Joint Funding and Award Program,” and the annual revision of the Forum's Charter. The members of the Advisory Committee offered constructive suggestions on further improving the operational mechanisms and long-term development planning of the Forum. Additionally, the Secretariat outlined the work plan for 2025, which includes launching internal communications for the Forum, sharing IIAS lecture resources, advancing the implementation of the “Joint Funding and Award Program,” and opening the Tsinghua-Yunnan University Joint Field Research Project. The Advisory Committee members expressed positive evaluations and provided valuable recommendations for these initiatives.

In conclusion, Professor Zhou Qing’an, Secretary-General of the Youth Forum for Area Studies, summarized the meeting, extended his best wishes for the Forum's development in 2025, and sincerely thanked all members of the Advisory Committee for their participation and valuable contributions.