The Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Studies at Tsinghua University

The Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Studies (IUP), was founded in 1963 by Stanford University as a center for advanced Chinese language training in Taipei. Soon after its founding other North American universities formed a consortium to jointly administer the program (Yale University is a member of this consortium). In 1997 IUP moved its language center to Tsinghua University in Beijing, at which time UC Berkeley took over the US-based administration of the program. After twenty years at Berkeley, Stanford University has agreed to serve as IUP coordinator. 

IUP’s mission is to raise a student’s Chinese language proficiency to a level at which they can function independently in professional or academic careers. IUP is intended for students who aspire to truly advanced competence, whether they be undergraduates, graduates, professionals, or established scholars. IUP is an extremely intensive academic experience. The program has rigorous standards for enrollment, operates under a “Chinese-Only” language pledge, and requires that most students spend four to six hours a day preparing for their courses.

At IUP students are provided with highly individualized instruction. The teacher to student ratio is currently 1:2 and course assignments include at least one daily private tutorial, and several small group classes. Each student is given individual attention to language skill areas that need improvement and their progress is closely monitored over their entire course of study. Such individualized instruction has consistently shown positive results over nearly 60 year history of the program.

Recent IUP graduates who have chosen to pursue careers in China have proven that their IUP-acquired linguistic skills have enabled them to function successfully in such areas as business consulting, management, public relations, law, education and journalism.

For more information about their language programs, click here.