US-China Partnership for Environmental Law

Faculty Exchanges

Academic residencies provide visiting scholars not only an opportunity to acquire substantive knowledge in various topics in American and international environmental law but also access to VLS's extensive environmental legal studies collection, one of the most comprehensive and well-organized in the country. They are able to engage in substantive and in-depth discussions and exchanges with VLS's environmental and energy faculty and other visiting environmental law experts. Furthermore, the opportunity to observe American law school pedagogical methods allows them to augment and improve their own law teaching skills. Finally, they are also able to network with other American environmental and energy law experts and Chinese officials visiting VLS. The opportunity to acquire such skills, experiences, and relationships will advance their environmental careers and support them in their future efforts to positively affect the underlying conditions of China's environmental governance challenges. It is also possible for visiting scholars to complete an LL.M degree during their time at VLS as two former scholars, Jiaru Hou from CUPL and Jill Wei from South China Agricultural University recently did.

 

CUPL Professor Zhou Changling, academic residency August 2009 to August 2010. Professor Zhou's scholarship focuses on the intersection of environmental law and intellectual property law.

Ningbo University Professor Cai Xianfeng, academic residency August 2009 to April 15, 2010. Professor Cai teaches environmental law and focuses his scholarship on nuclear power regulation.

SYSU Professor
Danni Liang, academic residency at VLS from February 2008 to May 2008.









SYSU Professor
Bo Jiao
SYSU Professor Bo Jiao completed an academic residency at VLS from September 2007 to February 2008. Jiao is an associate professor of law at Sun Yat-Sen University and specializes in Western philosophy of law. She received her doctor of laws in jurisprudence from Renmin University of China, a master of laws in law theory from Jilin University, and a bachelor of laws in economic law from China University of Political Science and Law.
“The diversity of courses offers an expansive and intensive study of environmental issues. The past five months at VLS were wonderful and very helpful. In particular, Professor Firestone’s environmental law course provided excellent insights into alternative teaching methods… Also, there were many excellent resources provided by the VLS library, so that allowed me to finish my research. Everyone was very friendly; I like this school very much.”

SYSU Professor
Dejin Gu
SYSU Professor Dejin Gu was at VLS for an academic residency from July 2007 to January 2008. Gu is an assistant professor of law at Sun Yat-sen University and specializes in environmental law. He received his Doctor of Laws in International Environmental Law, a Master of Laws in Environmental Law, and a Bachelor of Laws in Sociology from Wuhan University.
“The frequency of workshops was exciting. I enjoyed sharing in wonderful experiences with learned scholars, diligent officials and righteous justices. The productive semester did not only benefit the innovation and education of environmental protection and justice, but also contributed to strengthening and building upon the important partnership between VLS and SYSU, both of whose faculty are passionately devoted to supporting a green and sustainable future around the world.”

SYSU Professor
Li Zhiping
SYSU Professor Li Zhiping’s residence at VLS as a visiting scholar in 2006 was made possible by a grant from the Lingnan Foundation.