An Israel studies program will open at a Chinese university for the first time.

The program, offering undergraduate and graduate courses, extracurricular activities and options for study in Israel, will launch at the Sichuan International Studies University in Chongqing for the 2012 spring semester. It is being started in cooperation with the Israel-based Sino-Israel Global Network and Academic Leadership.

Two of the university’s lecturers will study this fall at Bar-Ilan University to prepare them to teach Israeli history, culture and politics to Chinese students. Their studies are funded by a grant from the Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation.

The university has invited lecturers from Israel, the United States and Australia to give introductory seminars, lectures and workshops on Israeli history, culture and literature.

Also, the American Jewish Committee’s Asia Pacific Institute pledged to donate more than 100 new and used books on Israel and the Middle East to the university’s new Israel studies library. — jta