A delegation from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences visited campus in late September, where they received a briefing on Boston College’s digital archiving and global research activities.
Considered China’s premier academic organization and comprehensive research center in the fields of philosophy and social sciences, the academy comprises 31 research institutes and 45 research centers, and has established ties with more than 200 research organizations, academic communities, institutions of higher learning, foundations, and related government departments, covering more than 80 countries and regions.
After University Librarian Tom Wall gave an overview of Boston College Libraries, the CASS representatives sat for a presentation and a Q&A on BC Libraries’ digital repository systems by Associate University Librarian for Digital Initiatives and Services Kimberly Kowal, with Digital Repository Services Head Betsy Post, Applications Developer Adam Jazairi, Digital Production Librarian Chris Mayo, and Data and Visualization Librarian Yaqing Xu.
BC Libraries has previously hosted groups from Tsinghua University in China, Yonsei University in Korea, and the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands interested in cloud-based integrated library systems, according to Kowal.
The CASS delegation also heard from BC faculty members whose work has international dimensions: Joseph Professor in Catholic Philosophy Dermot Moran; Professor of Economics Claudia Olivetti; Professor of Sociology Juliet Schor; Associate Professor of History Priya Lal; Professor of Political Science Ali Banuazizi, director of the Islamic Civilization and Societies Program; and Lynch School of Education Research Professor Philip Altbach, founding director of the Center for International Higher Education.
Hélène Bernot Ullerö, program administrator for education and research initiatives in the Office of the Vice Provost for Research—who also spoke at the meeting—said, “With this visit of the delegation from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, we see how the remarkable work and standing of BC Libraries is recognized abroad and offers opportunities for Boston College to position itself internationally—maybe opening doors for fruitful collaborations at a high level.”
–University Communications