A Study Tour at Sciences Po - The Essence of 5000 Years of Art

"The world is so big. I want to see". It is not only office workers' joking to "poetry and dreams", but also the rights of students, and study tours give it a more proper name and mission. On August 25, 2019, a study tour composed of 11 teachers and students of SSDPP set out from Beijing Capital Airport to France, starting a 14-day study tour at Sciences Po.

Sciences Po is a world-famous university in the field of humanities and social Sciences, known as the "cradle of world citizens". In the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2019, the political and international relations of Sciences Po surpassed London School of Economics and Political Science and Cambridge University for four consecutive years, leaping and maintaining the third place in the world, second only to Harvard University and Oxford University. According to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2018, Sciences Po ranked 50th in the world.

Setting out for France

Sciences Po

During the 14-day classroom learning, cultural edification and life experience in Sciences Po, the students have gained a lot. In terms of learning, the teachers of Sciences Po introduced France's political, economic, historical and cultural traditions, France's revolutionary process, the causes and processes of the EU economic crisis, etc, and the students actively communicated and interacted with the teachers, creating a relaxed and strong atmosphere for learning.

Starting from the comparison of the national conditions of China and France, the teacher further described the formation and change of the concept of "nation" in France. We learned about French culture and history from his vivid explanation. Classroom interactions, group discussions and teachers' comments also provided the students with a new perspective for a deeper understanding of international events in recent years.

The professor also talked about the history of the French Republic. He quoted some classics, making us have a deeper understanding of the French perspective on themselves and their unique human feelings. Through learning, the students can treat all kinds of cultures and views with an inclusive attitude, and had a stronger awareness of identity in the process of communication. Here, we can not only put forward our own unique opinions on different cultures, actively communicate and discuss with the participants, but also explore the connection between disciplines.

In the context of internationalization, it is more and more important to have the ability to accept and understand different cultures and solve social problems in an interdisciplinary way. Beijing Normal University and Sciences Po provide such a diversified international platform, which benefits all the students.

In addition to classroom learning, the second class of cultural visit was arranged, in which we are more interested. The two ways of learning complement each other. Our study tour in Sciences Po lasted for only 14 days, but it seemed we had spent a long time there due to the impact and satisfaction brought by new things.

Sightseeing

New world - Immerse ourselves in nature

The city of Paris is full of stories. Over the past five thousand years, the definition of art is totally different. Through the cultural visit every afternoon, the students can have a deeper understanding of Paris and France.

Eiffel Tower

It's impossible to imagine what Paris would look like without the Eiffel Tower, but the 320-meter landmark was only a temporary building built by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 World Expo. Booking tickets in advance through the Internet can help people avoid the pain of queuing. You can take elevators to three floors of the tower, or walk up the steps to the second floor.

If there is another landmark besides the Eiffel tower that can be the symbol of Paris, it must be the Triumphal Arch. The magnificent building was completed in 1836 to commemorate Napoleon's brilliant victory in 1805 at Austerlitz. The beautiful arch stands in the center of Étoile like a soilder. From the top of the observation platform (50 meters high), you can overlook 12 streets extending all around. It's absolutely worthwhile to climb 284 steps.

The Louvre

A successful visit to the best Museum in Paris is an art in itself. The exhibition halls and staircases distributed in three exhibition halls at four floors are comparable to mazes. Without careful preparations, you will surely go the wrong way. The Louvre building itself is very grand, and the treasures there are no inferior. In order to see Mona Lisa, the teachers and students lined up for nearly two hours.

Basilique du Sacré-Coeur

Built in 1875, Basilique du Sacré-Coeur symbolized the spirit of the people's resistance during the Franco Prussian War and the Paris Commune period. In 1919, the church was inaugurated, in sharp contrast to the bohemian way of life around it. Seen from the portico of the church's main entrance, the view of Paris is breathtaking.

Hôtel des Invalides

Built in the 1970s, Hôtel des Invalides was originally used to accommodate disabled veterans. On both sides of the building is the lawn of the 500-meter long Esplanade des Invalides, and the museum inside it is the exhibition place of French military history. Here we learned more about and showed great interest in Napoleon's stories.

A study tour has two meanings: travel and study. Besides sightseeing and taking pictures, we should have a real collision with the world in an immersive environment. The significance of a study tour does not lie in how many landscapes we have seen along the way and whether we've reached the destination, but in the change of our mood and experience during the study tour.