From September 10 to 20, 2026, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Koguan School of Law successfully hosted the KU Leuven Chinese Law Summer Program. More than 100 faculty members and students from KU Leuven’s Faculty of Law and Criminology traveled to China for the ten-day program, gaining first-hand exposure to China’s legal institutions, legal practice, economic development, and cultural traditions.

As one of Koguan School of Law’s signature international programs, the summer program reflects the School’s longstanding commitment to international legal education, foreign-related rule of law, and cross-cultural legal dialogue. Moving beyond a classroom-only approach, the program integrated academic lectures, visits to legal institutions, professional and industry engagement, and cultural visits. Participants were encouraged to connect legal doctrine with institutional practice, economic life, and social context, while engaging in sustained dialogue between Chinese and European legal communities.

Academic Perspectives: Exploring the Foundations of Chinese Law

The academic component brought together leading legal scholars in Shanghai and offered participants a structured introduction to key areas of Chinese law.

Professor Hou Liyang of Koguan School of Law addressed major issues in digital regulation against the backdrop of evolving global governance, encouraging students to consider emerging legal challenges from an international perspective. Associate Professor Li Bei delivered a lecture on Chinese family law entirely in French, drawing on comparative law to introduce the structure and underlying principles of China’s family law system.

The program also featured lectures by Professor Lin Yan of East China Normal University, Professor Zhang Lihong of East China University of Political Science and Law, and Professor Xiong Hao of Fudan University. Together, the courses provided complementary perspectives on Chinese law and helped participants build a broader understanding of China’s legal system through comparative and interdisciplinary discussion.

Learning on Site: Experiencing China’s Legal System in Practice

A key feature of the program was its emphasis on taking legal education beyond the classroom and into institutions where law is made, applied, and practiced.

At the Standing Committee of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Congress, Huang Hong, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, gave a presentation on the local operation of the people’s congress system, the exercise of legislative and supervisory functions, and the role of law in the governance of a megacity. The visit offered participants a closer look at how whole-process people’s democracy operates through local institutional and legislative practice.

At the Xuhui District People’s Court and Changning District People’s Court, participants learned about procedures in civil, commercial, and foreign-related cases and observed the day-to-day operation of the judicial system. At the Shanghai International Arbitration Center (SHIAC), they were introduced to China’s international commercial dispute resolution mechanisms and the development of professional and internationally oriented arbitration practice.

A visit to the Memorial of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China provided additional historical context for understanding the development of China’s legal system. Through the exhibition, participants explored the historical trajectory of modern China and the broader political and social context in which the country’s legal institutions have evolved.

The group also visited SUNHOLD Law Firm at Shanghai Tower for a seminar on foreign-related legal practice. Senior lawyers discussed cross-border investment compliance, differences between commercial legal systems, dispute resolution, and legal risk management in international trade. Drawing on practical cases, the session connected academic learning with the realities of cross-border legal work. KU Leuven students actively joined the discussion from the perspective of their civil-law background, gaining a more direct understanding of China’s foreign-related legal services sector.

Industry Engagement: Understanding Law in an Open and Innovative Economy

The program also connected legal study with business and industry. Participants visited H World Group, Melexis, Pony.ai, Volvo, AGIBOT, and China Literature, among other representative companies, gaining exposure to sectors including modern services, intelligent technologies, foreign-invested business, and digital culture.

Discussions with company representatives focused on cross-border compliance, legal risk management, differences between legal and regulatory frameworks, and the opportunities and challenges facing businesses operating across jurisdictions. Through real-world examples of Chinese and multinational companies participating in global markets, students were able to observe how law supports trade, investment, innovation, and international business cooperation.

Cultural Visits: Understanding the Broader Context of Chinese Law

Legal systems are shaped by the societies and cultures in which they operate. Alongside academic study and professional visits, the program therefore included a range of cultural activities designed to give participants a broader understanding of China.

Students visited Shanghai Museum East, took part in a traditional hanfu experience, and explored the Longhua area. They also practiced tai chi, attended a Chinese acrobatics performance, visited West Lake in Hangzhou, and experienced tea culture in Meijiawu. These activities offered participants opportunities to engage with Chinese history, aesthetics, traditions, and everyday life beyond the formal study of law.

By combining legal education with cultural immersion, the program encouraged students to understand Chinese law not only through institutions and legal rules, but also within the historical, social, and cultural environment in which those institutions operate.

Over the course of ten days, the program developed into more than a structured introduction to Chinese law. It also became a platform for cross-border dialogue, mutual understanding, and sustained engagement between Chinese and European legal communities. Through lectures, institutional visits, professional exchange, industry engagement, and cultural experience, participants gained a multidimensional view of China’s legal development and its relationship with broader social and economic change.

Koguan School of Law remains committed to supporting China’s international engagement, advancing dialogue among legal communities, and strengthening education and research in foreign-related rule of law. The successful conclusion of the 2026 KU Leuven Chinese Law Summer Program further enriched the School’s international legal education initiatives and provided another practical example of how academic exchange can serve as a bridge for deeper understanding across legal systems and cultures.

In the future, Koguan School of Law will continue to draw on its strengths in foreign-related legal education and research, deepen international academic cooperation, and develop diverse and sustained channels for legal exchange. Through these efforts, the School aims to create more opportunities for scholars and students from different jurisdictions to learn from one another and to contribute to a more open, connected, and mutually understanding global legal community.