Introduction to the China Insurance History and Culture Research Center (CIHC)

I. Background of Establishment

The history of insurance, entwined with risks, is a vivid chronicle of human social development, reflecting the struggles of humanity for survival and progress in different historical periods. In the context of today's economic globalization and information revolution, new risks constantly emerge, and political and economic uncertainties significantly increase. Faced with various issues reflected in the prosperous development of the global insurance industry, it is necessary to review and study history, revisit the original intentions and origins of insurance, and seek answers to current problems.

Since its founding in 1951, the University of International Business and Economics （UIBE）has been offering distinctive teaching in marine cargo insurance. Over the course of more than seventy years of academic development, the School of Insurance and Economics (SIE) has evolved into a prominent brand for insurance education in China and internationally. The SIE has consistently regarded talent development as its most important goal. Recognizing that a deep understanding of professional history contributes to cultivating students' correct views on history, a global perspective, and a developmental outlook, the SIE integrates the education of global insurance history into students' major study. This approach helps to enhance students' comprehensive learning abilities, critical thinking skills, and sense of social responsibility, fostering cultural refinement and enriching cultural heritage, which is highly significant for achieving the goal of training high-quality, multi-talented individuals.

The SIE has always attached importance to insurance history education, incorporating it into ideological and political elements in the classroom. To deepen the effectiveness of professional education, the SIE has planned and produced the "World Insurance History Exhibition" providing students with an environment to comprehensively understand insurance history and culture anytime, anywhere. Furthermore, in collaboration with various sectors of the insurance industry, academia, and research, the school hosted two consecutive sessions of the "World Insurance History and Culture Symposium" in 2022 and 2023. In order to further enhance the comprehensive research and teaching capabilities of insurance history, the China Insurance History and Culture Research Center (CIHC).

II. Mission and Objectives

The mission of CIHC is to promote research on insurance history and culture and to facilitate the development and implementation of insurance history education.

CIHC is committed to establishing an inclusive and open academic exchange platform, encouraging intellectual collisions, and fostering interdisciplinary innovation and collaboration. Through our research, we aim to introduce global insurance history and disseminate Chinese insurance history, fostering mutual understanding and promoting world peace. CIHC will collaborate with like-minded individuals in the insurance industry, academia, and research through various forms of cooperation, inviting and attracting experts and scholars in the field of insurance history from both domestic and international arenas, working together with insurance associations, societies, insurance companies, and other market participants to jointly promote the study of world insurance history.

CIHC will actively promote and participate in international cooperation in insurance history education. Firstly, CIHC will advocate and offer courses on world insurance history in universities, educating students with backgrounds in economics, management, and other disciplines about the role and significance of the insurance industry in the historical development of the global economy. Secondly, CIHC will collaborate extensively with industry colleagues, leveraging each other's strengths and mobilizing various resources to actively conduct insurance history education for practitioners. This aims to enhance their cultural literacy, increase insurance awareness, and strengthen industry pride. Thirdly, CIHC will actively engage in public education on insurance knowledge, aiming to raise overall societal risk awareness and understanding of insurance.

CIHC will host an annual World Insurance History and Culture Symposium, providing an academic exchange platform for scholars and experts in the field of insurance history and culture.

On the SIE's website, CIHC establishes a dedicated section for the exchange of academic research results. Additionally, CIHC manages the "China Insurance History and Culture Center" WeChat public account, disseminating information on world insurance history.

III. Sponsorship Invitation

The CIHC is dedicated to systematic academic research on global insurance history, bringing together various research resources to promote the publication of world insurance history and culture. CIHC aims to introduce classic works in foreign languages on insurance history and culture to China, compile insurance history textbooks, and write popular books to public on world insurance development. We sincerely invite support and generous sponsorship from all sectors of society, especially the various forces within the insurance industry, to contribute to this profoundly meaningful project.

CIHC has established flexible donation and sponsorship forms, along with corresponding feedback plans. All parties from the insurance industry are welcome to provide research funding support. In return, we offer various forms of acknowledgment, such as naming rights for publications, acknowledgment on book covers or pages, and providing academic lectures. We also accept books and artifacts with high academic and historical value.

IV. Organization Structure and Researchers

CIHC has established an Executive Committee and an Academic Committee. The Executive Committee is responsible for the center's daily operations and external contacts. The Academic Committee is composed of scholars and experts who have undertaken various research topics at the center and have achieved significant academic accomplishments in the field of insurance. education and research. Members of the Academic Committee hold advanced titles or doctoral degrees. Currently the director is in charge of the functioning of CIHC with assistance of one secretary-general and one executive advisor.

CIHC has invited senior scholars and experts in the field of insurance history and culture as academic advisors, providing academic guidance for various research projects. The CIHC is also joined by experienced researchers in the field of insurance history and culture, as research fellows, both within and outside the university who participate in various academic activities and undertake research projects.

V Contact Information for CIHC

Mailing Address: Room 815, Boxue Building, 10 Huixin East Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100102, China.

CIHC'sWorking Email: inshistorycn@163.com

Director's Email: zenglixin@uibe.edu.cn