The main objective of “the Asian Consortium for Excellence in Liberal Arts and Interdisciplinary Education (the ACE)” is to help students from China, Japan, Korea, and Singapore become experts and scholars of the next generation in diverse fields of studies (see Figure 1). To achieve this goal, we propose to develop a common curriculum and co-operate a joint major (or sub-major or minor) program among Yuanpei College at Peking University, Rikkyo University, the College of Liberal Studies at Seoul National University, and the University Scholars Programme at National University of Singapore.

Specifically, the participating institutions will co-develop and co-manage a “C6ubic curriculum.” The C6ubic curriculum will be designed to foster six core skills and mindsets: Critical thinking (reading classics), Collaboration (team research), Communication (language training), Consilience (interdisciplinary research), Challenge (internship and social engagement), and Cosmopolitan (cultural exchange). The four institutions will co-develop coursework and extracurricular programs for the Six Cs.

Second, we will establish a joint major (or sub-major or minor) program: “Asian Liberal and Interdisciplinary Studies (ALIS).” Each institution will select up to twelve students per year for student exchange. Students will be selected based on their GPA, language test scores, application essays (e.g. the Statement of Purpose) and/or interviews. Students can enroll in and rotate the four institutions for up to 2 years. For the ALIS program, each school will offer one CAMPUS Asia online course every semester so that students can have a global blended learning experience.

Lastly, the four institutions will also take turns to host two-week-long intensive summer and winter schools for academic/cultural exchange.

Students who successfully complete the ALIS program will receive a B.A. from their home institution with a major (or sub-major or minor) in “Asian Liberal and Interdisciplinary Studies” (the precise name may vary, depending on the institution). The participating universities will make their utmost efforts to further develop this program into a joint degree program. It is our goal to build a strong network among talented students from China, Japan, Korea, and Singapore while establishing a model for Asian liberal arts and interdisciplinary education.