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The “Personal Strengths for Global Futures” program at Duke Kunshan University is designed for high school students eager to enhance their communication skills, explore future career paths, and understand key global issues shaping our world today.
Through interactive workshops, team projects, and engaging discussions, participants will strengthen their abilities in public speaking, critical thinking, and self-expression. The program also introduces practical applications of AI tools, helping students better navigate the challenges and opportunities of the digital era. Guided by DKU faculty, students will gain valuable insights into university-level learning while discovering their unique strengths to become confident, forward-thinking global citizens.
He teaches academic writing courses focused on intercultural communication and argumentation across disciplines. He also teaches oral communication electives in debate and public speaking. He received his M.A. from Pennsylvania State University in Teaching English as a Second Language in 2015, where he focused on Second Language Writing and Theories of Second Language Acquisition. He served as an English Language Fellow sponsored by the U.S. Department of State from 2015-2018. In that capacity, he traveled through China providing training in teaching methodologies. His primary interests are in debating, public speaking, and teacher development. His personal interests include independent language learning.
Joseph Davies is Assistant Director for Graduate English for Academic Purposes and Senior Lecturer of English language at Duke Kunshan University’s Language and Culture Center. His current research interests are in higher education assessment, focusing on feedback, specifically second language student feedback literacy, teacher feedback literacy, and feedback culture within Sino-foreign higher education contexts. His research has been published in leading academic journals such as Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education. Joseph has a First Class B.Sc. (honors) in forensic science, an M.A. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages with Applied Linguistics (distinction), and a Post Graduate Diploma in TESOL (DELTA). He is also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) and has extensive experience designing, managing and teaching academic and professional English-language courses throughout China. Joseph has lectured at NYU Shanghai and previously served as The University of Central Lancashire’s business development lead, establishing, managing, and enhancing transnational academic partnerships throughout China.
Email: DKU-GSI@dukekunshan.edu.cn
