编者按：北京大学与牛津大学同属研究型大学联盟（International Alliance of Research Universities, IARU）成员。近年来，成人直播推荐
与牛津大学人口老龄化研究所曾多次围绕前沿方法、教学研究、师生互访以及期刊合作等展开较好的实质性合作。成人直播推荐
与牛津大学人口老龄化研究所学生国际交流项目旨在为北京大学在校学生创造更多国际学术交流机会，促进老年学多学科交叉研究水平，提高人才培养质量。落实《中共中央国务院关于加强新时代老龄工作的意见》中关于加强老龄学科专业建设与人才培养的要求，培养具有广阔国际视野、系统专业知识和扎实跨学科研究能力的高端创新人才，服务于积极应对人口老龄化和健康中国2030战略目标。
Dear Students and Colleagues,
Welcome to this special edition of our newsletter, featuring stories and experiences from PKU students during their visit to the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing. Dive into their reflections on academic life, cultural experiences, and personal growth.
亲爱的同学们和同事们，
欢迎阅读本期特别简报，内容为北大学生在访问牛津人口老龄化研究所期间的故事和经历。让我们一起看看他们对学术生活、文化体验和个人成长的反思。
A Day in the Life
[Ping Chen]
"Graduation is approaching, and every day has been quite busy. But Oxford in February has become much more beautiful and warmer. I really enjoy this simple and pure way of life."
[Niuniu Cui]
"In the early days of February, everyday life still holds pleasant surprises. Mornings and evenings are spent studying academic papers and advancing research, while discussions with professors and peers often spark new ideas. When different perspectives collide, the excitement of discovery keeps the mind engaged.
Academic challenges can be demanding, but Oxford’s rich intellectual environment provides constant inspiration. As the sun sets, I enjoy strolling through the college paths or chatting with friends at a riverside café. Attending seminars and cultural events brings fresh insights and broadens perspectives. Through the rhythm of day and night, scattered thoughts quietly take shape, fueling the pursuit of knowledge with renewed passion and resilience."
[Bin Guo]
"February is an intense and busy semester month in which I focus on completing my reading, sharing, and lecture classes for the semester. At the same time, I am working on my doctoral dissertation. In this month, I got a lot of guidance from teachers and help from students."
[Jiamin Shao]
“After the holidays, life gradually returns to a routine. Apart from going to the library and attending seminars, I also particularly enjoyed the bright weather in Oxford. Spring is coming, the temperature is getting warmer and many flowers are blooming. I will enjoy my time in Oxford.”
[Yingying Wang]
"After long dark nights and rainy days, spring finally arrived in Oxford, and the bright sunshine added a lot of joy to the journey to school."
[Yue Wei]
"The weather is gradually getting warmer, and today was a beautifully sunny day. I decided to walk from home to the institute for class, soaking up the sunlight along the way and feeling completely energized. After class, I had lunch with my classmates at Reuben College before heading back to the institute to continue studying. Before nightfall, I took a stroll to Port Meadow and was lucky enough to witness a stunning sunset."
[Hanbing Yang]
"February in the UK gradually starts to become beautiful. After a long, cold, and rainy winter, spring has finally arrived. The lovely sunshine blankets everything, and everything feels so vibrant and full of life. Besides my daily studies, I have also been hiking. Strolling through the countryside of rural England, my soul feels healed."
[Guilan Xie]
"This month, together with Chiara and Yue Wei, I reported and shared the ecological sociology articles on age and social change. This study explored the effect of population age structure on sociality through sparrows on small islands, suggesting the need to further explore the dynamic relationship between social costs and benefits in the life cycle. In the process of studying this study, I further learned the socio-emotional choice theory, which emphasizes that people actively optimize social relationships to adapt to different life stages. In addition, I also shared my previous research on genetic mutations. The integration of genes and social sciences is an interdisciplinary research direction that explores how genes influence human behavior, social interactions, and health, while considering the regulation of gene expression by the social environment. Social science research can help to understand how genes function in different social contexts, avoid one-sided interpretations of biological determinism, and promote more equitable and rational social policy making."
Academic Insights
[Ping Chen]
"There was one week when I had to give two academic presentations on my own, which was really a big challenge for me. However, after six months of training, my nervousness has decreased a lot, and I've even started to enjoy sharing my research with others. I feel that the constant seminars over the past six months have brought me progress and strength."
[Niuniu Cui]
"In February’s academic activities, I collaborated with Professor Melina Malli and another project member, Yige Yin, to present a preface paper titled “Social Ageing and Higher-Order Interactions: Social Selectiveness Can Enhance Older Individuals’ Capacity to Transmit Knowledge” at a reading group.
This study offers new insights into knowledge transmission in aging societies and has implications for fields such as conservation biology and public health. For instance, identifying older individuals with high-order centrality could optimize conservation intervention strategies for endangered species. In human communities, complex dissemination mechanisms could inform the design of knowledge inheritance programs for older adults, allowing us to test model predictions and explore universal patterns of social aging across cultures and species.
Using higher-order network analysis and dynamic modeling, this research reveals how social selectiveness enhances knowledge transmission among older individuals through multi-member interactions. It opens a new path for aging studies by moving beyond binary relationships and provides a methodological reference for interdisciplinary applications.”
[Bin Guo]
"In February, I received a lot of professional advice from experts, which was very inspiring for me to improve my thesis. Meanwhile, I also finished my semester personal sharing in this month, and my level of academic English reporting has been improved."
[Jiamin Shao]
“During my months in the UK, I'm starting to get used to some of the rules and culture here. Although I still interact with Chinese people a lot, I learnt about their history from libraries, museums and other places. Taking advantage of the good weather at the weekend, we went to the southern seaside of England together and enjoyed the beautiful scenery.”
[Yingying Wang]
"I successfully completed my second academic report in English, solved the data problem that had troubled me for a long time, and also gained new research ideas."
[Yue Wei]
"This term, the Thursday lectures are delivered by faculty members at the institute. The most impactful one for me was a talk by Su from South Korea, who presented her research on the relationship between living arrangements and chronic diseases among international migrants and local residents in Europe. Her findings revealed that although international migrants tend to have better health than local residents at the time of migration, this advantage gradually fades over time. Even living with family members or partners does not seem to provide significant health benefits, particularly for female and elderly migrants. "
[Hanbing Yang]
"Our seminar this semester mainly focused on animal demography, which I found very interesting. It was the first time I used demographic methods to understand the structure and dynamics of animal populations, especially how factors like birth rates, death rates, and migration are used to analyze population changes. Additionally, the concept that social engagement in animals can help delay aging was fascinating. These interesting ideas have enriched my understanding of animal behavior and ecology, and made me realize that changes in animal populations are not just biological issues, but are closely linked to environmental, social, and other factors. These new perspectives have sparked my interest in exploring this field further."
[Guilan Xie]
"The content of this month's seminar focuses on healthy aging, individual-based health care. Individual-based health care is a patient-centered approach that takes into account individual differences and emphasizes the development of individualized prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation programs based on each patient's unique genes, environment, lifestyle, and values. This model is in sharp contrast to the traditional medical model, and the transformation of the medical model reflects the return of the medical humanistic spirit, which is conducive to improving the treatment effect and the well-being of patients."
[Niuniu Cui]
"In February, I set off on a journey to Southampton in southern England. This port city, located by the English Channel, felt both peaceful and full of life in the early spring chill. The sunlight, carried by the sea breeze, shone on the red-brick buildings, adding warmth to this blend of history and modernity.
The highlight of my trip was visiting the University of Southampton, known for its open and inclusive academic environment and vibrant multicultural community. Students from all over the world gather here, and Chinese students are a common sight, bringing energy and youthfulness to the campus. The main campus features a mix of modern glass-walled libraries and Victorian-style buildings, where academic discussions echo through the corridors and laughter fills the cafés.
At a seminar in the School of Social Sciences, I attended a fascinating talk on aging research. The discussion covered topics such as how social interactions influence knowledge transmission and the changing roles of older adults in different cultural contexts. The exchange of ideas across disciplines sparked deep reflections, offering a clearer understanding of social development in a globalized world."
[Bin Guo]
"This month, I went to the cafeteria of some colleges to experience different styles of lunches and learned about some local food specialties. Listened to 1 lecture from other colleges and learned about new areas."
[Jiamin Shao]
“It's still nerve-wracking to give a presentation and communicate in English. So communicating in English is still a big challenge for me.”
[Yingying Wang]
"I took part in the dumpling-making activity organized by the Oxford Student Union, which allowed me to feel the festive atmosphere more deeply. I also spent the Lantern Festival alone."
[Yue Wei]
"With the beautiful weather as our cue, Kangning and I took two days during Reading Week for a hiking trip in the Lake District. Along the way, we passed by serene lakes, charming farms, babbling streams, black-faced sheep, and a variety of water birds, fully immersing ourselves in the quintessentially British countryside. During our hike, we also had a delightful encounter with a friendly elderly gentleman who kindly took the only group photo of our short trip."
[Guilan Xie]
"We attended the formal at Keble College, University of Oxford, where every detail, from dress code to dining etiquette, showed respect for tradition. This is not only a dining experience, but the immersion in history and tradition, the ritual of the meal, and the opportunity to socialize and communicate are unique and memorable cultural experiences."
Challenges and Personal Growth
[Ping Chen]
"Recently, I really wish I had a clone. There simply aren't enough hours in a day, and my health doesn't seem to be able to keep up with the demands I put on myself. So, the biggest challenge is that I need sleep. If I could stay energized without sleep, that would be perfect. Of course, the progress that comes with this is that my ability to handle pressure seems to have expanded. "
[Niuniu Cui]
"My experience in Southampton broadened my academic perspective and helped me grow through challenges. In a multicultural academic environment, I had to improve my communication skills, express my ideas clearly, and adapt to different ways of thinking. Facing deep academic discussions, I learned to be more open to new ideas and find connections between different disciplines. This experience strengthened my research skills and gave me more confidence in international academic exchanges, laying a solid foundation for future learning and collaboration."
[Bin Guo]
"I have learned some research methods, but there are still some adjustments in applying some statistical measurement models and quantitative methods."
[Jiamin Shao]
“The biggest change since I came to the United Kingdom is that I have learned lots of life skills. I feel like I’ve grown up.”
[Yue Wei]
"Unlike in China, trains in different regions of the UK are operated by different railway companies, which often leads to transfer issues. On my way to the Lake District, I missed my stop. After communicating with the train staff, they issued me a paper certificate, allowing me to reach my destination through an alternative transfer. Although it was a frustrating experience, I realized that my communication skills had improved compared to when I first arrived in the UK."
[Hanbing Yang]
"Overcoming loneliness and enjoying solitude!"
[Guilan Xie]
"I am not able to carry out in-depth discussions in English and convey my academic views completely and correctly. My lack of confidence in my English level will also affect the clarity and logic of expression. It also requires continuous learning, active practice and constant reflection, allowing yourself to make mistakes and learn and grow from them."
一天的生活
陈平：
最近临近毕业，每天都很繁忙，但是二月的牛津漂亮了许多，也温暖了许多，非常喜欢这段纯粹简单的生活。
崔牛牛：
新春二月，日常轨迹中依然蕴藏值得品味的惊喜。晨昏之际的精力多倾注于研读学术资料与推进课题研究，同老师们及同窗的思维交锋常能激发认知突破——当跨领域见解交汇激荡出思维火花时，探索未知的渴望便自然推动着思考的齿轮持续转动。
学术重担虽不时带来压迫感，但浸润在牛津的智性土壤中总能寻得精神滋养。日影西斜时，偏爱游走在院系建筑间的青石小径，或是约二三知己在河畔茶馆畅叙见闻，时而参与专题研讨与文化聚会，让异质思维的交响乐在耳畔回旋。昼夜交替间，那些沉淀于时光褶皱里的思想碎片，正悄然化作支撑学术征程的星火，将求知的热忱淬炼得愈发纯粹而坚韧。
郭彬：
二月是紧张忙碌的学期月，在这个月我主要完成本学期的阅读课、分享课、讲座课。同时进行博士毕业论文的撰写。在这个月得到了很多老师的指导和同学们的帮助。
邵嘉敏：
假期过后，生活逐渐回归规律。除了去图书馆和参加研讨会，我还特别喜欢牛津的晴朗天气。春天来了，气温越来越暖和，许多花都盛开了。我会很享受在牛津的时光。
王英英：
经历了漫长的黑夜和阴雨，牛津的春天终于来了，明媚的阳光为上下学的路上增加了许多快乐。
魏玥：
天气逐渐回暖，今天是一个阳光明媚的日子，我特地从家走路到所里上课，一路上摄取阳光，感觉浑身上下充满了能量。课后我和同学们一起去Reuben学院吃午餐，然后回到所里继续学习，天黑之前，我还去了port meadow邂逅了一场美丽的晚霞。
杨晗冰：
2月的英国逐渐开始变美，经历了漫长的、寒冷的、阴雨的冬季后，终于迎来了美丽的春天。美好的阳光笼罩，一切都如此生机盎然。除日常学习外，我也进行了一些徒步。漫步在田园的英国乡村，心灵都得到了治愈。
谢桂兰：
本月我同导师Chiara和魏玥师姐一起对年龄与社会性变化的生态社会学文章进行了汇报分享。该研究通过小岛上的麻雀来探究种群年龄结构对社会性的影响，提示需要进一步探究生命周期中社交成本和收益的动态关系。在对本研究的学习过程中，我进一步学习了社会情感选择理论，该理论强调人们会主动优化社交关系，以适应不同的人生阶段。此外，我还分享了自己既往开展的基因突变的相关研究。基因与社会科学的结合是一个跨学科的研究方向，探讨基因如何影响人的行为、社会互动和健康状况，同时考虑社会环境对基因表达的调控。社会科学的研究可以帮助理解基因如何在不同社会环境中发挥作用，避免生物决定论的片面解读，并促进更加公平合理的社会政策制定。
学术见解
陈平：
有一周我自己需要做两个学术汇报，这对我来说真的是一个很大的挑战，但是经过这半年的锻炼，我的紧张感消减了许多，甚至喜欢上了与大家交流我的研究。我觉得这是这半年不断的seminar带给我的进步和力量。
崔牛牛：
在二月的学术活动中，我与Melina Malli老师以及另一位项目成员殷艺格一起合作，在读书会上分享了一篇题为“Social ageing and higher-order interactions: social selectiveness can enhance older individuals’capacity to transmit knowledge”的前言论文。本研究不仅为理解老龄化社会的知识传递提供了新视角，也为保护生物学和公共卫生领域带来启示。例如，在濒危物种保护中，识别具有高阶中心性的老年个体可能优化信息干预策略；在人类社群中，可借鉴复杂传播机制设计老年知识传承项目，验证模型预测，并探索跨文化、跨物种的社会老龄化普适规律。本文通过高阶网络分析与动态建模，揭示了社会选择性如何通过多成员互动增强老年个体的知识传播效能，为老龄化研究开辟了“超越二元关系”的新路径，同时为跨学科应用提供了方法论参考。
郭彬：
在二月份，我的论文得到了很多专家的专业建议，对于我完善我的论文有很有启发。同时这个月还完成了我的学期个人分享，学术英语汇报水平有所提升。
邵嘉敏：
这学期的阅读课更有趣了。选择讨论的文章与生物学有关，题目是“利用自然人口了解年龄和社会”。这是一个我不太了解的领域，但一些理论和方法是常见的。从动物种群的角度来看，这对人类社会的老龄化有一定的参考意义。
王英英：
顺利地完成了第二次全英学术汇报，解决了困扰许久的数据问题，也收获了新的研究想法。
魏玥：
趁着阳光明媚，reading week我和康宁老师抽出两天时间去湖区徒步，一路上我们看到了湖泊，农场，小溪，黑脸小羊和各种水鸟，感受到了独属英国的田园风光。在途中，我们还偶遇了一位热情的老爷爷，他帮我们拍下了这次短途旅行唯一的合照。
杨晗冰：
我们这学期的seminar主要是关于动物人口学的内容，让我觉得很有意思。第一次以人口学的方法，了解动物种群的结构和动态，特别是如何通过出生率、死亡率和迁移等因素，来分析种群的变化。以及动物的社会积极参与，能起到延缓衰老的作用。这些有意思的观点丰富了我对动物行为和生态学的理解，也让我意识到动物种群的变化不仅仅是生物学问题，还与环境、社会结构等多方面因素密切相关。这些新的视角激发了我更深入探索这一领域的兴趣。
谢桂兰：
本月研讨会的内容主要聚焦于健康老龄化、基于个体的健康照护。基于个体的健康照护是一种以患者为中心，充分考虑个体差异的医疗模式，强调根据每个患者独特的基因、环境、生活方式和价值观，制定个性化的预防、诊断、治疗和康复方案。这种模式与传统的医疗模式形成鲜明对比，医学模式的转变体现了医学人文精神的回归，有利于提高治疗效果和患者福祉。
文化交流体验
崔牛牛：
二月，我踏上了英国南部的南安普敦之旅。这座毗邻英吉利海峡的港口城市，在初春的微寒中既沉静又充满生机。海风吹拂下的阳光映照着红砖建筑，让这座历史与现代交融的城市更显温暖。
此行的重点是探访南安普敦大学，这里拥有开放包容的学术氛围和浓厚的多文化交流氛围。校园内，来自世界各地的学子汇聚于此，中国留学生更是随处可见，为这座学府增添了一抹青春与活力。主校区内，现代化的玻璃幕墙图书馆与维多利亚式老楼相映成趣，学术讨论声在连廊间回荡，咖啡馆里则洋溢着轻松的笑声。在社会科学学院的交流会上，我聆听了一场关于老龄化研究的专题分享，讨论涉及社会互动如何影响知识传递、跨文化背景下老年群体的社会角色变迁等议题。多学科的碰撞激发了深刻的思考，让人对全球化视野下的社会发展有了更直观的体会。
郭彬：
这个月到一些学院的食堂体验了不同风格的午餐，了解了当地一些特色的食品。聆听了1次其他学院的讲座，了解了新领域。
邵嘉敏：
在英国的几个月里，我开始习惯这里的一些规则和文化。虽然我仍然和中国人有很多互动，但我从图书馆、博物馆和其他地方了解了英国的历史。趁着周末的好天气，我们小伙伴们一起去了英国南部的海边，欣赏了美丽的风景。
王英英：
参加了牛津学联的包饺子活动，更加深刻地感受年味，也度过了一个人的元宵节。
魏玥：
趁着阳光明媚，reading week我和康宁老师抽出两天时间去湖区徒步，一路上我们看到了湖泊，农场，小溪，黑脸小羊和各种水鸟，感受到了独属英国的田园风光。在途中，我们还偶遇了一位热情的老爷爷，他帮我们拍下了这次短途旅行唯一的合照。
谢桂兰：
我们参加了牛津大学Keble学院的formal，从着装要求到用餐礼仪，每一个细节都体现了对传统的尊重。这不仅是一次用餐体验，其所带来的历史与传统的沉浸感、用餐的仪式感、提供的社交与交流的机会都是独特而难忘的文化体验。
挑战与个人成长
陈平：
最近特别希望自己有一个分身，一天二十四小时根本不够用，身体健康似乎也不够支撑自己的消耗，所以最大的挑战就是自己需要睡觉，如果不睡觉也能精力充沛那就完美了。当然，与之俱来的进步就是我的抗压能力似乎又拓宽了。
崔牛牛：
跨文化的学术环境要求更高的沟通能力，我需要用清晰的逻辑表达观点，并适应不同的思维方式。此外，面对深入的学术讨论，我学会了更加开放地接纳新观点，并在多学科交叉中寻找研究的契合点。这段经历不仅提升了我的研究能力，也让我更加自信地在国际学术环境中交流，为未来的学习与合作奠定了坚实基础。
郭彬：
学习到了一些研究方法，但是在运用一些统计计量模型和定量方法还存在一些调整。
邵嘉敏：
我在用英语做报告和交流时仍然会很紧张。所以用英语交流对我来说仍然是一个很大的挑战。
魏玥：
与国内不同，英国不同地区的火车由不同的铁路公司运营，因此经常会遇到换乘问题。在前往湖区的途中，我错过了下车的地点，在和乘务人员沟通后，他们帮我开具了纸质证明，我又通过换乘抵达了目的地。尽管是一次糟糕的体验，但是我发现自己的表达能力和刚到达英国相比，有了提升。
谢桂兰：
社会矛盾呈现出动态性与复杂性的特点，仍需要继续学习如何从纷繁复杂的社会矛盾中提炼出具有学术价值和时代价值的理论问题。需要进一步加强理论学习，增强问题意识，将科学研究与时代发展紧密结合，在现实问题中发现普遍规律。
