Johan 'Hans' van de Ven is an authority on the history of 19th and 20th century China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

. He holds several positions at the University of Cambridge

University of Cambridge

The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...

, where he is Professor of Modern Chinese History, Chairman of the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Management Committee member of the East Asia Institute, and Director in Oriental Studies at St Catharine's College

St Catharine's College, Cambridge

St. Catharine’s College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1473, the college is often referred to informally by the nickname "Catz".-History:...

. He studied sinology

Sinology

Sinology in general use is the study of China and things related to China, but, especially in the American academic context, refers more strictly to the study of classical language and literature, and the philological approach...

 at Leiden University

Leiden University

Leiden University , located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The royal Dutch House of Orange-Nassau and Leiden University still have a close...

, and modern Chinese history at Harvard

Harvard University

Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...

, where he received a PhD

Doctor of Philosophy

Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...

. He is also the History Link-Up Governor at Melbourn Village College

Melbourn Village College

Melbourn Village College is an Academy, located in Melbourn, Cambridgeshire, England that serves an extensive area of South Cambridgeshire. The school has over 500 students aged 11-16.-Village College:...

 in Cambridgeshire

Cambridgeshire

Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...

.

Dr van de Ven is a guest professor at the History Department of Nanjing University

Nanjing University

Nanjing University , or Nanking University, is one of the oldest and most prestigious institutions of higher learning in China...

, and was an International Fellow at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center

Hopkins-Nanjing Center

The Hopkins-Nanjing Center , an international campus of the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, is a joint educational venture between Johns Hopkins University and Nanjing University that opened in Nanjing, China in 1986...

, China, in 2005–06. As of 2008, he is working on a book about the Chinese Maritime Customs Service

Chinese Maritime Customs Service

The Chinese Maritime Customs Service was a Chinese governmental tax collection agency and information service from its founding in 1854 until its bifurcation in 1949 into services operating in the Republic of China on Taiwan, and in the People's Republic of China...

.

In early 2008, van de Ven adopted a position with ACE Cultural Tours

ACE Cultural Tours

ACE Cultural Tours is an operator of educational and cultural travel tours. Specialising in small group tours with expert leaders such as Humphrey Burton, Andrew Wilson, Colin Bailey, Michael Nicholson & Julian Richards, the organisation provides tours in the UK, Europe and across the globe...

 (Association for Cultural Exchange), to serve as guest lecturer for the firm's Chinese Civilization tours.

Van de Ven is married and has three sons - Johan, Derek and Willem. He is the son-in-law of the late Malcolm Kerr, political scientist and President of the American University of Beirut

American University of Beirut

The American University of Beirut is a private, independent university in Beirut, Lebanon. It was founded as the Syrian Protestant College by American missionaries in 1866...

. His wife, Susan, authored a book about her family's quest for truth and justice, following Kerr's assassination in January 1984. Van de Ven is also the brother-in-law of former Arizona Wildcats

Arizona Wildcats men's basketball

The Arizona Wildcats basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of NCAA Division I. They are currently coached by Sean Miller.Arizona has a long and rich...

 and Chicago Bulls

Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...

 legend Steve Kerr

Steve Kerr

Stephen Douglas "Steve" Kerr is a retired American professional basketball player. He shot .454 from three point range over his career and currently holds the record as the most accurate three-point shooter in NBA history...

.

External links

• Biography at the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Cambridge
  University of Cambridge
  The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
  
  , by Hans van de Ven