The Guardian Group also owns China Guardian Auctions, one of the country's top auctioneers, and Guardian Art Center in Beijing, which regularly hosts exhibitions.

The first course will open in May on the overseas collections of ancient Chinese ceramics and bronze wares. Lecturers, including experts from Europe and the United States, will share their latest studies on major British collections of Chinese porcelain and US assemblages of Chinese bronze wares dating to the Shang (c. 16th century-11th century BC) and Zhou (c. 11th century-256 BC) dynasties.

Wang Tao, curator of Chinese art at the Art Institute of Chicago, says he hopes potential students for the new program can first visit his museum to view the exhibition, Mirroring China's Past: Emperors and Their Bronzes.

The display of archaic Chinese bronze will open on Feb 25 and provide glimpses of Bronze Age history.