The 26-year-old finished his undergraduate study at Harvard University in the US before obtaining master's degrees from two different universities in the UK. Coming to pursue his third master's degree in China, Palmer said people from outside the country tend to view it in a simple, dichotomous way.

"After you get here, you realize that all people have their own lives and interests, and it's a much more diverse, interesting and complicated society than you realized," he said.

Tian Meng, who obtained a bachelor's degree in education from Beijing Normal University and is now focusing on Chinese politics and international relations at Yenching Academy, said the most rewarding part for her is the caliber of people she is surrounded by now.

James Ashcroft, who graduated from University College London with a history degree, said he treasured the faculty's willingness to listen to students and the respect that was showed to their ideas.

One reflection of this, in Ashcroft's eyes, is the Yenching Global Symposium to be held in Beijing in late March. The three-day event, which will provide an opportunity for selected delegates to hold discussions with eminent scholars, policymakers and thought leaders on topics such as China's impact on the world, is organized and hosted by the students independently.

Ashcroft said he had never been on a program where he would be on such close terms with people at the level of deans and directors.

"They take very seriously the feedback we have, and a lot has changed during the past six or seven months I've been here," he said.

Holden, the associate dean, is just glad that the students are happy.

"It's a new program so there are always things that we can do better," he said, adding that one improvement they are working on was making class sizes smaller.