The International Academy of Chinese Tea (IACT 中茶国际学院), initiated by Discover Cha，a non-profit initiative under professional consultation and industry development guidance provided by the Department of Tea Science at HZAU, stands as a global hub for education, certification, and cross-cultural exchange in the world of tea. Bridging tradition and innovation, the Academy celebrates the richness of Chinese tea culture while fostering dialogue with global tea traditions, promoting tea as a spiritual bond connecting Eastern and Western civilizations.
Mission & Vision
IACT is committed to nurturing a global network of certified tea professionals, educators, and cultural ambassadors through rigorous academic programs, interdisciplinary research, and inclusive certifications. While rooted in China’s millennia-old tea heritage, our curriculum and ethos embrace the diversity of global tea practices, ensuring students gain holistic expertise that respects both the uniqueness of Chinese tea and its interconnectedness with worldwide traditions. Our vision is to advance tea as a universal medium for cultural understanding, sustainable collaboration, and shared prosperity across East and West.
Academic Excellence & Global Collaboration
As an academic partner of Huazhong Agricultural University—a leader in agronomy and tea science—IACT integrates cutting-edge research, traditional wisdom, and global perspectives. Our curriculum, co-designed by international tea scholars and industry pioneers, spans:
Disciplines
Tea Science & Processing: Mastery of cultivation, fermentation, biochemical analysis, and artisanal techniques unique to Chinese tea, with comparative studies of global tea production methods.
Sensory Mastery: Professional training in tea sommelier skills, tasting, evaluation, and blending, emphasizing both Chinese tea profiles and global flavor benchmarks.
Cultural & Historical Studies: Exploration of tea’s role in Chinese philosophy, medicine, and rituals, alongside comparative studies of tea traditions in Japan, India, Europe, and beyond.
Professional Development
Tea Brewing Arts: Technical and artistic training in Gongfu Cha, international tea preparation styles, and modern service innovations.
Training of Tea Trainers (TOTT): Advanced pedagogy for educators, equipping them to teach Chinese and global tea cultures with cultural sensitivity and adaptability.
Global Tea Business: An MBA-track program focusing on tea industry management, ethical sourcing, sustainability, and cross-border marketing strategies.
Global Competency
Multilingual Tea Education: Specialized language courses in tea terminology (Chinese, English, Japanese, French, etc.), designed for professionals to teach, trade, and collaborate across linguistic boundaries.
Advocacy & Diplomacy: Strategies to promote tea culture as a tool for intercultural dialogue, environmental stewardship, and inclusive economic growth.
IACT redefines tea as a shared language of connection. While highlighting the depth of Chinese tea heritage, our programs acknowledge and integrate insights from other tea cultures—whether Japan’s Chanoyu, India’s chai traditions, or Britain’s afternoon tea rituals. Through partnerships with overseas institutions, students engage in immersive exchanges, from Fujian’s Wuyi Mountain tea fields to collaborative workshops in Sri Lanka, Kenya, or Germany. These experiences decode the “Eastern wisdom” of harmony (hé 和) and mindfulness while illustrating tea’s universal capacity to unite people, ecosystems, and economies.
A Global Network for a Shared Heritage
Co-organized by training schools across China, Europe, North America, Africa, and Asia-Pacific, IACT ensures its programs resonate locally while maintaining universal academic standards. Annual international symposiums, multilingual research publications, and a digital open-access repository foster collaboration among tea-producing and tea-consuming nations.
IACT invites the world to savor Chinese tea not as a solitary tradition, but as a vibrant thread in the global tapestry of tea culture. By blending China’s expertise with worldwide perspectives, the Academy cultivates a future where tea transcends borders—enriching lives, fostering respect, and brewing a more connected world.
