What issues are tackled at these lectures?

There is a "curriculum schedule" for each study session. One such schedule showed that over one-third of 92 study sessions focused on China's economic issues, like financial system reform, changes in the economic growth model, structural adjustments and reforms to the current fiscal system.

Meanwhile, the issue of legal governance also accounts for a considerable portion of study sessions.

Outsiders believe that the study sessions collectively aim to address problems regarding long-term construction of the party and the country, while highlighting important social issues.

For example, the 23rd study session, which took place on June 27, 2005, focused on China's energy strategy on the international energy stage. Three days later, former Chinese president Hu Jintao paid a visit to Russia, where he was amply prepared to engage in talks with China's northern neighbor regarding oil, using the content covered in the study session.

Likewise, the 51st group study, which took place on July 26, 2008, focused on "the modern Olympic Games and [the] Beijing Olympic Games".

Former deputy director of the State Sports General Administration, Yu Zaiqing, and secretary general of the Beijing Olympic Games Organizing Committee, Wang Wei, gave a lecture then. This study session is credited with paving the way for Beijing to host that year's summer Olympics.

The study sessions evolve with the times, as well. One session that took place in April of last year covered China's fight against corruption throughout the country's history. For the first time since the sessions began, anti-corruption efforts were a focus of the session.

In addition, last October's study session on China's real-estate issues was the highest-level meeting on the country's housing market to date.

How long is each lecture?

Former vice dean of the PLA Dalian Naval Academy and past Zhongnanhai guest lecturer, Cui Changfa, said that a study session typically lasts about two hours. Two lecturers would speak, with each spending 40 minutes on the session's topic. The attendees then discuss the topics among each other, which is characterized by a question-and-answer session and this typically takes another 30 minutes, according to Cui.

Sessions are generally concluded with a speech given by the general secretary of the Communist Party of China in attendance. On May 26, a study session came to a close with Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterating his position that the government should do more to promote the market's decisive role in resource allocation.

Are there any additional benefits to lecturers based on their expertise?

Wan Gang, one of the guest lecturers who spoke at a study session in December 2004, used to be a professor in Shanghai-based Tongji University. His session focused on China's sci-tech development strategy up to the year 2020.

Three years later, Wan was formally appointed as minister of science and technology.

Another example is Cao Jianming, who gave a lecture in 1994 when he was 39 years old and working as a professor at East China University of Political Science and Law in Shanghai.

Cao is now procurator-general of China's Supreme People's Procuratorate.