The 2022 Tsinghua SPPM Global Advisory Board (GAB) Meeting was held on November 19, 2022 at Tsinghua University with the theme of “Global Development and China’s Modernization.” The meeting, which started with a morning session that included the Opening Ceremony and the Close-door Plenary Meeting and proceeded with an afternoon session for Global Development and China’s Modernization International Forum, was hailed as a success. Invited guests and GAB members from home and abroad participated in a hybrid form.

Wan Gang, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Chairman of the Central Committee of China Zhi Gong Party, and President of the China Association for Science and Technology, attended the morning session and made his remarks at the Opening Ceremony. Gu Shengzu, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and economist, attended the International Forum in the afternoon and delivered a keynote speech.

The 2022 Tsinghua SPPM GAB meeting also saw participation by invited guests and GAB members, including Lou Jiwei, Standing Committee Member and Chairman of the Committee of Foreign Affairs of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and former Minister of Finance; Jiang Xiaojuan, Member of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China, Vice Chairperson of the Committee of Social Construction of the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China, and Chairperson of the Chinese Public Administration Society; Wu Hongbo, Special Representative of the Chinese Government on European Affairs and former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations; Ma Jun, President of Beijing Normal University; Lu Mai, former Vice Chairman of the China Development Research Foundation; Huang Zhaohui, CEO and Chairman of the Management Committee, China International Capital Corporation Limited; Yu Jianxing, Party Secretary and President of Zhejiang Gongshang University and Director of the Institute of Social Governance, Zhejiang University; Yan Jirong, Dean of the School of Government at Peking University; Yan Jinming, Dean of the School of Public Administration and Policy at Renmin University of China; John L. Thornton, Executive Chairman of Barrick Gold Corporation, Chair Emeritus of the Brookings Institution, and Co-chair of the Board of Trustees of the Asia Society; Paul Romer, university professor in Economics at New York University and Nobel Laureate in Economics; Robert Orr, Dean of the School of Public Policy at University of Maryland and Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on Climate Change; Ngaire Woods, Dean of the Blavatnik School of Government at Oxford University; and Danny Quah, Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at National University of Singapore.

Wang Xiqin, President of Tsinghua University and a Tsinghua SPPM GAB member, addressed welcome remarks to the participants on behalf of the university. Yang Bin, Vice President of Tsinghua University and Dean of Tsinghua SPPM; Zeng Rong and Jiang Peixue, two other Vice Presidents of Tsinghua University; directors of relevant offices and departments of Tsinghua University; and student and faculty representatives of Tsinghua SPPM also presented the meeting.

Wan Gang made his remarks titled “Promoting the Synchronized Development of Education, Science and Technology, and Talents.” To promote global development and China’s modernization, he suggested that education inclusiveness, science and technology exchange and cooperation, and talent-driven pioneering and development are the priority aspects that should be encouraged. The world is experiencing unprecedented turbulence and thorough changes. Under these circumstances, Wan asserted that China should continue proceeding with an open mindset and focusing on the collective future of all mankind from a global perspective. Meanwhile, following the global trend of technological development and industrial transformation, China should facilitate its increasing engagement in the technological innovation network and its participation in global governance. Only then could we better devote ourselves to the technological advancement and sustainable development that are occurring worldwide.

(Wan Gang making his remarks at the Opening Ceremony)

Gu Shengzu delivered his keynote speech titled “To Realize Chinese Modernization, Improving the Efficacy of the National Innovation System.” Gu pointed out that Chinese modernization has shared the common features of universal modernization modes and developed these features with Chinese characteristics based on its national conditions. The key to improving innovation efficacy and to realizing innovation-driven development lies in the deep integration of innovation, technology, capital, and talent chains. Transformation of scientific discoveries and technological inventions must be led to evolve toward the industrialization of high-tech innovations. Moreover, industry-university-research integration must be strengthened with the cultivation of strategic scientists, engineers, and technology masters who shall be widely supported by national research institutions, top research universities, and pioneer science and technology companies.

(Gu Shengzu delivering a keynote speech)

Wang Xiqin welcomed the invited guests and Tsinghua SPPM GAB members on behalf of Tsinghua University and expressed his gratitude for their continuous support over the years. Wang emphasized that to realize China’s modernization in higher education, a new path to building world-class universities with Chinese characteristics will have to be explored. With confidence and determination, Tsinghua University shall consolidate its efforts in technology development, talent cultivation, and innovation to promote overall human advancement and social progress better. Furthermore, Tsinghua University will unremittingly support Tsinghua SPPM and its GAB annual meetings. With the visionary guidance of the invited guests and GAB members, the development of the Public Administration discipline with Chinese characteristics and the establishment of a world-class school of public policy and management will be vigorously promoted. Together, we may further contribute to better welfare and greater progress of human society.

(Wang Xiqin giving his remarks)

The participants acknowledged the excellent work of Tsinghua SPPM in the past year. Subsequently, they conducted in-depth conversations around the common challenges and problems faced by the Public Administration discipline and provided strategic advice for the future development of the Tsinghua SPPM and Public Administration discipline. The participants agreed that Public Administration schools and the Public Administration discipline itself should play a greater role in contributing to human welfare and social development. As a reaction to the commonly faced challenges and issues, today’s academic discussions are critical not just in improving mutual understanding and achieving consensus but also in realizing efficient national governance and providing the government with important references to policy-making.

The 2022 Tsinghua SPPM GAB Opening Ceremony in the morning was presided over by Vice President and Dean Yang Bin, followed by the Close-door Plenary Meeting presided over by international GAB member Paul Romer. Zhu Xufeng, Executive Dean of Tsinghua SPPM, made the school’s Annual Work Report at the Plenary Meeting. In the afternoon, the Global Development and China’s Modernization International Forum was successfully held.

(Group photo at the Opening Ceremony)

(GAB meeting on the spot)