Launch of Harvard Kennedy School Alumni China Public Policy Forum

On January 13, 2013, Harvard Kennedy School Alumni China Public Policy Forum was launched at Beijing International Hotel. This forum was co-sponsored by Harvard Kennedy School, School of Public Policy and Management of Tsinghua University, Center for China and Globalization, China Talent Research Society, the David M. Rubenstein Fund, China Association for International Exchange of Personnel, China CITIC Press and Western Returned Scholars Association Policy Advisory Committee.

About 150 delegates from Harvard Kennedy School, government, institutions and academia, press and media and business fields attend this Harvard Alumni event.

Distinguished speakers presented their congratulations and their support for the launch of HKS Alumni China Public Policy Forum, including:

Gan Zangchun, Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council;

Pan Gongsheng, Vice President, People’s Bank of China;

Liu Shijin, Vice Chairman of Development Research Center of the State Council;

Wu Shulin, Deputy Director of General Administration of Press and Publication of the PRC;

Liu Yanguo, Deputy Director of State Administration of Foreign Expert Affairs; Zhu Yongxin, Vice Chairman of Central Committee of China Association for Promoting Democracy;

Zhou Shuchun, Vice President of Xinhua News Agency;

Xue Lan, Dean of School of Public Policy and Management at Tsinghua University;

Wu Jiang, President of Chinese Academy of Personnel Science;

Duan Peijun, Director of Strategic Studies Institution at Party School of the Central Committee of CPC.

Harvard Kennedy School sent a delegation of prominent scholars to attend this alumni conference, including: David T. Ellwood Dean of the Harvard Kennedy School;, Anthony Saich, Director of Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard Kennedy School; Julian Chang, Executive Director of Rajawali Foundation Institute for Asia, Harvard Kennedy School; Christy Jackowitz, Assistant Dean for Alumni Relations and Resource Development and Laura Ma, Director of Ash Center, Harvard Kennedy School came to Beijing from Boston to express their support and good wishes to HKS Public Policy China Forum.

Wang Huiyao, President of CCG and Vice Chairman of WRSA, hosted the initiating ceremony of the HKS Alumni China Public Policy Forum, and make an introduction of this forum to the attending guests.

Objectives of HKS Alumni China Public Policy Forum

1. To serve as an intellectual bridge between HKS and Chinese society, to promote scientific and democratic public policy through exchange and consensus;

2. To provide a platform for HKS alumni to discuss academic topics, exchange ideas and enhance friendship;

3. Promote academic exchange and cooperation for experts from Harvard University with Chinese scholar, from other prestigious universities.

4. Inspire more Chinese youth to engage in public service and provide them with resources and intellectual support.

As a Research fellow from HKS, he expressed his congratulations on the launch of the forum. HKS is a world-class public policy resource, this forum will play an invaluable role for China to resolve the problems concerning the sustainable development of the Chinese economy, such as, balancing the roles of state-owned enterprises and private enterprises, fair competition of economic market and legislative construction.

Anthony Saich, explained to the audience that HKS is the most international college at Harvard University, and its foreign students come from approximately 150 different countries. The major goal of the school is to expand its experiences and research results in the area of public administration to the rest of the world through active teaching and HKS Alumni. Currently, China faces challenges related to a fast growing economy, issues such as corruption and the voice of the expanding middle class. Mr. Saich said that with the help of Chinese HKS Alumni, our school will develop a sound cooperative relation with Chinese government.

As the Dean of HKS, David T. Ellwood, began his speech by introducing the history of the HKS, then he conveyed to the audience the common desire of HKS is to “make the world a better place”, which was inspired by John F. Kennedy’s famous call to service: “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.”  Ellwood said that the founding of this forum is a wonderful step to realize the goal of making China a better place.

Four factors lead to the distinguished achievements of HKS, they are:

1. Students character, integrity and self sacrifice for their beliefs;

2. Network of international students;

3. Rich cooperative experiences with government to handle public issues

4. Openness to new ideas

He stressed, HKS welcomes new ideas, even though it sound like stupid, dangerous and idiot, it still had its own value. In conclusion, great characters, power of people and openness to new ideas make HKS a unique public policy school in the world. “We believe more than anything else to keep the freedom of open expression of ideas.”

In this era of globalization, the government needs to have a perspective on globalization, and to objectively analyze and summarize the experiences and lessons of public administration in foreign countries. Therefore, it is of great importance to establish the Harvard Kennedy School Alumni Public Policy Forum. The Bureau of State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs’ function is to send domestic officials and entrepreneurs to study abroad, to attract outstanding foreign officials and entrepreneurs, and to serve as a bridge for Chinese and foreign talents. From now on the Bureau will actively participate in HKS Alumni China Public Policy Forum and make contributions to China’s public policy innovation.

Wu Jiang noted that after the 18th National Congress of the CCP, General Secretary Xi Jinping’s first foreign affairs activity is a symposium with foreign experts. He stressed, in this day and age China’s critical task is to draw lessons from the world, which is cooperation with the world. We also need to learn from others in the public policy realm, and HKS possess an abundance of public policy teaching cases.

China has a large number of leading members of societies who graduated from Harvard and are involved in China’s reform where questions about public policy research are raised. They are not only the policy makers but also practitioners. The Communist Party’s 18th National Congress proposes: “to innovate policies and form regulative advantages with international competitiveness”, which is very important and is the direction of our endeavors. From now on we need to properly organize public policy forums and provide more contributions to China’s public policy innovations and research.

Xu Lan spoke of applying “The Three Circle Theory” for analysis: The first “circle” of establishing the public policy forum is of value. During the reform and opening up period the difficulties lies in the public governance system, which calls for a platform to argue, to discuss, to debate in order to solve a series of public policy problems that we face as a result of reform and opening up. Therefore, it is of great value to launch this Forum.

The second “circle” is capability. This capability is the abilities and proposals for innovation that Harvard Chinese alumni have to offer. Also, they have the Kennedy School which has fully fledged cases of personnel training models. It binds us together and provides the support for capability and talent for the running of the Forum.

The third “circle” is support. If we were the only party to host the public forum, it would have no vitality. We need to make the media, civil organizations, governmental organizations and the entire society reach a consensus, to understand the importance of public policy management and innovation, and to achieve the support and participation from the entire society. Only in this way, can the forum achieve real success.

The strongest impression from my learning experience at Harvard is that Harvard attracts global talents and uses first class talents to research on first class questions. Another impression is that “Harvard’s talent does not only belong to the US, but also to the world, which laid a solid theoretical foundation for the launching of Harvard Kennedy School Alumni Public Policy Forum from this point, since China’s public policy research needs in particular the global perspectives, which concerns the diversity of strategies. China faces problems of economic transition and upgrade in next 5 to 10 years, needs scientific public policy and needs global perspective. In the future of the running of HKS Alumni China Public Policy Forum we are willing to get involved and hope to benefit.

Gan Zangchun states that it is very meaningful to establish this forum. The Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council of the PRC is a department in great need of public policy discussion and research . This Forum may introduce world class public policy management ideas to help us raise the standard of public policy administration.

It’s a great honor to be an adviser for HKS Alumni China Public Policy Forum Committee, through which I can participate in more discussions on public policy issues. An important function of the People’s Bank of China is to study monetary policies and financial policies. We will cooperate with, and endeavor to make contributions to the Forum.

We will exert the advantages of democratic parties, and submit public policy forum advisories to government officials through our unique channel.

I am very glad to attend HKS Alumni China Public Policy Forum, and hope we can strengthen the cooperation between Xinhua News Agency, HKS Alumni China Public Policy Forum and Harvard Kennedy School.

Julian Chang hosting the impromptu speeches process of the Public Policy Forum, Harvard Kennedy School is the world’s most eminent and influential institution of public policy and management. It enjoys unparalleled reputation in the world and has very friendly relationship with People’s Republic of China. Ever since China’s opening up and reform, Harvard Kennedy School has trained generations of government officials and scholars from China. In the recent decade, Harvard Kennedy School has deepened its cooperation with Ministry of Organization, Research Center of the State Council, State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs and various local government agencies in China, to train government officials and leading scholars from China’s top universities. Until today, Harvard Kennedy School has trained more than 1000 scholars and officials from China, through various programs like Master of Public Policy, Master of Public Administration, Master of Public Administration/Mid-career, Mason Fellow, New World Fellow, Asia Fellow, Executive Training program participants, which form an impressive alumni network. This group of graduates occupy senior level positions, have diverse professional backgrounds, and many of them are working in government agencies, public institutions and universities. In order to better promote the research and development of China’s public policy arena,  we should enhance the academic exchange among alumni.

The launch of HKS Alumni China Public Policy Forum will promote the communication between China and Harvard Kennedy School, motivate Chinese youth to participate in public service and steer China’s public administration in a more scientific and rational direction.