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Harvard Kennedy School Alumni Public Policy Forum Launch

    On January 13, 2013, HKS Alumni Public Policy Forum is launched at Beijing International Hotel. This forum is co-sponsored by Harvard Kennedy School, School of Public Policy and Management of Tsinghua University, Center for China & Globalization, China Talent Research Society, 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. The following are a list of distinguished speakers who present their congratulations and their supports to the launch of HKS Alumni China Public Policy Forum:

    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 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.

    As the leading party of this event, Harvard Kennedy School sends a delegation of prominent scholars to attend this alumni conference. Dean David T.Ellwood, Anthony SAICH, Director of Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, 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, Vice Chairman of WRSA, Senior Research Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School)

Wang Huiyao, Director 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 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 the academic exchange and cooperation for experts from Harvard University, others prestigious universitieswith Chinese scholars.
4. Inspire more Chinese youth to engage in public service and provide resources and intellectual support to them.


(Duan Peijun, Director of Strategic Studies institution at Party School of the Central Committee of CPC)

As a Researcher fellow of HKS, he expressed his congratulation to the launch of the forum. Depending on the HKS’ world-class public policy resources, this forum will exert irreplaceable role for China to resolve the problems concerning the sustainable development of Chinese economy, such as, balancing role between state-owned enterprises and private enterprises, fair competition of economic market and legislative construction.


(Anthony SAICH, Director of Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, Harvard Kennedy School)

Anthony Saich, introduce to the audience the HKS is the most international college in Harvard University, and its foreign students come from about 150 countries. The major goal of the school is expand its experiences and research results in public administration area to the rest of the world through active teaching and HKS Alumni. Currently, china face lots of challenges instead of fast growing economy, such as corruption, voice of expanding middle class and some emergent social affairs. With the help of Chinese HKS Alumni, our school will develop a sound cooperative relation with china government.


(David T.Ellwood, Dean of Harvard Kennedy School)

As the Dean of HKS, David T.Ellwood, he begin his speech by introducing the history of HKS, then he convey to audience the common desire of HKS ”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.” He thinks the founding of this forum is a wonderful step to realize the goal to make china a better place.

Four factors lead to the distinguished achievements of HKS, they are:
1. Students’ Character, integrity and sacrifice himself to his faith;
2. Network of our international students;
3. Rich cooperative experiences with government to handle the public issues
4. Openness to new ideas

He stressed, HKS welcome 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.”


(Liu Yanguo, Deputy Director of State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs)

In this era of globalization, the government needs to have a perspective of 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 Harvard Kennedy School Alumni Public Policy Forum. Bureau of State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs functions to send domestic officials and entrepreneurs for study abroad, to attract outstanding foreign officials and entrepreneurs, and to bridge for Chinese and foreign talents. From now on the Bureau will actively participate in Harvard Kennedy Alumni Public Policy Forum and make contributions to China public policy innovation.


(Wu Jiang, President of Chinese Academy of Personnel Science)

“After the 18th National Congress of CCP, General Secretary Xi Jinping’s first foreign affairs activity is a symposium with foreign experts. He stressed, Nowadays China’s critical task is to draw lessons from the world, which is the cooperation with the world. We also need to learn from others in the public policy realm, and HKS owned affluent public policy teaching cases.

China has lots of elites who graduated from Harvard and engage in practices of China’s reform with various questions about public policy research. 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 endeavor. From now on we need to make a good organization of public policy forum and provide more contributions to China public policy research and innovation.
 

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

Apply “the Three Circle Theory” for analysis: The first “circle” of establishing the public policy forum is the value. The difficulty to conquer during the reform and opening up 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 in reform and opening up. Therefore, it is of great value to launch this forum.

The second “circle” is the capability. This capability is the abilities and proposals for innovation that Harvard Chinese alumni have. Also, they have the Kennedy School which has fully fledged cases of personnel training model. It binds us together and provides the support of 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 be out of vitality. We need to make the media, civil organizations, governmental organizations and the entire society to 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 through this way, the forum can achieve the real success.


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

The strongest impression from my learning experience at Harvard is that Harvard uses first class talents to research on first class questions. Harvard attracts global talents. Another impression is that “Harvard’s talent does not only belong to US, but also to the world”. The ground is solid to talk about the launch 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 Harvard Alumni China public policy forum, we are willing to get involved and get benefits.


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

It is very meaningful to establish this forum. Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council of PRC is a department in large need of public policy research and discussion. This forum may introduce world class public policy management ideas to help us elevate the standard of public policy administration.


Pan Gongsheng, Vice President of People's Bank of China

It’s a great honor to be an advisor for Harvard Kennedy School Alumni Public Policy Forum Committee, through which I can participate in more public policy issues discussions. An important function of People’s Bank is to study monetary policy and financial policy. We will have more cooperation with the forum and make due endeavor and contribution to it.


(Zhu Yongxin, Vice Chairman of Central Committee of China Association for Promoting Democracy)

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


(Zhou Shuchun, Vice President of Xinhua News Agency)

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


(Julian Chang, Executive Director of the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard Kennedy School)

Julian Chang hosting the impromptu speeches process of 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 background, 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, to enhance academic exchange among alumni.

The launch of china HKS public policy forum will promote the communication between china and Harvard Kennedy School, arousing the passion of Chinese youth to participate into public service and make the transformation of china public administration to a more scientific and rational direction. 


(Presenting gift)


Cordial Conversation


(Immersed in exchange of opinions)