From June 15 to 16, the first International Conference on China Policy Studies (ICCPS 2024) was held at the Haidian Campus of Beijing Normal University (BNU). The conference was guided by the Public Policy Sub-Discipline Working Group within the Public Administration Discipline Review Committee of the State Council, PRC, and co-organized by the School of Government at BNU and the Chinese Policy Scholars Group (CPSG). The conference's theme was "Exploring China Policy Studies from a Global Perspective: Theory and Practice." Over 280 experts and scholars from more than 70 universities and institutions, including Beijing Normal University, Tsinghua University, Peking University, Renmin University of China, Zhejiang University, University of Oxford, National University of Singapore, University of Hong Kong, and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, attended the conference. Yu Haibo, Party Secretary of the School of Government at BNU presided over the opening ceremony.

Zhou Zuoyu, Standing Committee Member and Vice President of BNU, delivered a speech. He highlighted that the conference emphasized three major attributes: internationalization, theoretical advancement, and practical application, reflecting the development achievements of the discipline of public administration, especially in the field of public policy research at BNU. Zhou Zuoyu hoped the conference would enhance the international academic community's understanding of China's public policy, attract more scholars to focus on and participate in research in this field, and jointly promote the high-quality development of Chinese public policy research from a global perspective.

Zhou Zuoyu, Standing Committee Member and Vice President of Beijing Normal University

Yu Haibo, the Party Secretary of the School of Government at Beijing Normal University.

Zhang Wenguang, co-chair of the conference and dean of the School of Government at BNU, expressed sincere gratitude to all the guests and announced that the School of Government at BNU, in collaboration with the Chinese Policy Scholars Group (CPSG), will jointly operate the China Policy Journal (CPJ). Zhang Wenguang emphasized that the School of Government at BNU is dedicated to advancing public policy research in China, fostering an academic community through top-tier international conferences and journal platforms, and contributing Chinese perspectives to the global theoretical development and practical evolution of public policy through rigorous Chinese public policy research.

Zhang Wenguang, Dean of the School of Government, Beijing Normal University

Chen Can, co-chair of the conference and professor at the Andrew Young School of Public Policy at Georgia State University, introduced the founding history, core mission, and main work of CPSG. He emphasized the CPSG's commitment to uniting overseas Chinese public policy scholars, enhancing academic exchanges and cooperation with domestic peers and institutions, and promoting China's practical concept and academic thought in public policy on the international stage.

Chen Can, Co-chair of the Conference, Co-chair of the CPSG, and Professor of the Andrew Young School of Public Policy at Georgia State University

Yan Jinming, Secretary-General of the National Master of Public Administration (MPA) Teaching Steering Committee and professor at the School of Public Administration of Renmin University of China, expressed sincere gratitude to the organizer, Beijing Normal University, for their meticulous organization and arrangements. He emphasized the significance of public policy research and practical skills within the MPA education of China. He expressed hope that the public policy academic community would focus on conducting high-quality research to enhance teaching, cultivate proficient Chinese public policy professionals, and contribute to the modernization of the national governance system.

Yan Jinming, Secretary General of the National Professional Master of Public Administration (MPA) Teaching Steering Committee, Professor of the School of Public Administration at Renmin University of China

Ding Huang, co-convener of the Public Administration Discipline Review Committee of the State Council, PRC, provided insights into the establishment and evolution of the second-level discipline of public policy, highlighting its essential role within the broader field of public management. Ding Huang emphasized that the advancement of high-quality public policy research in China should encompass a global perspective, and not be limited solely to domestic contexts. He expressed gratitude to the School of Government at BNU for its contributions to developing the discipline of public policy and urged all academic colleagues to collaborate in furthering the progress of this secondary discipline.

Ding Huang, co-convenor of the Public Administration Discipline Review Committee of the State Council, PRC

During the keynote presentation session, ten esteemed public policy scholars from China, the United States, and Europe delivered keynote speeches.

The first half of the session was hosted by Can Chen. Lan Xue, John R. Bartle, Xiaolin Xu, Bruce D. McDonald III, and Geoboo Song, each delivered a keynote speech.

Chen Can, co-chair of the ICCPS, Co-chair of the CPSG, and Professor of the Andrew Young School of Public Policy at Georgia State University

Lan Xue delivered a keynote speech titled "Public Policy Challenges in the Context of Artificial Intelligence," highlighting two crucial issues in public policy research related to artificial intelligence: "Public Policy for AI" and "AI for Public Policy." He emphasized that policies promoting AI development must consider fostering scientific and technological innovation, optimizing governance, and addressing potential risks associated with AI. Lan Xue also underscored the complexity and challenges inherent in public policy research within the AI context, expressing a strong desire for researchers to actively delve into this field.

Lan Xue, distinguished Chair Professor, Dean of Schwarzman College, and Director of the Academic Committee of the School of Public Administration at Tsinghua University

John R. Bartle delivered a keynote speech titled "Equity in Public Budgeting," advocating for the prioritization of gender equity in budgeting by both governmental bodies and society at large. Bartle recommended that governments enhance political commitment and legal protections to empower budget authorities in implementing budgets that promote equality. He also suggested actively leveraging data and support from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to facilitate budget implementation. Bartle concluded by emphasizing the importance of public budgets focusing on fairness across diverse groups.

John R. Bartle, President-elect of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA), Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration in the United States, and Dean of the College of Public Affairs and Community Service at the University of Nebraska (Omaha).

Xiaolin Xu delivered a keynote speech titled "Policy Exploration of Unleashing Public Data Value." Starting from policy design, Xiaolin Xu systematically reviewed the top-level design of China's government in terms of data element policies. Based on the data governance practices in Guangdong Province in recent years, he proposed the positive roles of node thinking and distributed technology in promoting digital governance. Lastly, Xiaolin Xu encouraged more young scholars to participate and collectively explore more pathways for unleashing the public value of data.

Xu Xiaolin, Distinguished Professor in Public Management at Hunan Agricultural University and Founding Dean of the School of Public Management at Huazhong University of Science and Technology.

Bruce D. McDonald III delivered a keynote speech titled "Rise and Role of China in Public Administration Research," where he elaborated on his understanding of China's contributions to public administration research. McDonald highly praised China's ongoing research and contributions in the field of public administration. He emphasized the importance of the academic community maintaining an open attitude towards learning from research worldwide to enhance governance practices and foster international academic collaboration. Lastly, he highlighted the significance of research from China for other parts of the world and expressed his hope to continue seeing research outcomes from China.

Bruce D. McDonald III, Chief Editor of the Public Administration Journal, Professor at the Department of Public Administration, North Carolina State University.

Geoboo Song delivered a keynote speech titled "Bridging Policy Research Across Borders: Challenges and Opportunities for China." He pointed out that in the current era of globalization, the challenges we face are becoming increasingly globalized and complex. Issues such as climate change, immigration crises, and food security pose serious threats to human existence, necessitating urgent global governance efforts. Geoboo Song expressed the hope that Chinese scholars can continue to uphold a pragmatic and truthful scientific research spirit. Through collaborative efforts and increased participation in international academic cooperation, he believes a brighter future can be created.

Geoboo Song, Professor at the University of Arkansas and editor-in-chief of the Policy Studies Journal

The second half of the keynote speeches was moderated by Weijie Wang from the Truman School of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Missouri. Zhenming Chen, Ping Xu, Qianwei Zhu, Anders Ryom Villadsen, and Professor Hongtao Yi, each delivered a keynote speech.

Weijie Wang, Professor at the Truman School of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Missouri

Zhenming Chen delivered a keynote speech titled "Policy Intelligence: Research Agenda of 'AI + Public Policy'", in which he provided a comprehensive overview of the cutting-edge developments in artificial intelligence technology. He shared his concerns and thoughts on the advent of the intelligent era and "digital survival". Zhenming Chen also highlighted the importance of public policy research in the context of technological advancements, emphasizing the gradual transition of data-driven and intelligent public decision-making entities and models towards human-machine collaboration and integration under the research framework of "AI + Public Policy".

Zhenming Chen, Director of the Division of Social Sciences and Dean of the School of Public Policy at Xiamen University.

Ping Xu delivered a keynote speech titled "Crossing Continents: Strengthening Global Partnership in Public Policy Innovation", elaborating on the increasing importance of global partnerships in the field of public policy research. She offered insightful recommendations on how to enhance global partnerships in public policy research. Ping Xu also praised the outstanding performance of Chinese policy research in international journals and at international conferences, expressing the hope to see more Chinese policy research on the international stage with a more significant leadership role in the future.

Ping Xu, Chair of the Public Policy Section of the American Political Science Association and Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Rhode Island.

Qianwei Zhu delivered a keynote speech titled "Party-Government Relations and Decision-making System: Reform and Development". He summarized the challenges and opportunities brought about by the reform of party-government relations, emphasizing the need to improve the party-government consultation system from the perspective of promoting the modernization of the state governance system and governance capacity. He called for more scholars to further refine the party-government consultation system through research, ensuring the efficiency and legitimacy of the decision-making process. This, in turn, would facilitate effective coordination between party leadership and government decision-making, thereby advancing the modernization of the state governance system and governance capacity.

Qianwei Zhu, Professor of the School of International Relations and Public Affairs at Fudan University.

Anders Ryom Villadsen delivered a keynote speech titled "The Importance of Top Management Teams in Public Organizations: Evidence and Future Research Directions". He focused on senior executives in public organizations, addressing two key questions: how are senior executives studied in the literature, and what are the future research directions on this topic? He compared the differences between senior executives in public organizations and private enterprises in terms of inputs, characteristics, processes, and outcomes. Finally, he emphasized that this topic serves as an important bridge between public administration and other related disciplines and expressed expectations that it would inspire further related research.

Anders Ryom Villadsen, Professor at the Department of Management at Aarhus University

Hongtao Yi delivered a keynote speech titled "China in Public Administration Research: A Review of Public Administration Review". He first introduced the basic information about the journal, mentioning that the journal aims not only to bridge theory and practice but also to serve as a bridge between scholars and practitioners. Hongtao Yi used statistical analysis and text analysis to illustrate the overall trend of Chinese scholars and research related to China in PAR. Finally, he concluded that China's public administration research has made significant achievements in international journals, by improving research quality, diversifying research directions, and increasing international influence. He expected that the Chinese academic community would continue to cultivate outstanding scholars in the field of public administration and provide high-quality research to the global academic community.

Hongtao Yi, Editor of Public Administration Review

Following the keynote speeches, 31 parallel sessions were held for paper presentations. The themes of these parallel sessions covered a wide range of topics, including the theoretical and methodological foundations of policy science such as policy process, policy design, and policy evaluation, as well as key policy areas in China such as urban governance, rural revitalization, digital governance, environmental governance, public finance, water resources management, economic development, and social development. Each session included 3-5 academic papers with two senior experts in the respective field as discussants.

Parallel Sessions

On June 16 at noon, the first International Academic Conference on Chinese Public Policy Research concluded. The closing ceremony included three parts: a roundtable forum, best paper awards, and closing remarks.

The roundtable forum focused on the theme "Publish China Policy Studies on International Journals". The forum was chaired by Ciqi Mei, who is the Vice Editor-in-Chief and Director of the Editorial of China Public Administration Review. Hongtao Yi (Editor of Public Administration Review), Bruce D. McDonald III (Editor-in-Chief of Public Administration), Zhilin Liu (Co-editor of the Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis), Junming Zhu (Co-editor of the Journal of Industrial Ecology), Qiushi Wang (Editor-in-Chief of Chinese Public Administration Review), Xue Gao (Editor of Environmental Politics), and Weihua An (Editor of Sociological Methodology), successively shared their views on how to amplify Chinese voices and contribute Chinese wisdom in global public policy research. During the roundtable, they also provided suggestions to young scholars on publishing Chinese public policy research in international journals.

Roundtable forum

The best paper awards and the closing remarks were hosted by Hongtao Yi. Two researchers from Hong Kong Baptist University and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, along with their co-authors, received the CPSG Best Paper Award. Two researchers from Dalian University of Technology and Beijing Normal University, along with their co-authors, received the ICCPS Best Speed Talk Award. Five authors from Tsinghua University, Beijing Normal University, Nankai University, East China Normal University, and Northeastern University, along with their co-authors, received the ICCPS Best Conference Paper Award. Xue Gao, the CPSG Best Paper Award Committee Chair, along with the co-chairs of this conference, Wenguang Zhang and Can Chen, presented the awards to the winners.

CPSG Best Paper Award

ICCPS Best Speed Talk Award

ICCPS Best Conference Paper Award

Finally, Wenguang Zhang and Can Chen respectively concluded the conference. Wenguang Zhang expressed heartfelt gratitude to all participants, the Chinese Policy Scholars Group (CPSG), and all the conference staff. He hoped for continued support from the academic community for the China Policy Journal, the International Conference on Chinese Public Policy Research (ICCPS), and the School of Government at Beijing Normal University. He also looked forward to reconvening at ICCPS next year with public policy scholars. Can Chen thanked all participants both from and outside China, as well as the conference staff from the School of Government at Beijing Normal University. He proposed a future close collaboration between CPSG, Beijing Normal University, and the Chinese academic community to enhance the international impact of Chinese public policy research.