On the 30th January 2018, a seminar on China’s University Think Tanks and International Cooperation was successfully held at Wuhan University. This event serves as part of the Global Go To Think Tank Index Report Launch and Why Think Tanks Matter events, launched by Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program at University of Pennsylvania. It was jointly sponsored by China Institute of Boundary and Ocean Studies and the Institute of International Law of Wuhan University, both of which are listed by relevant department in China as leading national think tanks. Deans and research fellows of the two institutes and heads of the University department in charge of think tanks programs were present at the Seminar.
The Seminar was held with an aim to gain a better understanding of the role of University think tanks in promoting China’s international cooperation. Main topics include:
The role of university think tanks in promoting the settlement of territorial, boundaries and maritime disputes;
The role of university think tanks in promoting China's participation in international rule of law;
The role of university think tanks in promoting international cooperation and global governance;
Internationalization and international cooperation of Chinese university think tanks.
Professor Dekun HU, funder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of China Institute of Boundary and Ocean Studies, delivered a keynote presentation. He briefed his visit to TTCSP at University of Pennsylvania and his meeting with Director James G. McGann. He moved on to development of think tanks in China, those of universities in particular. President XI Jinping in his speech given in October 2017, called for a step up in the development of professional, influential and internationally recognized national think tanks. In 2015, the International Law Institute of Wuhan University was nominated as a national top think tank. In 2017, China Institute of Boundary and Ocean Studies and China Institute of South China Sea Studies in Haikou were listed as national top think tank. However, think tanks in Chinese universities need to sort out the following matters for further development. First, in contrast to think tanks affiliated with the government, e.g., China Social Science Academy, China Institute of International Studies, most think tanks in university are small in scale. Second, many university think tanks are not closely connected to relevant governmental departments. Third, most think tanks are not multi-diciplinary. Fourth, a proper evaluation system has not been set into place. Fifth, the level international cooperation and collaboration should be elevated. Based on the above observations, he put forward the following recommendations. First, a professional think should have around 100 full-time research fellows. CIBOS now have about 30. It is recruiting senior and young research fellows, both at home and from abroad. Second, each university think tank should have its own specialty and priorities. CIBOS focus on territorial, international boundary and maritime issues. Third, the Ministry of Education and universities should safeguard sustainable development of the think tanks, giving them proper discretion in human resources, finance and running of the think tank. Fourth, university think tanks in China need to step up the pace of internationalization.
Professor Hui Zhang, Deputy Director of Wuhan University Institute of International Law, noted that although think tanks in universities lags behind those affiliated by ministries, they have advantages. Relying upon a university, this sort of think tanks has a solid multi-disciplinary background. For instance, supported by Wuhan University, a university with a top ranking and world-class subjects, think tanks in Wuhan University can provide comprehensive and multi-disciplinary consultation. Furthermore, Professor Zhang analyzed challenges that university think tanks are facing from institutional and individual levels. First, current mechanism of colleges and universities impedes consolidation of resources. Faculties are bounded by separate colleges and are lack of mobility; therefore, it is difficult to develop an issue-oriented, task-driven and cooperative mechanism for university think tanks. Second, university as an education and research entity requires its faculties to concentrate on teaching and academic research. Adding consultation work makes faculties feel overburdened and difficult to balance among teaching, reasearch and consultation. To make Chinese think tanks become globally recognized, we should understand international criteria of assessing think tanks and standards of world most renowned think tanks. In addition, Professor Zhang believes that in order to make our think tanks go global, we need to exert more efforts on making our publications available to the public and diversifying our publications.
Professor Xiaoyu Xiong, Vice Dean of Wuhan University China Institute of Boundary and Ocean Studies, identified the main features of western think tanks by observing and analyzing the most famous western think tanks, especially those in the United States. First, think tanks are integral parts of the western political and economic system. Second, think tanks serve the interests of the funders and represent the opinions of the mainstream elites. Third, stable administrative teams and mobile research teams work together. Fourth, creating a think tank report brand with a sustainable impact is important. Based on the analysis of western think tanks, Prof. Xiong believed that universities should use their own unique advantages to establish a new type of think tanks with Chinese characteristics and within the Chinese context, in line with the overall national objectives and requirements for high-level think tanks. The establishment of such a new type of think tanks with Chinese characteristics should embody the following characteristics: first, serving for domestic and international decision-making and playing an active role in forming societal consensus; second, striving to break disciplinary boundaries and aim at solving problems; third, utilizing higher education institutions' strengths in cultivating talents and convert think tanks into a talent pool; fourth, making think tanks-specialized knowledge resource bases; fifth, making think tanks in universities a platform to expand China's international influence.
Prof. Jiehan Feng, Deputy Director of Wuhan University Institute of International Law, analyzed the current situation and issues of Chinese think tanks' participation in the construction of the African legal system. She pointed out several difficulties in this collaboration: first, the frequent alternations of political powers in Africa weakened the construction of the legal system and hindered sustainable collaboration; second, institutional problems prevent China from having an integrated team that specialized in African studies. Although there are several universities in China that have research centers of African studies, since they are separate institutions, resources are scattered and hard to integrate. Prof. Feng observed that currently, cooperation between Chinese think tanks and African’s are mostly based in China. Academic conferences and governmental events are rarely held in Africa. Prof. Feng noted that in order to boost the international influence of Chinese think tanks, holding events aboard is a necessary step.
During the discussion section, experts and scholars had intensive discussions on relevant issues, solutions and future development directions of think tanks in universities. Scholars attended the seminar all exchanged their thoughts and concerns as participants of think tanks in universities and offered some suggestions for next steps.
In short, this seminar critically analyzed the current situation of Chinese think tanks in universities, examined in depth the opportunities and problems related to the establishment of Chinese think tanks, and put forward suggestions for advancing development of think tanks in universities and extending international outreach of Chinese think tanks.
（written by Prof. Dr. Lingjie Kong, Vice Dean of CIBOS; Dr. Fang Yuanyuan, post-doc fellow of CIBOS.）