On September 28th, 2011, the “New Public Management, New Century, New MPA” press conference was held at the School of Public Policy and Management (SPPM) at Tsinghua University. The competitive situation of MPA education at home and abroad, as well as the lessons learned from the ten-year establishment of SPPM were discussed, in addition to recruitment, training, security, in-depth analysis and appraisal systems. The School took the opportunity to launch the “Public Management MPA Tsinghua Education Reform Program.”
The conference was held by Dean Professor XUE Lan, Associate Dean Professor WU Yongping, Professor PENG Zongchao (Chair), SPPM faculty, MPA graduates. Close to 20 media correspondents, including Xinhua News Agency, CNS, “China Youth Daily,” and Phoenix attended the event. The event also attracted dozens of MPA candidates.
The Dean of SPPM and member of the National Steering Committee for MPA Education, Professor XUE Lan and the deputy director of Tsinghua MPA released the first major reform of MPA education. Dean Xue spoke on the “Long-term education reform and development plan (2010-2020).” The promulgation and implementation of the Ministry of Education’s plan for a professional degree and a comprehensive reform of graduate education is an opportunity to transform professional degree education and to identify the development and transformation of strategic thinking in professional education. The MPA degree throughout the country is facing a field of education reform and training reform challenges, and is adjusting its structure to improve its quality. To this end, in the early and full investigation on the basis of serious discussion, Tsinghua University has decided to develop the existing MPA system for reform, recruitment, training and security. It will incorporate all aspects in its implementation of this series of reform measures, including: First, a clear position of the Tsinghua MPA brand as its new goals of education are to train the future leaders for national development and human progress; second, to emphasize the theme: “Rooted in China and the World”; third, to develop the “trinity” of the training system, focusing on values, theoretical knowledge and practical integration of skills, including greater emphasis on public leadership values and practical skills training. To this end, the direction of the School’s MPA curriculum, course content, teaching methods, and faculty training will undergo comprehensive reform accordingly.
Next, Associate Dean of SPPM, Professor WU Yongping spoke of the newly formed MPA 2012 admission policies and the current enrolment numbers. The main take-away points of the reform are: dual degree certificates will be obtained at graduation (degree certificate and diploma degree); the enrolment will be divided into the stages of “early application,” “group interviews,” and the “the bottom-line exam,” a national examination which is to be held every January.
Thereafter, Director Zhang Qing of the National Natural Science Foundation made the keynote speech, reviewing the School’s history of exciting activities both within and outside of the classroom, as well as the expectations of the MPA reform and the MPA message to future candidates. SPPM in-house leadership and faculty answered questions from the media, guests, and MPA candidates in the audience.
The Tsinghua University School of Public Policy and Management became in 2011 one of the first institutions for MPA education in China. In its 11th year, as of July 2011, SPPM has successfully enrolled 1455 students. 901 have successfully obtained the MPA degree and are active at home and abroad in the first lines of public management practices. SPPM obtained the Excellent Education Assessment in 2006 (tied for first place). Now after a decade of experience in MPA education, SPPM conscientiously sums up the systems of education and admission policy reform to reflect its new MPA program. This is the first MPA domestic reform program in the country, and SPPM hopes to continue its MPA education with success well into the next decades.
