SPPM organized a field study trip to Shanghai for the International Master’s of Public Administration (IMPA) class from 8th-13th January 2012. It was conducted and led by SPPM professors MENG Bo and YIN Chengzhi, assisted by program manager Ms. WU Jie. 27 students representing 18 different countries participated in the trip.
To help international students gain a deeper understanding of China, including the nation’s development path, field study has been integrated as a crucial component of the IMPA curriculum, thus allowing students to apply classroom-gathered theories into solving real-world challenges. Three previous IMPA classes have visited Shanghai and all of those trips were successful. Therefore, the administration once again chose Shanghai as the destination for this year’s excursion. After meticulous planning, professors selected four themes for this field study: economy and social development, urbanization, urban development and urban-rural planning, China studies and education for its cadres, Chinese history and culture.
On top of visiting organizations which have established good working relationship with our program in the past three years, students also toured East China Normal University, a new site visited this year. Over a span of six days, students visited the following organizations: Huangpu District Government, Putuo District Party School, Modern Agricultural Park in Langxia, Jinshan District, East China Normal University, the site of the First National Congress of CPC, Shanghai Museum, and Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition. Over the course of the field study, our students were able to observe achievements made by China in the post economic reform era. Additionally, students learned how cadres are trained in China; they acquired valuable experiences and insights through interactions with local government officials. After completing the field study, academic theories are solidified and students are encouraged to apply China’s successful experiences into developing their home nations, both socially and economically.
