Tsinghua University hosted the 2025 Modern Governance Forum on November 16, focusing on "Global and Public Governance in an Era of Transformation." The event was supported by the Chinese Public Administration Society and organized by Tsinghua University School of Public Policy and Management (SPPM). Guo Yong, deputy secretary of the CPC Tsinghua University Committee, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a welcome speech. Li Baorong, president of the Chinese Society of Public Administration, also attended the ceremony and gave a speech. Xue Lan, distinguished professor of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and dean of the Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University, presided over the opening ceremony.
In his address, Guo Yong stated that amidst the profound transformations unfolding across the world, universities should shoulder the historical mission of advancing research and practice in global public governance, and drive systemic innovation in the global governance system. In recent years, Tsinghua University has been committed to constructing an independent knowledge system in Chinese public administration, contributing Chinese wisdom to global public governance. He expressed his anticipation that this forum would inspire new ideas and foster new consensus to address governance challenges in this era of transformation.
Li Baorong stated that formulating and implementing five-year plans is a hallmark of the CPC's governance. From the First Five-Year Plan (1953-1957) to the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), the planning system has progressed in a stepwise manner, breaking down long-term strategies into executable phased tasks. The scientific formulation and effective implementation of these plans have benefited from strategic resolve, institutional adjustments, and the forging of consensus across society. He expressed his expectation that the academic community would deepen relevant research and make greater academic contributions to advancing the Chinese path to modernization.
The keynote session, chaired by Mohamad G. Alkadry, professor at the University of Connecticut, included three distinguished speakers. Zhu Yunlai, former president and CEO of China International Capital Corporation Limited, analyzed global aging challenges through economic and actuarial models. Barry Naughton, professor and So Kwan Lok Chair of Chinese International Affairs School of Global Policy and Strategy at UC San Diego, examined global governance dynamics in a bipolar world structure. Luis Vassy, president of Sciences Po, discussed educating future leaders with both specialized expertise and interdisciplinary understanding.
Venue of the forum
The four parallel forums were conducted under the themes of "Geopolitical Shifts and the Governance of Global Economy," "Governance Digital Transformation and Global Digital Equity," "Socio-Economic Fluctuation and the Governance of Social Resilience," and "Global Flux and the Restructuring of World Governance," respectively.
Some members and guests of the Global Advisory Board of SPPM, along with part of the faculty and students from SPPM, participated in the event.
Speakers of the forum assemble for a group photo
From School of Public Policy and Management
Editors: Li Han, John Paul Grima
