hanghai Academy of Global Governance and Area Studies (SAGGAS) is established at Shanghai International Studies University (SISU) on September 28th, 2018. Weng Tiehui, vice mayor of Shanghai, Xu Tao, director of Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges (Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs), Ministry of Education, P.R.C., and Zong Ming, deputy secretary-general of the Shanghai Municipal Government attended the launching ceremony. Li Yongzhi, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, read the launching announcement of the Academy. The ceremony was hosted by Li Yansong, president of SISU. Weng Tiehui and Xu Tao made addresses. SISU’s University Council Chair Jiang Feng introduced the current situation of the Academy.

Supported by China’s Ministry of Education and Shanghai Municipality, SAGGAS combines SISU’s strength in regional and international studies with the specialties of partner universities, academies, and institutes at home and aboard. It follows the guidance of the Party and the state on the opening-up of education in the new era and focuses on China’s participation in international governance and foreign exchanges. It supports Shanghai’s strategic plans of building an “excellent global city,” “five centers” (an international economic center, a financial center, a trade center, a shipping center and a science and technology innovation center), and “four brands” (service, manufacturing, consumption and culture) to satisfy the real needs of city development. The establishment of SAGGAS was formally proposed in the “Action Plan of Shanghai for Playing a Bridgehead Role under ‘Belt and Road’” in 2017.

Based on the principle of “Global at Home”, SAGGAS will, through the advancement of the mechanisms of disciplinary management, scholarly production and teaching, enrich the field of global governance and area studies in aspects from disciplinary and academic development to material and curriculum design and to discursive and knowledge construction. Built to inform policy-makers, businesses and the public, SAGGAS will serve its multiple roles as a distinctive high-level think-tank, a talent pool and a platform and database of global opinions on China.

Chen Zhimin, vice president of Fudan University (FDU), Qian Chengdan, director of Institute of Area Studies, Peking University, and Yang Jiemian, director of Academic Committee, Shanghai Institute for International Studies attended the ceremony and delivered speeches. Leaders from 16 universities, including SIIS, FDU, and SJTU, directors from 52 area studies centers under Ministry of Education, and heads of 30 university think-tanks in Shanghai were presented at the launching ceremony.