On the morning of September 26, the 6th High-End Social Science Lecture of Shanghai Academy was held in the No.36 Lecture Hall of Shanghai Academy. Professor Li Gang from Nanjing University was invited to make the keynote speech themed “Some Problems about the Internal and External Governance of New-Type Think Tanks”. Wen Xueguo, Executive Vice President of Shanghai Academy, chaired the activity.

In his speech, Professor Li Gang first described the basic understanding both at home and abroad towards think tanks. That is, think tanks are the non-profit institutions engaged in the research and consulting of strategies and public policies, and have specialized, political, media, and commercial attributes. He considered that having sound diplomatic capability, policy consulting capability, and activity organization capability is crucial to a think tank. Through the case study of US think tanks, he pointed out that to build a unique think tank we must face China’s issues, and pay attention to the internal management and external governance.

According to Professor Li Gang, to do a good job in internal and external governance, a think tank must know the current problems and blind spots for targeted solutions. He illustrated the modes of other domestic think tanks, such as Zijin Media Think Tank under Nanjing University, Fudan Development Institute, the Institute of Public Policy under South China University of Technology and the Institute of Chinese Legal Modernization Studies under Nanjing Normal University, with the aim to provide some ideas and successful experience for think tank construction. Finally, he noted that to significantly improve the reputation, image and influence of a think tank and build a new-type think tank with distinctive characteristics, efforts shall be made in multiple aspects, including the national situation investigation capability, operating capability, communication strategies, information-oriented construction, quality control, internal staff management, product management, conference management, document management and IP management.

The lecture produced good results and won robust applause. Yang Huijun, Director of the Secretariat of Shanghai Academy, Xiong Hou, Director of the Research Division, Chen Yao, Director of the Administrative Division, Zhu Cheng, Director of the Cooperation Division, Li Chunguang, Deputy Director of the Cooperation Division, and relevant workers at Shanghai Academy attended the activity.

Article and photo by Xie Nini