On October 18, 2016,Associate Professor ZengJimao, Director of the MPA(Master of Public Administration)Education Center and Dou Yili, staff member of the Center’s Officevisited the School of Public Affairs of Zhejiang University to learn and exchange experience in MPA teaching management and training. This exchange visit, initiated by the Shanghai MPA Professional Postgraduate Education Steering Committee, was attended by MPA programdirectors and teaching managers from 12 Shanghai MPA institutions.
Dean Yu Jianxing, Party Secretary ShenWenhua and Vice Dean GuoJijiangof the School of Public Affairs of Zhejiang University made introductionsof the School consecutively, mainly regardingits history and schooling characteristics.Xu Lin, Head of the MPA Education Center of Zhejiang University gave a vivid speech on the Center’s philosophy which was based on a broad nation-wide picture,showed achievementsmade by the alumni, andelaborated on how to organize MPA postgraduates to carry out social practice.Severalsocial practice reports written by their students have contributed a lot tolocal governments’ obtaining of “InnovationsofLocal Government” Award of Central Compilation & Translation Bureau, while outstanding thesesarecompiled by the Center every two yearsand sent to MPA students as well as institutionsthe writers areworking for.All these deeds have effectively enhanced the MPA students’ sense of honor and accomplishment. Associate Professor ZengJimao consulted Director Xu Lin about specific issues such as organizationof MPA tutors, management of social practice, and control of class scale, which were all attentivelyresponded byDirector Xu Lin. We learned a great amount of experience in MPA teaching managementand expressed our sincere hope that colleagues with the School of Public Affairsof Zhejiang University could visit Shanghai sometime in the future.
On October 17, tutors from MPA institutions in Shanghai exchanged ideas on teaching theories and practical experience. They discussed MPA teaching cases, establishment ofcase base,and improvement ofBasic Requirements and Evaluation Indicators System of Shanghai MPA Theses. Shanghai MPA Education Steering Committeebriefed on the follow-up work and formulatedfurther specific requirements and arrangement for suggestions on improvements.
The productive Shanghai MPA Teaching Theories and Practice Seminar could help Shanghai to improve its MPA teaching and schooling level, better and fastermeetthe requirements on MPA education posed by metropolis construction,and make its MPA education better and stronger.
Group Photo of Seminar Participants at the School of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University