SSDPP Prof. Wang Xinsong shared views on China, Africa and Development with Students of Brandeis University

More than 40 students and faculty members from Brandeis University attended a panel discussion, themed on China, Africa and Development, joint-handedly facilitated by Prof. Wang Xinsong from SSDPP, Prof. Joseph Assan and Prof. Susan Holcombe from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management of Brandeis University on December 4, 2013.

The panel discussion evolved from the three questions that westerners are most interested in on the subject, namely, “What is the nature of growing Chinese involvement in Africa?”, “What are the advantages of the Chinese approach for Africa?”, and “What does African leadership need to do to take best advantage of Chinese financing?” The audience and speakers engaged in in-depth discussion on the subject and beyond. Audience also expressed their appreciation of the value of having the chance to talk to a Chinese scholar face-to-face, which, as they claim, helps greatly in improving their understanding of China.

The roundtable discussion also marks the end of Prof. Wang Xinsong’s two months’ visit to Heller School, after he completed his teaching on the course Local Governance in Rural China there as the school’s Feldman Engaged Scholar and Visiting Lecturer.

SSDPP has long-term collaboration with the Heller School for Social Policy and Management of Brandeis University in the areas of research programs, and student and faculty exchanges.

U.S. News and World Report has ranked the Heller School for Social Policy and Management in the top ten schools of social policy in its 2013 rankings. The World Bank lists the Heller School as one of eight training institutions in the United States approved to host World Bank Scholars pursuing graduate degrees.  

(The article is written by Yang Tingting. Student of CFP 2011 class Luo Di also contributed to the article. )