Source: School of Public Administration & Emergency Management  

Author: Xie Tiejiao, Zhou Wenqian  

Date: November 27, 2025  

The 25th Youth Forum on Public Governance – Baiyunshan Mountain Forum was held at Jinan University on November 23. Co-organized by the School of Public Administration & Emergency Management, the forum centered on the theme “Modernizing Urban Governance Systems and Capacity in the New Era.” It brought together experts and scholars from more than 60 universities and research institutions across China, including the Chinese Society of Administration, Tsinghua University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Fudan University, Wuhan University, Nankai University, Sun Yat-sen University, Xiamen University, Shandong University, Sichuan University, and East China Normal University, alongside editors from over ten domestic academic journals.

The forum featured keynote speeches, journal-editor dialogues, and a deans’ forum, facilitating in-depth discussions on contemporary issues in urban governance. Yang Jie, Director of the Social Science Research Department at Jinan University, and Professor Suo Liming, representative of the Youth Forum on Public Governance, delivered opening remarks. The event was chaired by Liao Yong, Party Secretary of the School of Public Administration & Emergency Management.

(Photo: Opening session of the forum)

In his address, Yang Jie outlined Jinan University’s historical legacy and distinctive characteristics as a leading institution for overseas Chinese education, highlighting its recent achievements in humanities and social sciences. He acknowledged the School of Public Administration & Emergency Management’s progress in discipline development and research, noting that the forum’s focus on urban governance modernization holds significant theoretical and practical relevance amid current efforts to advance high-quality urban development.

Professor Suo Liming reviewed the forum’s evolution since its launch in 2014. Having been held 25 times across 21 cities in China, it reflects, in his words, the “loose yet robust” self-organizing dynamism of the academic community. Upholding a commitment to “genuine knowledge, real issues, and substantive discussion,” the forum has served as a key platform for young scholars in public administration. He encouraged emerging academics to maintain intellectual curiosity and continue exploring new frontiers.

Keynote Sessions: Examining Cutting-Edge Topics  

Three keynote speeches addressed resilient cities, grassroots governance, artificial intelligence, and related themes. Professor Jiang Xiaoping (Sichuan University) analyzed the underlying mechanisms and strategies for building safe, reliable, and resilient cities, proposing a multidimensional framework covering engineering, ecological, spatial, and governance resilience. Professor Sun Tao (Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen) explored AI-enabled innovation in metropolitan service governance, introducing a collaborative governance model driven by AI throughout the policy cycle. Professor Mei Ciqi (Tsinghua University) examined how policy pilots can stimulate grassroots innovation, drawing on case studies from local practice. Professor Dai Shengli (Jinan University) discussed the shift from “digital governance” to “environmental intelligent governance” in the digital age and outlined possible pathways forward. Other presentations touched on integrated development of education, technology, and talent; urban governance in the post-truth era; and AI-enhanced public services.

Parallel Forums: Encouraging Interdisciplinary Exchange  

The parallel sessions included a Journal Editors’ Forum, moderated by Wen Meirong, Executive Editor of Administrative Tribune, where editors from 16 journals such as Journal of Public Management discussed trending research topics and emphasized interdisciplinary approaches to knowledge creation. The Deans’ Forum, chaired by Professor Du Baogui, Dean of Wenhua College at Northeastern University, brought together deans from public administration schools at several universities to share insights on supporting young faculty in cross-disciplinary research.

(Photo: Deans’Forum on Public Administration)

At the closing ceremony, Professor Wen Hong (South China University of Technology) and Professor Dai Shengli (Jinan University) summarized the forum’s outcomes. The forum flag was then passed by Professor Dai Shengli to Professor Du Baogui, representing Northeastern University as the host of the 26th edition.

Editor: Li Mei