Source: School of Government
Written by: School of Government
Edited by: Wang Dongmei

On the afternoon of May 29, 2018, the Ceremony for Professor Xia Shuzhang to Receive the Senior Alumni Award from Harvard Kennedy School was held at Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU). The ceremony was hosted by Professor Xiao Bin, Dean and Party Secretary of the School of Government at SYSU. Professor Chen Chunsheng, Secretary of SYSU Party Committee, Professor Robin McLay from Harvard University, Mr. Xie Weiguang, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Yuexiu District Committee and Chief of Yuexiu United Front Work Department, and some faculty members from the School of Government attended the ceremony and witnessed such a glorious event.
 

 The ceremony
 

Mr. Xie Weiguang made a speech first. He spoke highly of Professor Xia Shuzhang for giving up the preferential treatment in the USA and returning to contribute to the higher education of his motherland. It is of great importance to unite all the overseas Chinese, returned overseas Chinese and the family members of overseas Chinese.

The representative of Harvard University, Professor Robin McLay from the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development, highly acknowledged and praised the tremendous contribution of Professor Xia Shuzhang to China’s public administration education. He presented the Senior Alumni Award to Professor Xia Shuzhang on behalf of Harvard Kennedy School.

Professor Chen Chunsheng congratulated Professor Xia Shuzhang on receiving the award. He pointed out that one of the most important attributes of Professor Xia is his love for the motherland. Professor Xia has always cared about the development of our country, as well as the development of education and the adademic discipline. Professor Xia’s contribution to the university and the country was not only about his academic achievement but also, more importantly, his personality style of a highly accomplished scholar who is nurtured by both traditional Chinese culture and modern education.

Professor Xia Shuzhang gave his remarks at the end of the ceremony. He expressed his heartfelt thanks to Harvard Kennedy School. Harvard University and Sun Yat-sen University  have long-term relations. Professors like Xiao Bin, Guo Weiqing and other young scholars from the School of Government at SYSU all visited Harvard University and Harvard-Yenching Institute. The medical schools at the two universities also have cooperation programs. He hoped that the two universities will conduct more extensive and in-depth exchanges and cooperation in the future.

Professor Xia Shuzhang is the first Chinese student to receive a Master of Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School. After he graduated from college in 1943, Xia Shuzhang went to study at Harvard and received his MPA degree in 1946. Then he returned to the motherland, devoting himself to higher education in China, with unmatchable contribution to China’s public administration education and state governance development.