The year 2008 will witness the 50th Anniversary of the establishment of Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences (SASS). Founded in 1958 and administered by the Municipal Government of Shanghai, SASS is China’s oldest institution for the humanities and social sciences and is the largest one outside the capital of Beijing. SASS is a leading think-tank and distinguished academic institution in China. Although SASS receives most of its funds from the municipal government, it also draws financial support from various non-governmental sources at home and abroad.

Primary Function

SASS has 15 institutes and 19 interdisciplinary centers which conduct theoretical research and applied studies in the humanities and social sciences, with a special focus on important issues arising from the current social and economic transformation and the country’s continual reform and development. With its comprehensive research achievements, SASS contributes greatly to the nation and the municipality through its policy studies for government authorities and training as well as consulting services. Its research findings and publications have been particularly influential with policy-makers as well as with the greater public.

Scale

SASS currently has more than 700 employees, of which 465 are research staff. Among SASS researchers, there are 124 research professors, 133 associate research professors, and 130 assistant research professors, of whom 287 are women staff members.

Structure

SASS is administered by an executive leadership committee, which oversees all academic and administrative affairs. Administrative branches include the Research Coordination Office, International Programs Office (Foreign Affairs Office), Personnel Office, Finance and Accounting Office and Disciplinary Inspection Office, among others. Academic branches under the executive leadership committee include the Academic Oversight Committee and the Academic Advisory Committee.

Executive leadership

Prof. Wang Ronghua (王荣华), President (vice-ministerial level)

Dr. Zuo Xuejin (左学金), Executive Vice-President, Professor of Economics

Dr. Tong Shijun (童世骏), Vice-President, Professor of Philosophy

Dr. Hong Minrong(洪民荣), Vice-President, Professor of Economics

Prof. Shen Guoming (沈国明), Vice-President, Professor of Law

Prof. Xiong Yuezhi (熊月之), Vice-President, Professor of History

Dr. Huang Renwei (黄仁伟), Vice-President, Professor of International Studies

Mr. Xie Jinghui (谢京辉), Vice-President

Disciplinary Research Areas

Through the institutes and interdisciplinary centers, SASS conducts studies in economics, national economy, world economy, law, literature, history, philosophy, information science, journalism, sociology, youth and juvenile studies, religion, demography, international relations, national strategy, and regional development.

Key Research Divisions

Following are the eight current key branches of learning in SASS:

Political Economics, guided by Prof. Zhou Zhenhua

Industrial Economics, guided by Prof. Yang Jianwen

World Economy, guided by Prof. Zhang Youwen

International Relations, guided by Prof. Huang Renwei

Social Transformation and Social Development, guided by Prof. Lu Hanlong

Economic Criminology, guided by Prof. Gu Xiaorong

Shanghai Urban History, guided by Prof. Xiong Yuezhi

Cultural Development, guided by Prof. Xu Ming

Faculties and Institutes

Institute of Economics

Institute of National Economy

Faculty of World Economy and Politics

Institute of World Economy

Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies

Institute of Eurasian Studies

Institute of Literature

Institute of History

Institute of Philosophy

Institute of Information Sciences

Institute of Journalism

Institute of Law

Faculty of Social Development

Institute of Sociology

Institute of Religious Studies

Institute of Youth and Juvenile Studies

Institute of Demography and Development Studies

Interdisciplinary Research Centers

To meet the challenges of social and economic change in China today, SASS has established interdisciplinary centers such as Center for Deng Xiaoping Theory Studies (a guideline for China’s current development), Center for Contemporary Politics of China Studies, Center for Urban and Regional Studies, Center for Shanghai Automobile Industrial Development Strategy Studies, and Center for International Strategic Studies.

SASS has also established other specific centers, programs and teams for studies on priority subjects. These include research centers of the United States, APEC, Australia, Canada, Buddhism, Cultural Development, Developing Countries, Ecological Economics and Sustainable Development, Economic Ethics, Europe, Finance, Human Resources, Hong Kong and Macao, the Internet, Japan, Judaism, Korea, the Middle East, Market Credit, New Zealand, Policies and Strategies, Real Estate, Survey Research, South Asia, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Taiwan, Traditional China, Women’s Issues, etc.

Graduate School

SASS Graduate School enrolls graduate students for master and doctoral programs every year. SASS Graduate School currently has some 500 registered graduate students in different disciplines. Non-Chinese citizens are welcome to apply to our graduate programs.

Library and Press

SASS has a library with a rich collection of old books, newspapers and magazines, a publishing house and an editorial board for social science publications. SASS publishes 13 periodicals, a newspaper and yearbook, in addition to about 150 books on specific research findings annually.

International Academic Exchanges

SASS has a wide international exchange network, having signed long-term exchange agreements with 46 foreign universities and institutions covering Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Israel, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In 2006, 154 SASS scholars traveled abroad for research, lectures and conferences. At the same time, SASS hosted more than 1,500 foreign scholars and experts in 2006. Each year SASS hosts overseas scholars conducting long-term research in residence; most of them are Ph.D. candidates and postdoctoral researchers. SASS has also developed many cooperative projects with foreign counterparts.

Cooperative Work with Foreign Foundations

SASS receives a number of grants from foreign foundations annually. Foreign grants contribute much to SASS research work and cooperative projects with foreign partners.

Conferences and Symposia

SASS sponsored or organized 24 international conferences and symposia in 2006 at the academy level. SASS also holds dozens of lectures, seminars and workshops annually.

Location

SASS main branch is located in Huaihai Zhonglu (Central Huaihai Road), one of Shanghai’s primary commercial districts. Shanghai is China’s most important financial and commercial city with a long history of interaction with foreign countries and cultures, and with dynamic economic and social development. It is an exciting and stimulating city in which to live and work. Public transportation, housing, subways and highways are all conveniently located and easily accessibly.

International Programs Office

SASS International Programs Office （IPO, Foreign Affairs Office）is a functional organization responsible for coordination and administration of international academic exchanges and cooperation. The assignments of SASS International Programs Office are as follows:

Planning and information: overall planning of international exchange and cooperation, revision of the foreign affairs regulations of SASS, financial arrangement of international programs, provision of public information for SASS staff, friends and relevant institutions, publication of SASS papers (English version collection of academic works) and SASS working paper.

International cooperation: oversight of international cooperative projects, organizing international conferences, symposia, seminars and workshops, supervising institutional agreements and management of projects with grants of foreign foundations.

International exchanges: send SASS scholars and students abroad for research, study, etc., receive foreign guests including professors, students, government officials and journalists.

IPO provides relevant services to foreign visitors, such as providing letters of introduction, assisting in visa application, contacting with research sites for interview and meetings, and assisting in locating housing.

Mr. LI Yihai, Director, liyihai@sass.org.cn（李轶海，外事处处长）

Ms. JIN Caihong, Deputy Director, Senior Officer for International Cooperation, irisjin@sass.org.cn（金彩红，外事处副处长，国际合作资深项目官）

Mr. ZHAO Nianguo, Associate Director, Senior Officer for International Exchange,

zng@sass.org.cn（赵念国，外事服务中心副主任，国际交流资深项目官）

Ms. WANG Shengjia, Officer for Collaborative Projects and International Conferences, Jeanne.wang@sass.org.cn（王圣佳，合作课题与国际会议项目官）

Ms. XU Jia, Officer for Institutional Cooperation and Foreign Grants, xujia@sass.org.cn（许 佳，机构合作与外国基金项目官）

Ms. LI Li, Senior Officer for Foreign Visiting Scholars, lili888@sass.org.cn

（李 丽，外国访问学者资深项目官）

Mr. YUAN Xiaobin, Officer for SASS Scholars Abroad and Logistics, yxb@sass.org.cn（袁小兵，因公出国和外事服务项目官）

International Programs Office

Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences

7/622 Huaihai Zhonglu, Shanghai 200020, China

Phone: +86-21-6384 0003

Fax: +86-21-6384 0004

E-mail: ipo@sass.org.cn Website: http://www.sass.org.cn