China Program Celebrates 10 Years and Readies for More
Ten years and going strong—that was the reason for the celebration in Beijing on July 16 that brought together representatives from the University of Georgia, the Beijing Administrative College, the U.S. Embassy, the Beijing Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security, Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG), and Georgia Municipal Association (GMA).
For the past decade, the Vinson Institute’s International Center has been active in the professional development of China’s municipal and provincial managers through its China Public Management Training Program. About 20 managers from Shanghai made up the first group to participate in the program. Since then, more than 1,200 participants from seven provinces have received training in public management so that they might help build more efficient and responsive governments.
Quite a few notable faces were on hand at the ceremony recognizing the program’s 10th anniversary, including Bill Floyd, immediate past president of GMA; Melvin Davis, incoming president of ACCG; U.S. Embassy Sr. Cultural Affairs Officer Tony Hutchinson; Vice President of the Beijing Administrative College Lui Yang; UGA Interim Vice President for Public Service and Outreach Steve Wrigley; and Interim Vinson Institute Director Jennifer Frum.
Also in attendance were alumni from each of the 10 years since the program’s inception, several of whom were speakers during the ceremony. Alumna Cao Kun from the Hai Dian Human Resources and Social Security Bureau spoke about how her enhanced professional development had led to promotions in her organization and opportunities to accept greater job responsibility.
Even after training so many managers, the Vinson Institute’s program is only accelerating its efforts to help China’s local governments improve leadership. This year, an unprecedented eight delegations from Qinghai, Tianjin, Sichuan, Jiangxi, Shanghai, Beijing, and Shaanxi will go through training. In addition, Vinson Institute faculty and officials from local, state, and federal government were in China for three weeks prior to the ceremony to teach courses in four cities.
The Institute’s Rob McDowell and Gordon Maner were joined by Susan Ridley, director of the Georgia Finance and Investment Commission; Georgia Emergency Management Agency Director Charley English; Jeannie Layson from the U.S. Federal Elections Commission; Cobb County Support Services Agency Director Virgil Moon; and Marietta City Manager Bill Bruton. In addition to topics usually addressed in the program, they explored emergency disaster management, environmental policy, and metropolitan city management.
Participants in the China Pubic Management Training Program typically undergo two phases of training. During the first phase, Vinson Institute faculty and local and state government officials from Georgia travel to China for a week to teach lessons in budgeting and finance, human resource management, community development, and other subjects.
Phase two of the program brings the Chinese public managers to Georgia for two to three weeks during which they not only attend additional classes but engage in cultural experiences. From the beginning, the cultural exchange has been a major component of the program.
