The School of Public Affairs: An Academic Profile:

Established in 2025, the School of Public Affairs of Zhejiang Shuren University (ZJSRU) was founded on the foundation of Zhejiang Provincial First-Class Discipline in Public Administration. It integrates related disciplines and majors in public service and management, and collaborates with the Institute of Modern Services and the the Non-governmental Higher Education Institute of China to form its structure.

The School of Public Affairs is authorized to confer a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree and comprises five undergraduate majors: Public Affairs Management, Social Work, Home Economics, Property Management, and Geriatric Medicine and Health. Among these, the Public Affairs Management and Social Work majors are recognized as Zhejiang Provincial First-Class Major. The Home Economics major, established in 1994, is one of the earliest of its kind in New China and the only undergraduate program of its kind in Zhejiang Province. The Property Management major is the first undergraduate program in Zhejiang Province to receive international certification. Currently, the School has over 850 students, including more than 20 joint-cultivated graduate students.

The School of Public Affairs adheres to a talent-oriented strategy, actively recruiting a large number of distinguished scholars and doctoral degree holders from both domestic and international sources. This effort has resulted in the formation of a high-level faculty team that is distinctive, strong, and well-structured. The faculty currently comprises 62 staff members, including 55 full-time teachers. Among them, seven hold the title of full professor, ten are associate professors, and ten serve as graduate supervisors. Over 75% of the faculty members hold doctoral degrees. The School is also home to several national and provincial-level talents, including the experts with Special Government Allowance of the State Council, talents of Zhejiang Provincial University Leading Talents, talents of the Zhejiang “151” Talent Project (in the New Century), and “Zhijiang Youth” Social Science Scholars of Zhejiang Province. The School has also employed full-time experts who enjoy the Special Allowance of the State Council, experts Enjoying Special Provincial Government Allowances, and reviewers for the National Social Science Fund.

The School of Public Affairs adheres to an academic-led development strategy, Grounded in the field of Public Administration and serving the major strategic needs of the nation through collaborative research that integrates new liberal arts and new medical disciplines. The School currently hosts two research institutions: the Institute of Modern Services and the Non-governmental Higher Education Institute of China. It also possesses over 10 provincial-level teaching and research platforms, including the Key Research Center of Philosophy and Social Sciences of Zhejiang Province “Zhejiang Modern Service Industry Research Center”, Soft Science Research Base of Department of Science and Technology of Zhejiang Province, “Research Base of Future Community Governance”, the “Five-pronged Poverty Alleviation Measures” Project of the Zhejiang Provincial Development and Reform Commission:“Zhejiang Home Economics Industry-education Integration Innovation and Entrepreneurship Alliance”, the“ ‘Medical, Elderly Care, Nursing and Management’ Integrated Pension Talent Training Base” and the “Zhejiang-Asian Countries Collaborative Union for Training Talents of Medical and Elderly Care” of the Department of Education of Zhejiang Province, the “Zhejiang Provincial Training Base for Geriatric and Home Economics Management Talents”, “Higher Education Alliance for Specialized Talent Training in Property Management of China”, and “Cross-Strait and Hong Kong & Macao Alliance of China for the Development of Non-governmental Education” of the Department of Civil Affairs of Zhejiang Province. Faculty members are currently undertaking more than 20 provincial-level and above projects, including the National Social Science Fund Projects, the Special Projects of the Ministry of Education of China, the Zhejiang Philosophy and Social Science Planning Project, and the Zhejiang Provincial Soft Science Research Program Project. Research achievements have garnered two second-place awards in the Zhejiang Provincial Philosophy and Social Science Outstanding Achievement Awards, with over 20 research items receiving affirmative endorsements from leaders at the provincial or ministerial level and above, and being adopted by the government.

The School of Public Affairs adheres to a talent-centered development strategy, focusing on educational reform and implementing industry-education integration to cultivate talent. It has established several industry-oriented institutes and laboratories, including the Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Elderly Care and Home Economics, the Institute of China-Philippines Home Economics, the Qicai Shuren Future Community Operations Institute, the Institute of Greentown Intelligent Property Industry, and the Home economics and Coming community LAB. The School has invested nearly 20 million yuan in building professional experimental and training centers on campus, such as the “Public Administration Virtual Simulation and Intelligent Data Center”, the “Intelligent Property Engineering Experimental Training Room”, and the “Digital People's Livelihood Training Center”. It has also established over 30 off-campus internship bases with various party and government departments and enterprises at the provincial, municipal, and county levels. The School runs specialized classes in cooperation with enterprises, such as the Health and Elderly Care Service Administration Micro Major (Innovation Class), Greentown Property Class, Binjiang Property Class, and Kerry Property Class. The student employment rate exceeds 96%. The School has successively held three Zhejiang Home Economics Industry-education Integration Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competitions. In recent years, student science and technology teams have won over 50 provincial-level and above awards in competitions such as the “Challenge Cup” Chinese College Student Entrepreneurship Plan Competition, the College Students’ “Internet+” Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, the National Undergraduate Engineering Practice and Innovation Ability Competition, the Provincial Undergraduate Engineering Practice and Innovation Ability Competition of Zhejiang, and the Provincial College Students Career Planning Competition of Zhejiang. Over 200 student participants engage in various academic competitions annually and have secured numerous awards, including multiple projects such as the First Prize for Outstanding Survey Reports in the Zhejiang Provincial College Students' Summer Social Practice.

The School of Public Affairs actively engages in international cooperation and exchange, establishing strong collaborative relationships with renowned universities and research institutions in regions including Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan of China, as well as in South Korea, Japan, Pakistan, Malaysia, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, and Italy.

The School of Public Affairs is oriented towards the future, with broad prospects and a bright outlook, and is well-positioned for a promising future with ample room for growth and development. Under the guidance of strong party building, all faculty members work together with one heart and one mind, committed to building the School into a distinctive and exemplary institution.

Profile of Dean Zhou Chaocheng:

Zhou Chaocheng, a member of the Communist Party of China, holds a doctoral degree jointly conferred by the University of Tokyo and East China Normal University. As a distinguished academic, he currently serves as a professor and a supervisor of master’s degree. He is the Dean of the School of Public Affairs of Zhejiang Shuren University (ZJSRU), Secretary-General of the Institute of Non-governmental Higher Education, director of the Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree program, and head of the Public Administration discipline in Zhejiang Province. Dr. Zhou has been selected as one of the first batch of “Zhijiang Youth” Social Science Scholars in Zhejiang Province, the Middle-aged and Young Discipline Leader, and the talents of the Zhejiang “151” Talent Project (in the New Century). Throughout his career, he has held various significant positions, including Deputy Director of the Academic Affairs Office, Deputy Dean of the School of Modern Services, Party Secretary of the School of Humanities and the School of Health and Social Management, Director of the Organization and Personnel Department, and Director of the Department of Discipline Construction and Development Planning of ZJSRU. Additionally, he serves as the Deputy Chairman and Secretary-General of the Research Branch of the China Association for Non-Government Education (CANGE).

Dr. Zhou has long been engaged in the study of public administration and higher education. He has led and participated in over 20 research projects at the national and provincial levels and has published more than 40 academic papers. His contributions have been recognized with several prestigious awards, including the Third Prize of the Fourth National Education Science Research Outstanding Achievement Award, the First Prize of Zhejiang Provincial Teaching Achievement Award, and the First Prize of the Zhejiang Provincial Philosophy and Social Science Research Achievement Award.