On the afternoon of May 12, Professors Tang Yalin and Li Ruichang from the School of International Relations and Public Affairs at Fudan University were invited to our institute to deliver specialized lectures on “Learning and Practicing in Government Public Safety Learning Theory” and “Digital Government and Smart Governance,” respectively. The lectures were attended by Professor Xu Chao, Head of the Emergency Management Department, Associate Professors Shi Wei and Chen Jing, Mr. Yu Xiaodong, other faculty members, and students. The event was hosted by Professor Wang Yibao, the Dean.
Dean Wang Yibao warmly welcomed Professors Tang Yalin and Li Ruichang and highlighted their outstanding achievements in their respective research fields. He encouraged the faculty and students to seize this opportunity for exchange, learn about cutting-edge research outcomes, and contribute to the focused development of the School of Emergency Management.
Focusing on “Learning and Practicing in Government Public Safety Learning Theory,” Professor Li Ruichang first provided an overview of crisis learning theory and policy learning theory. Building on this foundation, he introduced the “Public Safety Learning Theory” in the context of China, elaborating on the processes and causes of government public safety learning. He clarified what the government learns and practices, the relationship between learning and practicing, and the reasons behind them. He concluded by stating that government public safety learning involves both learning and practicing, with learning aimed at facilitating practice.
During the interactive session, faculty and students discussed with Professor Li Ruichang issues related to the “campaign-style governance” of production safety and the “event-oriented governance dilemmas.” Professor Tang Yalin also shared his views on the “electric vehicle hazard inspection and rectification,” emphasizing that the frequent use of campaign-style governance in public safety management by the government stems from the fundamental conflict between safety and development. Subsequently, Professor Li Ruichang conducted an in-depth analysis of the dialectical relationship between safety and development. He compared the differences between China and the West in the cognition and management of “risks” and “hazards,” stressing the importance of balancing safety and development in government public safety governance.
Professor Tang Yalin, addressing “Digital Government and Smart Governance,” focused on the innovation of contemporary Chinese government governance paradigms. He discussed the necessity and background of current government digitalization efforts and explained the innovative space and pathways for the digital government’s intelligent transformation. He argued that the contemporary Chinese government governance model needs to evolve in aspects such as concepts, platforms, mechanisms, organizations, understanding, and tools. He also offered insights into the future prospects of smart governance for the government.
