Empowering Future Leaders: Sun Yat-sen University MPA in Chinese Governance for Global South of Year 2025
I Program Introduction
1. Brief introduction
1) Degree Education Programs Sponsored by Ministry of Commerce PRC
Academic Education Programs sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce of People’s Republic of China started in 2008, which is designed to foster high-end, business officials and managerial personnel for developing countries, offering one-year and two-year master programs as well as three-year doctoral programs for the purpose of educating high-end, interdisciplinary and applied talents in the fields of politics, economy and trade, diplomacy, agriculture, science, education, culture and health, energy and transportation, and public administration etc., building intellectual capacity and facilitating the economic and social development of the developing countries.
These programs provide assistance to governmental officials, research fellows, and senior managerial personnel on their master’s and doctorate education in China, which are fully conducted in English. Admission requirements include a bachelor’s degree, relevant working experiences, and healthy physical conditions, which is essential for the intense study required for the degrees.
As a result of the positive effects brought by these programs in strengthening economic ties and friendship between China and other developing countries, these programs are highly valued by the local government.
The program provided by Sun Yat-sen University is based on Chinese governance, leading students to explore Chinese public management and policies from the five dimensions of society, economy, history and culture, law, and politics.
We insist on inheriting the tradition of Sun Yat-sen University, highlighting the characteristics of the Chinese MPA degree, exploring the experience of “Chinese governance” and promoting the Chinese road in the overall process of program operation. In the teaching arrangements, we strive to guarantee teaching quality and scientifically organize courses. In addition, our university makes full use of regional advantages to arrange social practice for students: one course fieldwork for each professional course, and social practice outside the province before graduation.
2) Prospective Students
Our prospective students are government officials at or above the department level, the head of an academic institution at or above the dean level, or an administrative officer from other public sectors of a comparable level, who have demonstrated superior performance in their work and sufficient English proficiency to conduct their study. By the time of matriculation, each must have obtained an undergraduate bachelor’s degree.
3) Program Objective
To foster high-end, interdisciplinary and applied talents in the fields of politics and public administration; to foster leaders with solid policy analysis skills and a global perspective who can handle complex national affairs.
4) Admission Plan
In 2025, the MPA-CGDC program plans to enroll up to 25 students, which will last for one academic year, and the teaching language is English.
5) Scholarship Coverage
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce will provide “Chinese Government Scholarships” to admitted students from developing countries. The scholarship covers both tuition and living expenses, and the school offers free accommodation during the one-year study duration. The school will purchase medical insurance for students coming to China.
The scholarship also includes one-round-trip international airfare for all students (one time per year set at the end of an academic year). In terms of living expenses, it is 36000RMB/year for each master’s student (paid monthly according to the student’s actual time in China). There is also a settlement allowance of 3000RMB/person, which is a one-time payment (settlement allowance is only paid when students arrive in China).
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce only offers scholarships during the normal study period, i.e. the scholarship covers ONLY one year’s tuition, accommodation (utility bills are NOT covered by the scholarship), and monthly stipends. The scholarship will NOT be offered if students need to extend their study period.
2. University introduction
1) Sun Yat-sen University
Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU for short), founded by Dr. Sun Yat-sen and with an educational tradition spanning over 100 years, is a preeminent research, academic and cultural center and the premier location for talent development in South China. Under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, and strongly supported by both the Ministry and Guangdong Province, SYSU has developed into a modern comprehensive university that enjoys a reputation as a top-tier university nationally and a renowned university internationally.
With five campuses in the three cities of Guangzhou, Zhuhai and Shenzhen, and ten affiliated hospitals, the University is striving to become a world-class university and global center of learning.
Built on a solid multidisciplinary foundation of humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, medical sciences, and engineering, SYSU is propelled forward by the continuous pursuit of academic innovation.
SYSU has a strong academic faculty, with 4619 full-time teachers, including 1839 with senior titles and 2303 with deputy senior titles; there are 2285 postdoctoral and full-time scientific researchers and 990 professional and technical personnel.
Since 2011 Fall, SYSU has been offering a one-year, full-time Master of Public Administration-Chinese Governance for Developing Countries (MPA-CGDC for short) program in English
2) School of Government
The School of Government (SOG) is one of the leading centers for teaching, studying and research in public administration, political science, social policy and land resources management in the PRC. SOG consists of a Department of Political Science and a Department of Public Administration as well as research centers and institutes related to these two fields, among which the Center for Public Administration Research is the sole research base designated by the Ministry of Education in the field of public administration in the country, and has gathered many distinguished professors in this field.
SOG has an internationalized team of young faculty members, including 20 professors, 23 associate professors, 5 lecturers, and 5 postdoctoral and full-time scientific researchers. More than half of the faculty hold overseas doctoral degrees and over 90% have international research experience.
3) Living Environment and Campus Facilities
Students of the MPA-CGDC program study on the East Campus in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province.
Clothes:
Guangdong is in the southernmost of mainland China, and most of it has a subtropical climate. The rainy season lasts from April to September. The annual average temperature is 21.8℃. The coldest month is January with an average temperature of 13.3℃, while the hottest month is July with an average temperature of 28.5℃.
Dressing guide | Spring (March to May) | Summer (May to September) | Fall (September to December) | Winter (December to January) |
Thin jacket and sweater | Summer wear (bring rain gear with you as it rains often) | Shirt and jacket | Sweater and thick coat |
Accommodation:
MPA-CGDC students will live in the International Student Dormitory. Each room has a balcony, independent bathroom (including shower), air conditioning, and Internet socket (no computer provided). For your safety, high-power appliances like electric stoves are prohibited in the room.
Dinning:
Guangzhou is famous for its delicacies. Students can dine in all cafeterias on five campuses with their campus cards. There are also numerous affordable dining options near the university.
3. Academic Plan
1) Course Arrangement
a) Module 1: Compulsory Courses (18 credits)
Course Title | Credit | Major Content |
Governance and Development: Global Perspective, East Asia and China | 3 | This course analyzes representative urban development cases and studies public governance theories and governance models. |
Public Administration Innovation | 3 | This course introduces the basic concepts, problems and innovative ideas of public management. |
Theories of Policy-making Process | 3 | This course introduces the decision-making mode of China’s public policy and analyzes the reasons for its formation. |
Research Ethics and Thesis Writing | 3 | This course introduces different research methods and cultivates students’ ability to conduct independent research. |
History, Culture and Economic Development: World Experiences and Chinese Characteristics | 3 | This course explores the formation of the Chinese experience from historical and cultural perspectives. |
Introduction to Chinese Government and Politics | 3 | This course analyzes the basic characteristics of the Chinese government and politics from a historical perspective. |
b) Module 2: Elective Courses (choose at least 4 from the following 13 courses, 12 credits)
Course Title | Credit | Major Content |
Government Innovation, Corporate Development and the Market Economy | 3 | The course analyzes China’s economic reform after 1978 and its impact on developing countries. |
Public Financial Management | 3 | The course introduces and analyzes China’s theory and experience in the field of public financial management. |
Human Resource Management in the Public Sector | 3 | This course discusses the human resource management model of public sector. |
Social Policy and Social Development | 3 | This course discusses the major changes in the field of social policy and its impact on the social development of contemporary society. |
Leadership and Strategic Management of the Public Sector | 3 | This course introduces and analyzes the theoretical and practical principles of public sector leadership and strategic management. |
E-Governance | 3 | This course analyzes the impact of technology in the field of public administration and its advantages and disadvantages. |
Urban Management in China | 3 | This course analyzes and introduces the basic theory of urban governance and the experience of urban governance in China |
Legal System and Socio-Economic Development: The Experience from China | 3 | This course introduces the development of China’s legal system after the reform and opening up and examines the historical, political, and economic background that promoted its legalization. |
A Comparative Study on Labor Relations in Asian, African, and European Countries | 3 | This course, based on the classic theories of industrial relations and labor studies, conducts a comparative study of the labor relations systems of Asian, European, and African countries. |
Nonprofit Management | 3 | This course introduces the cooperation between the public sector and social organizations and promotes the latter to play an important role in public services, public policy making, etc. |
Integrity Governance and Global Practices | 3 | This course introduces the experience and lessons of integrity governance from a global comparative perspective. |
China’s Urban Labor Market Reform and Employment | 3 | This course introduces China’s experience and achievements in labor market reform. |
Chinese Language | 2 | This course introduces basic knowledge of Chinese, daily communication phrases, and Chinese culture. |
Classes will incorporate a mix of lectures, seminars, case discussions, tutorials, and presentations.
c) Course Setting
In order to enable the students to acquire the knowledge of public administration systematically, have a comprehensive understanding of the governance experience of the Chinese government, and be able to effectively deal with complex political, economic and social management issues in their future work practice, the course setting of this program is based on public management, covering five dimensions of politics, economy, society, law and history and culture.
The MPA-CGDC program consists of 3 semesters of full-time academic study, including 6 compulsory courses with 3 credits each; and no less than 4 electives with 2 or 3 credits each. All courses are taught in English by SOG’s experienced faculties.
In addition to classroom teaching, each course of the program arranges a field trip related to the topic, so that students can fully understand the course content and build a solid foundation for students to apply what they have learned from the program in their future work practice.
d) Faculty
Instructor’s Name | Instructor’s Degree Conferring Institution |
Prof. LIU Yaping | PhD at Sun Yat-sen University, Fulbright scholar |
Prof. WANG Qiushi | PhD at University of Nebraska at Omaha |
Prof. XIA Ying | PhD at Chinese University of Hong Kong |
Prof. YE Lin | PhD at University of Louisville |
Prof. ZHOU Yan | PhD at Sun Yat-sen University |
Prof. ZHU Yapeng | PhD at City University of Hong Kong |
Prof. CHEN Cheng | PhD at Birmingham University |
Prof. CHEN Na | PhD at Ohio State University |
Prof. CHAN Wingkit | PhD at University of York |
Prof. QIN Jing | PhD at University of Freiburg |
Prof. ZHENG Yueping | PhD at Rutgers University |
Prof. ZHONG Xiaohui | PhD at University of Hong Kong |
Prof. ZHU Lin | PhD at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology |
Prof. DING Hui | PhD at University of Heidelberg |
Prof. LUO Siqi | PhD at Goethe University Frankfurt |
Prof. WANG Haining | PhD at Macquarie University |
Prof. CHEN Wenna | PhD at City University of Hong Kong |
Prof. LIU Zejin | PhD at KU Leuven |
Prof. QI Yunlei | PhD at University of Minnesota Twin Cities |
Prof. TONG Zhichao | PhD at University of Toronto, Canada |
Prof. YANG Sunny L. | PhD at City University of Hong Kong |
2) Teaching Method
This program applies multidisciplinary perspectives emphasizing both theoretical and methodological training to improve the understanding of the origin, development, and approaches of Chinese governance. Our highly interactive and collaborative courses combine lectures, seminars, case-studies and fieldwork.
During the academic classroom studies, each student will have a chance to conduct field work to study the practical operation of Chinese public agencies or non-government organizations. SOG will arrange fieldwork for all students and each student is required to write fieldwork report with topics based on the fieldwork experience as well as the final graduation thesis.
3) Semester Schedule
The MPA-CGDC program consists of 3 semesters of full-time academic work and 1 semester of thesis writing and defense. The actual class time for each semester is 9 weeks, a separate arrangement is made for the course fieldwork.
4) Thesis
a) Specific Requirements for Thesis
In order to obtain an MPA degree, students must write a thesis and successfully defend their thesis orally.
The thesis is expected to combine theoretical perspectives and empirical analytic skills. A comparative analysis is preferred, but not required.
b) Specific Requirements for Thesis Defense
The Master’s Degree Thesis Defense Committee is composed of 3-5 people and requires the participation of experts from other organizations.
5) Degree Conferral
A degree on Master of Public Administration will be conferred upon a candidate in the master program after his/her successful completion of required Chinese language proficiency, credits and degree thesis.
Note: In accordance with the latest regulations given by Ministry of Education, upon graduation, students should meet the language level requirements of the document issued by the Ministry of Education on The Quality Standard of Higher Education for International Students in China (Trial).
II. Application
1. Qualification of Applicants
All applicants must meet the following admission requirements:
- ● Applicants should be non-Chinese nationals from developing countries and hold a valid private ordinary passport.
- ●Applicants should be government officials at or above director level, academic institution leaders above director level in colleges or departments or administrators at equivalent level.
- ● Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification.
- ●Applicants must be under 45 years old (born after September 1, 1980) and have over three years of working experience in relevant fields.
- ●Applicants must be proficient in English. Non-native English speakers or candidates whose undergraduate education was not conducted in English are required to submit an effective English proficiency proof (reference standard: IELTS score of 6.0 and above, or new TOEFL score of 80 and above).
- ●Only applicants recommended by the Economic and Commercial Counselor’s Office of Chinese Embassy in the country that accords with the candidate’s nationality will be considered.
- ●All applicants shall be in healthy physical conditions and carry no infectious diseases which may have a serious impact on public health or fall into any of the health situations prohibited by China’s Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Laws and Regulations. Applicants with severe hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer or other severe chronic disease, mental illness or disease that are likely to cause serious harm to public health, severe limb disability will not be allowed. In addition, people who are in major surgical recovery period and acute attack period or in pregnancy cannot get access to this program. If one becomes pregnant while studying in China, the student will be dropped out.
- ●Applicants with the potential for career development in this field, who is committed to promoting friendly exchanges and cooperation between the home country and China are preferred.
- ●Students who are studying in China or have been admitted to other Chinese government scholarship programs may not apply.
2. Procedure of Application
1) Application to Sun Yat-sen University
Visit http://iso.sysu.edu.cn and click “Application” to log in, submit online the completed SYSU Application Form for International Students.
Step 1: Register for an account with your frequently used Email;
Step 2: Log in your email and activate the account;
Step 3: Log in the system and fill out the forms step by step and submit it online;
Step 4: Download and print out the Application Form. Sign your name on the last page.
Note:
● Choose your program: Master of Public Administration-Chinese Governance for Developing Countries 2025.
● A digital photo is required to upload online.
2）Materials
Documents | Requirements | copy | |
1 | Application Forms | SYSU Application Form: | 1 |
2 | Formal Bachelor degree certificates | 1. Graduation certificate and degree diploma must be original documents or notarized copies either in Chinese or English. 2. If applicant has not graduated, a certificate letter from the current university indicating the date of graduation is required | 1 |
3 | Official Transcripts | 1. The transcripts must be original documents or notarized copies either in Chinese or English. 2. The transcripts should include list of courses taken and standard achieved. | 1 |
4 | Plan of Study and Research in China | Personal statement must be written in English and be some 1500 words in length. It shall cover such essential elements as applicant’s academic background, work experience, achievements, and future career plans, including a research plan at Sun Yat-sen University. (Attachment 1) | 1 |
5 | CV | In English. The content should be about personal background, academic experience after high school, and working experience. | 1 |
6 | Recommendation Letters of Working Institution | iven by a superior in the institution where the applicant works; the letter should introduce the basic information of applicant, and state that he or she is willing to recommend the applicant for the program. Original file in Chinese or English is required. | 1 |
7 | Two Academic recommendation Letters | Given by TWO individuals, with signature (such as associate professor or professor level et al., with effective contact required) which introduces the academic background, research ability and past academic achievements of the applicant. Original file in Chinese or English is required. (Attachment 2) | 2 |
8 | English Language Proficiency Test Results | Applicants who are not native English speakers or whose undergraduate education was not conducted in English shall provide effective an IELTS or TOEFL certificate, or proof of having taken any English-taught program issued by the graduation institution. Original file in Chinese or English is required. | 1 |
9 | Photocopy of a Valid Passport | The passport must be a personal regular passport. | 1 |
10 | Physical Examination Form and Result | The health form shall be issued within one months before the submission date, showing that the applicant carries no infectious diseases which may have a serious impact on public health or fall into any of the health situations prohibited by China’s Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Laws and Regulations (the form is only valid when with the official stamp on the applicant’s photo). (Attachment 3) | 1 |
11 | Recent bareheaded photo | 2-inch bareheaded photo with white background in recent 3 months | 1 |
12 | Non-criminal Record | Please consult relevant departments in your country and issue the official and valid record with official stamp | 1 |
13 | Degree Confirmation Report | Applicants who graduated from universities outside mainland China must hold a bachelor’s degree from an institution accredited by the Chinese Ministry of Education. Please visit website http://zwfw.cscse.edu.cn/, and apply for the confirmation report. | 1 |
3）Submission
a) Students may apply for the scholarship program only after obtaining the approval and recommendation of the relevant responsible department of their government, and submit materials according to the specific requirements of the relevant departments in the country in which they are located.
b) Where the host government allows individual students to submit materials directly to Chinese embassies, the students are required to hold a certificate or letter of recommendation from the host country approving permission to study in China, and submit all the application materials listed in the above table in both hard copy(original file required if mentioned) and scanned digital copy to the Economic and Commercial Counselor’s Office of Chinese Embassy. For emails and addresses of the Economic and Commercial Counselor’s Offices, please visit http://www.china-aibo.cn.
c) The relevant responsible department of the host government of the applicant should submit a written request to the Economic and Commercial Counselor’s Office of Chinese Embassy for an official recommendation letter for the applicant, and clearly state in the letter:
● Whether the applicant is willing to be considered for a similar program at other universities if the quota is already full.
● Other special requests if any.
Reminders:
a) All the documents to be submitted should be in Chinese or English. Otherwise, a notarized copy in Chinese or English is required.
b) In addition to submitting copies, the applicant should also submit the original files of documents such as certificate of graduation, certificate of degree, transcripts and language level certificate to the Commercial Affairs Department of the Chinese Embassy for the purpose of verification. After the verification, the applicant should scan and send all the application materials to the contact person at both the university and the school.
c) All the paper documents (including original files and copies) will be given back to the applicant after verification by the Commercial Affairs Department of the Chinese Embassy. The applicant should keep them properly, and once admitted, bring those documents to the appointed section at the university and keep in the archives.
3. Deadline of Application
The application deadline is June 6, 2025.
III Contact and Other Important Information
1. Office of International Students’ Affairs, Sun Yat-sen University
Information Website: http://iso.sysu.edu.cn
Application Website: https://apply.sysu.edu.cn/login
Inquiry Tel: (0086) 20-8411 0819
Email: admissions@mail.sysu.edu.cn
Mail Address: Office for International Students’ Affairs
Sun Yat-sen University 135 Xingangxi Road, Guangzhou, 510275, P.R.China
2. School of Government, Sun Yat-sen University
Website: http://sog.sysu.edu.cn/
Inquiry Tel: (0086) 20-3933 6953
Fax: (0086) 20-3933 2348
Email: mpacgdc@mail.sysu.edu.cn
Mail Address: Room C212B, School of Government, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 132, Waihuan East Road, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, 510006, P.R. China
Attention:
A. All the application materials will not be returned no matter the applicant is accepted or not.
B. The Chinese government will not provide any further explanation on the admission results.
C. The student’s spouse and children are not allowed to accompany him/her studying in China. Scholarships do not provide any fees for a spouse or children to visit him/her in China.
D. Detailed procedures and requirements related to studying at SYSU will be mentioned in the admission documents.
Source: https://iso.sysu.edu.cn/en/application/scholarship/1418949.htm
Related: Admissions in China