Report on Scientific Collaborations with Renmin University of China

Reflections and debate on the 40th Anniversary of the School of Labor and Human Resources of Renmin University of China. A large day-long event took place on October 4, 2023 at Renmin University, Beijing, China. Since its creation, GLO had annual research conferences with the School, the 6th RUC-GLO conference took place on October 7-8, 2023. However, GLO President Klaus F. Zimmermann had organized international collaborations and exchange with the School already over a period of three decades before in his previous roles as Founding Director of IZA Bonn (for two decades) and his tenure as Professor and Director of SELPO at the University of Munich (in the decade before).

Consequently, the GLO President was one of the main (and the only foreign) speakers among a long list of distinguished authorities during the morning (19 speeches) congratulating the School for its rise to excellence, success and international recognition. Zimmermann said: “I extend my heartfelt congratulations on your decades of escalating success! The success reflects your commitment to advancing science, particularly in the field of economics through research and policy advice. Your contributions through international visibility and collaborations are commendable. Since its establishment in 1983, the School has grown into a leading institution in labor research and education in China with global recognition. One of its notable achievements includes the creation of China’s first research program for a PhD degree in labor economics in 1994, among many others. The School has made significant strides in areas such as employment, income distribution, labor relations, human resource development and management, social security, and more.”

The presentations in the afternoon discussed the evolution of the discipline and the contributions the School was engaged with. In this context, Klaus F. Zimmermann gave a speech on “Family Economics: From Constraints to Preferences and Stereotypes” reviewing also the collaborative work he has done and is still doing with Chinese researchers. He further detailed the long-term contacts he has been involved with and thanked in particular former Dean Xiangquan Zeng and current Dean Zhong Zhao for the many years of successful collaborations.

In a special speech, Dean Zhong Zhao honored Xiangquan Zeng and Klaus F. Zimmermann in the name of the School for their long-term strong efforts to foster scientific collaborations with a certificate (see below).

On Friday October 6, 2023 Xiangquan Zeng gave an opening speech at the 2023 Annual Meeting of the Chinese Labor Society which also took place at Renmin University of China. Klaus F. Zimmermann was invited to deliver a keynote lecture on “Migrant Local Identity and Labor Market Success”.

October 4, 2023; Morning Session.

40th Anniversary of the School of Labor and Human Resources of Renmin University of China: Building a Discipline of Labor Economics and Management with Chinese Characteristics

First row GLO Fellows Yang Du & Desheng Lai; second row, right Zhong Zhao, Dean of the School (and GLO Fellow) on his way to provide his speech at the end of the morning celebrations.

October 4, 2023; Afternoon Session.

40th Anniversary of the School of Labor and Human Resources of Renmin University of China: Global Forum of Labor Economics and Management Disciplines