R&D >> Research Institutions >> Permanent Scientific Research Organizations
1. International Economics and Trade Research Institute
The International Economics and Trade Research Institute of Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade, originally referred to as Foreign Economics and Trade Institute, was established on Oct.24, 1984 under the approval of the then Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, and started to adopt the present name as of December 31, 1996.
Deputy Director Mr. Shen Dayong is currently in charge of the Institute.
The Institute has initiated two academic journals: 《International Business Research》 and 《WTO Focus》.
The Institute also has a reference room---the Reference Room of WTO Research and Education, which used to be the GATT Library established in 1991. At that time, some experts and scholars from SIFT and Shanghai Customs College established Shanghai GATT Research Center, which received support from the GATT headquarters with the provision of books and reference materials. Since the GATT developed into WTO in 1995, the WTO headquarters in Geneva has continued mailing books and reference materials from time to time, on the basis of which the Reference Room of WTO Research and Education was founded.
The Institute also houses Shanghai WTO Research Center and the Secretariat of Shanghai Association of International Trade.
2. The Society of WTO Research and Development -----SWORD
The Society of WTO Research & Development was established under the generous support of all parties and with the approval of SIFT president’s office meeting. It is an institute-level academic organization committed to researching and developing China’s accession strategies.
Based on the guideline of “Seeking for extensive knowledge and profound scholarship”, the society keeps on conducting overall studies, researches and innovations to China’s accession from all angles and in a variety of ?fields. Shanghai Institute of Foreign trade aims to erect the leading flag in researching and developing China’s accession strategies for Shanghai, or even for the whole China.
The Society’s president is Dr. Wang Xinkui, also the president of Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade. Its executive president is Dr. Liu Guangxi, a senior WTO expert.
3. Trade and Development Research Society of Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade
Trade and Development Research Society of Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade
is an institute-level research organization authorized by SIFT and led by Dr. Wang Xinkui, president of the Society. It is currently operated under the membership system. Most members come from SIFT teaching staff, who are either Ph. Ds or Ph. D candidates and who love to do scientific research work. At due time, the Society will also take in researchers with a doctoral degree from other universities, governmental organs or enterprises as external members. Currently, there are more than 70 members in the Society, all from the SIFT teaching staff.
The Society depends totally on the autonomic management by members. The members’ congress is the highest organ of its power. When the Society is not in session, its power will be executed by the standing council, which has 7 members currently. The secretariat under the council is responsible for the routines of the Society, with a secretary-general held by Mr. Ni Shoubin, Doctor of Law, and a deputy secretary-general held by Mr. Xu Kai, Doctor of Literature. The secretary-general’s office is located on SIFT campus.
The Trade and Development Research Society of Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade is devoted to interdisciplinary research and advocates the Team research and sustained research by Ph. Ds. The Society is pursuing the goal of first-class innovations and sticks to the research style of combining theory with practice. Each year, the Society initiates a project bidding, with the total number of subsidized projects not surpassing four, and they will be appropriated from the Institute’s special fund. The Society has established a strict project bidding and appraising system and adopts an anonymous appraising approach. After the bids are won, the academic committee of the Society will keep on supervising and conducting irregular spot checks to the process of the projects. All the projects will be managed in Project Chief System, and the academic committee will initiate random interviews and sample checks to the participants’ involvement in the projects and will give marks according to the project process, project chiefs’ and participants’ attitudes towards the research and their contribution to the Society. All this will be regarded as an important reference for the following year’s bidding. The Society also holds annual meetings to display and appraise its members’ achievements, and will award ‘Achievement Prize of Trade and Development Society’ to the outstanding members.
