The beginning of March also dates a beginning of a new spring semester for the Master of China Studies Program. While first-year students start to get enrolled in new classes, second-year students enter the final phase of thesis writing. 

As the first class of the semester, our new course "Public Policy and Science, Technology and Innovation Policy" started on March 1, Friday and is instructed by Dr. Francesco Silvestri. Dr. Francesco is Acting Director for China of the TOChina Hub and a 2013 alumnus of the MCS Program. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Cooperation and Development and a Master of Science in International Sciences (Global and China Studies track) from the University of Turin and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Politics from Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies in Italy. Currently, Dr. Francesco is Contracted Associate Professor of "Comparative Public Policy" at the School of International Relations and Diplomacy of Beijing Foreign Studies University too.

The aforementioned course is designed to give an introduction to policy-making, provide the basic conceptual tools for the understanding and critical evaluation of public policies as they take shape in different national contexts (focusing especially on China) and functional domains (focusing mainly on science, technology and innovation). The curriculum also includes knowledge about the political and legal context of policy-making supported with theory and practical skills.

We wish good luck and a healthy and successful semester to all students!