The International Public Policy and Management (IPPAM) program at the USC Price School of Public Policy hosted 20 senior-level government officials from Shenzhen, China, for a specialized continuing education program – covering economic development to entrepreneurship – during the fall semester.
The delegation included representatives from Shenzhen’s Municipal Committee for Science and Technology Innovation, Fair Trade Promotion Agency, Finance Commission, Transport Commission and State-Owned Assets Supervision Commission, among others.
The goal was to demonstrate how cities in Southern California accelerate business innovation, understand the planning process for promoting industrial upgrading and technological innovation, and explore entrepreneurship in several sectors including biotechnology, media and entertainment, hotel and retail development, and clean tech industries. Customized training modules included American governance and principles for enhancing Shenzhen’s governing capacity, ethics and transparency in government, U.S. taxation policy for promoting development, public-private partnerships, strategic planning and organizational change, design thinking, financial innovation and corporate social engagement.
In addition to the classroom lectures and interactive modules, site visits were also arranged as part of the month-long training program, which concluded in late September. The delegation made a trip to Los Angeles City Hall; engaged in intensive discussion with City of Walnut Mayor Pro Tem Mary Su; visited biotechnology firm, AMGEN, business incubator IdeaLab, and a garage start-up program at Silicon Beach; and were welcomed by the Mayor Julian Gold of Beverly Hills and its Chamber of Commerce.
IPPAM Academic Director Joanna Yu noted that the Shenzhen officials were able to “observe how the American public and private institutions collaborate, along with approaches to embracing cultural diversity, innovation and ethical standards in the field of practice.”
“They also gained insights,” she added, “into promoting economic growth through social innovation and designs by studying the trends, developments and influences of today’s digital generation.”