On the afternoon of July 22, 2010, Secretary Sun Weiguo of CPC Hongkou District Committee, District Mayor Yu Beihua, Deputy District Mayor Ying Mingyong, and Deputy Director Wang Qi of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission visited Shanghai International Shipping Institute (SISI) in the company of Secretary and President Yu Shicheng, Vice President Huang Youfang, Vice President Xiao Baojia and Principal Assistant Ma Xianguo of Shanghai Maritime University. They visited SISI’s achievement exhibition, listened to the progress since its establishment, and put forward specific requirements on future priorities and development goals.

Leaders from Hongkou District Government and Municipal Education Commission visited SISI’s achievement exhibition

Huang Youfang, Vice President of Shanghai Maritime University and Deputy Director of SISI, presided over the meeting. SISI Secretary-General Zhen Hong reported major tasks since the establishment of SISI in six aspects, namely, building a government think tank, establishing its position in the industry, expanding its influence overseas, gathering together industry talents, improving development elements, and exploring new ways to build up a platform. Mr. Zhen Hong also talked about the work plan for the next six months. Yu Shicheng, Secretary and President of Shanghai Maritime University and Director of SISI delivered supplementary information on SISI’s work and ideas about future development.

Leaders from Hongkou District Government and Municipal Education Commission listened to the work report of SISI

Deputy District Mayor Ying Mingyong of Hongkou District said that, based on the existing achievements in research, SISI shall focus on the construction of Shanghai International Shipping Center, furthering its research in aspects of “professionalization” and “specialization”. District Mayor Yu Beihua deemed highly of SISI’s work in the previous year, and suggested SISI to adhere to an open operating model with a focus on basic and forward-looking research, so as to further expand its influence in the domestic and international shipping industry.

Wang Qi, Deputy Director of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, pointed out that SISI is not only an exploration of Shanghai Maritime University in combining itself with the society and serving the economy, but also a great attempt for universities to serve the society and enterprises. As a think-tank for governments and society as well as a talent training base, SISI should gather a number of highly qualified experts, scholars and researchers with an aim of influencing the development policies of governments, so as to configure its limited resources based on the research subjects. Mr. Wang Qi proposed suggestions on future development of SISI in four aspects: improvement of organizational structure, innovation in operating mode, exploration of evaluation system, and efforts in brand building.

Deputy Director Wang Qi of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission delivered a speech

Secretary Sun Weiguo of CPC Hongkou District Committee outlined SISI’s work as “rapid development despite a late start; great contribution despite a small scale; adequate subjects despite limited manpower”. He listed the four expectations for future development. First, SISI shall serve as a bridge linking Shanghai with the international community in order to promote Shanghai International Shipping Center. Second, SISI shall guide the development of shipping enterprises for the purpose of serving them. Third, SISI shall become a think tank for the expansion of the shipping service sector, so as to achieve the goal of building the industry. Fourth, SISI shall meet the requirement for developing the shipping cluster area, serving as a window for China’s shipping market.

Secretary Sun Weiguo of CPC Hongkou District Committee delivered a speech

This meeting enabled SISI to further clarify its orientation of development and make more efforts in future work.

Other participants included Director Ren Hanmiao of Hongkou District General Office, Director Zhang Qiang of Research Office of the District Committee, Director Zhu Hao of Research Office of the District Government, Director Yue Caixin of Hongkou District Development and Reform Commission, Director Wang Liqiang of Hongkou District Education Bureau, Director Lu Qingdong of Hongkou District Investment Promotion Office (Shipping Office), Director Yang Wanfeng of President Office of Shanghai Maritime University, Division Chief Yang Yongsheng of Science and Technology Division of the University, and SISI Secretary Li Gang.