Ⅰ. Historial Evolution

2018-09-21

As early as in 1983, just three years after China’s first Special Economic Zones was established, the Research Institute of Special Economic Zones Economy in Shenzhen University, which was the earliest research institute specializing in research on SEZs in China, was established in the beautiful Shenzhen Bay. It was the precursor of China Center for Special Economic Zones Research (CCSEZR), Shenzhen University, Key Research Institute of Humanities and Social Science in Universities by Ministry of Education of China.

The first director of the Research Institute of Special Economic Zones Economy was Professor Liang Wensen. Since then, under the leadership of Professor Fang Sheng, a famous economist, then Professor Zheng Tianlun, vice president of Shenzhen University at the time, then Professor Chen Zhuohua and Professor Wang Xiaomin in succession, the Research Institute of Special Economic Zones Economy had published a great deal of research achievements of important influence, which laid an solid foundation for its development.

At the end of 1993, the famous economist Prof. Su Dongbin moved to Shenzhen University and began to lead the Research Institute. Since then, it began a new stage of development. The Research Institute was renamed as the Research Institute of China’s Special Economic Zones, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao. Meanwhile, academic research, discipline construction, team building, and academic exchange continued to develop. In the year of 1996, Shenzhen University was accredited by the Academic Degree Evaluation Committee of the State Council for Master's programs, which was a significant breakthrough in the academic development of the university.

In the year of 2000, the Research Institute of China’s Special Economic Zones, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao was renamed as China Center for Special Economic Zones Research (CCSEZR).

In the year of 2001, for its unique academic achievements and profound influence in the research area of SEZs in China and abroad, CCSEZR was formally approved by the Ministry of Education as “Key Research Institute of Humanities and Social Science in Universities” (Ministry of Education), which is the sole academic institution in China specializing in researching on SEZs. The first director was Prof. Cao Longqi, and the deputy directors were Prof. Su Dongbin, Prof. Dong Likun, Prof. Huang Weiping, Prof. Yu Longyu and Prof. Mo Shixiang. Then, the second director was Prof. Zhong Jian, and deputy directors were Prof. Mo Shixiang and Prof. Yuan Yiming.

Early research publications (before the year of 1994)
Liu Guoguang (editor), LIANG Wensen (deputy editor): "Development strategy research on shenzhen special economic zones ", Economic Information & Agency, & Research Institute of Special Economic Zones Economy in Shenzhen University, 1985
Liang Wensen (editor): “Present and future of China’s special economic zones”, Economic Information & Agency, & Research Institute of Special Economic Zones Economy in Shenzhen University, 1988
Compiler team, Research Institute of Special Economic Zones: “Collected works on special economic zones”, special issue of Shenzhen University Academic Journal, 1988
Zheng Tianlun, Chen Zhuohua (editors): “Series of works on China’s special economic zones in ten years: Shenzhen volume”, Research Center of Contemporary Asian in Chinese University of Hong Kong, & Research Press of China’s Special Economic Zones, 1990
Zheng Tialun (editor): “China’s contemporary economy encyclopaedia ", China Economy Press, 1993
Compiler team, Department of Economics and Research Institute of Special Economic Zones: “Economics of special economic zones”, Guangdong High Education Press, 1988


Early publications

In the year of 1995, CCSEZR hosted “the National Academic Conference of Modern Enterprise System”. Prestigious scholars Yu Guangyuan, Yang Qixian, Fan Gang and Wei Jie attended the conference.	Research achievements of "academic conference” in 1995


Mr.Kan Yanhe, deputy director of Division of Social Sciences of Ministry of Education, and Madam Luo Yuanfang, Deputy Director of Guangdong Provincial Department of Education at the opening ceremony of CCSEZR in 2001	Experts from the Ministry of Education assessing the Research Base, June 2001

Yuan Guiren, (the 2nd from the left), the then Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Education and the current Minister, inspecting the CCSEZR in 2004. Wu Zhong (the 2nd from the right), the Deputy Director of Publicity Department of Shenzhen Municipal Party Committee, is accompanying him.	Jiang Tanyu, the Party Secretary of Shenzhen University, met Professors Of CCSEZR(the 5th from the left)

Prof. Zhang Bigong (the 5th from the right), President of Shenzhen University together with Li Weihong (the 6th from the left), Deputy Minister of Ministry of Education, and Zhang Donggang (the 4th from the left), Deputy Director of Division of Social Sciences, inspecting CCSEZR in Feb. 2011

Prof. Tao Yitao, Deputy Secretary of CPC Committee of Shenzhen University and Director of CCSEZR, reporting in Beijing to Li Weihong, Deputy Minister of Ministry of Education in May 2011	Prof. Li Fengliang, Vice President of Shenzhen University, in panel discussion with some professors in CCSEZR in Sept. 2009