Evidence-based decision making and management have, in recent years, become a hot topic in the field of public administration. Evidence-based decision-making and management require us to attain evidence in scientific ways, therefore enabling decision-making and managing accordingly. Particular emphasis has been placed on the use of experimental and quasi-experimental approach, which has just internationally emerged and advanced rapidly, especially in the U.K. and U.S.A. The approach means the direction of the future theoretical research of public administration, thereby increasingly appearing in top conference/journals paper recently. Implementing effective evidence-based decision-making and management, however, faces multiple obstacles and challenges. It is a topic of great theoretical and practical significance that how we can better make use of evidence-based governance in advancing the modernization of China’s governance, thereby better serving the overall goal of deepening the reform.    

The objectives of the center are as follows:     

First, theoretical research. we aim to become a world-leading and first-class research and innovative base at home in the study of governance-based and public performance. We aim to delve into China’s public governance and performance scientifically, exploring the evidence-based decision-making and management, therefore boosting the domestic research and development of the evidence-based decision-making and management and improving the level and quality of public governance, advancing the deepening of reform and the modernization of the system and capacity of the state governance.    

Second, talents cultivation. We aim to improve the quantity and quality of the research ability and paper publication of the discipline of public administration, thereby improving the academic reputation of the discipline of Public Administration at Renmin University of China. We cultivate and introduce professionals, strengthening the construction of academic echelon. Through the construction of the center, we appeal to first-class international scholars and high-level, young scholars with academic potential and overseas academic background. We cultivate outstanding graduate students, PhD students and post-doc as reserve force, therefore further improving the quality and quantity of the publication of international papers, raising the academic reputation of the discipline of Public Administration domestically and overseas.     

Third, international communication. We aim to raise the international level of the research of Public Administration, securing the virtuous development of the discipline. The center aims to advance the academic research and the academic communication of Public Administration. We expect to cooperate with relevant research institutions at home and overseas, broadening the vertical and horizontal projects, and finally become a research institution with diverse forms, rich contents and contemporaneity. We will as well boost the internal communication between the disciplines at RUC and make them develop in a balanced way. We aspire to become an evidence-based governance research institution with close ties with academic institutions at home and abroad and a leading position in China.     

Fourth, policy consultation. We aim to become a leading think tank for modernizing China's governance system and capabilities. The Center will meet the requirements of RUC to build first-class think-tank, actively make use of the scientific research teams at RUC, including other social forces, to carry out high quality evidence-based decision-making, and evidence-based management research, coordinating the mutual progress of the overseas -introduced talents and the existing talents at home. We will actively make recommendations, and gradually develop into a domestically first-class, internationally renowned think-tank platform, playing a positive role in promoting the development of Public Administration in China and gradually builds up academic influence in the world.     

The research scope of the center includes all scientific research on general laws relating to governance and performance in the public sector, the result of which could be directly used to provide a scientific basis for modernizing the state governance system and deepening reform. The center will focus on the major issues in China's state governance and carry out research in the following areas:     

1. The evidence-based research on the transformation of the pattern of state governance system including: evidence-based research on the design of governance system and its effects; evidence-based research on the governance tool selection and its effects; evidence-based research on the governance structure and its effects; evidence-based research on the paths and effects indicated by governance subjects

2. Government performance management based on evidence-based thoughts

3. Policy formulation based on evidence-based thoughts

4. Behavioral Economics and public administration policy