On March 4^th, project “Expanding New Space for China’s Regional Development” by Professor An Shuwei, deputy director of CUEB Academy of Metropolis Economic and Social Development (AMESD) and professor of CUEB School of Urban Economics and Public Administration, won the bidding of National Social Scientific Foundation major project. The result was released on the website of National Planning Office of Philosophy and Social Science.

The project, taking advantage of resources in and out of CUEB during application, will build an “axial belt-led ---- city cluster (economic zone)-supported ---- central city ---- new urban district” development framework and running mechanism by pinpointing identification criteria for new regional development space. The study is expected to develop theories in regional and urban economics, serve the national overall strategy for regional development---“balance the development in eastern, central and western China and coordinate northern and southern growth”, generate new development drive through new space exploration, and facilitate government’s decision-making.

Professor An graduated from Nankai Institute of International Economics (NKIIE) in 2003 as a doctor of economics. From 2003 to 2006, he pursued his postdoctoral research in Institute of Industrial Economics of CASS and was granted an exceptional promotion to full professor in 2004. From April 2011 to May 2012, he studied at the University of Toronto, Canada as a visiting scholar. At the end of 2012, Professor An joined CUEB School of Urban Economics and Public Administration as an introduced talent in regional economics and was promoted to the deputy director of AMESD in November 2015.

In recent years, Professor An is devoted to the study of urban and regional development. This is the fourth time for him to lead the National Social Scientific Foundation projects (including a major project).