Unirule Institute of Economics

Unirule Institute of Economics (Chinese Tianze) is a Chinese think tank established in Beijing, China in 1993. Unirule conducts research and education in social sciences, primarily in economics, governance, policy, and culture. Unirule is dedicated to the open exchange of ideas in economics in general, with a particular focus on institutional economics. In the University of Pennsylvania’s 2012 Global Go To Think Tanks Report, Unirule ranked 14th in the category of “Best Think Tanks with an Annual Operating Budget under $5M USD”.

Unirule aims at promoting modern theoretical study of economics in China, providing research products in economics and other social sciences, such as institutional solutions for governments, enterprises and other institutions, and pursuing the augmentation of social welfare as a whole.

Unirule fellows are non-residential research economists, jurists, sociologists, and humanists coming from various research institutes, such as Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and Development Research Center of State Council, and Zhejiang University.

Political stance

Unirule is dedicated to promoting constitutional democracy and market economy in China.

History

Unirule Institute of Economics (Unirule) is an independent, non-for-profit, nongovernmental think tank, which was founded jointly in July 1993 by Dr. Hong Sheng, Professor Yushi Mao, Professor Shuguang Zhang, Dr. Gang Fan and Dr. Shouning Tang, and Beijing Universal Culture Co, Ltd.

In late 1999, the Institute underwent its first organizational restructuring and separated into two divisions. The consulting division was renamed as the Unirule Consulting Firm (UCF) and was fully commercialized from then on, while the organization's academic division remained as the Unirule Institute of Economics (Unirule), a private non-for-profit research institution. The two organizations now keep an "arm´s length market relationship," that keeps separate all operations and financial relationships while under the direction of its respective board of directors.

Guangzhou Unirule Research Center was established in July, 2012 and located in the capital city Guangzhou. It is dedicated to contribute to the solutions of system innovation of Guangdong Province during the “open-up”process and promote the successful open-up experiences shaped in Guangzhou to other parts of China.

Publications

Unirule as an institution produces its Annual Report of the institution itself and publishes books and reports from the institution's own research. The books and reports include Chinese economy, such as “ China’s State-owned Enterprises: Nature, Performance, and Reform”, China Economics(series, since 1994); Public governance, such as Report of Public Government Index of 30 Capital Cities(since 2008); Institutional economics, such as “Game: the Segmentation, Implementation and Protection of Land Rights”, “Case Studies in China’s Institutional Change”, “A Democratic and Legal System—The Reform of China’s Government System” and so on. In addition, articles, reports, policy briefs and opinion pieces are published on media, such a Xinhua News Agency, Economic Daily, China Daily, People’s Daily, The Economist, Reuters, the Financial Times and others. The Unirule runs a column on The Financial Times Chinese website.

The Unirule also runs a Chinese website which focuses wide range and hot topic issues in China and regularly posts Chinese essays：China-Review. China-review.com is an academic exchange platform of Unirule to promote communication between intellectuals and the public. It mainly consists seven parts, that are “community of Scholars”, “Economists”, “surrounded by Law”, “ Humanity in China”, “Global Review”, “History” and “Arts”.

Founders

Unirule does not receive financial assistance from any government entities, and instead, is dependent upon social donations and provisional grants for projects from institutions in China and abroad. Projects include research proposals entrusted to Unirule, training programs and other services provided.

Some projects are supported by Center for International Private Enterprises (CIPE), the Ford Foundation, Alton Jones Foundation, US-China Chamber of Commerce, International Institute of Economics (IIE).

References