Research On West African Development (2017-2020)（ISBN: 978-7-5203-7808-6）was published by China Social Sciences Press in May 2022.
Research On West African Development (2017-2020) is an academic collection compiled by the Center for West African Studies of the University of Electronic Science and technology of China (the CWAS of UESTC) researching the West African issues. It is also an informative document for West African studies. As the first volume, Research On West African Development (2017-2020) compiles domestic and international research concerning West African development for four years from 2017-2020, with the aim of presenting the intellectual output of West African studies and the four-year achievements of the Center for West African Studies of UESTC in a comprehensive and objective manner. After the publication of the first volume of Research On West African Development(2017-2020), the Center will present important academic achievements and developments for West African Studies both in China and abroad in an annual academic collection, aiming to provide a useful reference for West African studies.
The volume I of Research On West African Development (2017-2020) consists of three chapters. Chapter One is Research Contributions of the Center for West African Studies, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (the CWAS of UESTC). Chapter Two is the Collections of Representative Works on West African Studies outside the CWAS of UESTC both domestically and internationally. And Chapter Three is about Major Events in West Africa.
Chapter 1 “Research Contributions of Center for West African Studies, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China” includes the Center’s Think Tank Construction and Academic Exchanges and Communications from 2017 to 2020. In the construction of Think Tank, the Center insists on serving China’s “Africa strategy” and the “Belt and Road” initiative, and achievements are presented in the forms of papers (journal papers -SCI/SSCI, Conference papers -CPCI and CSSCI), monographs and research reports. Members of the Center for West African Studies of UESTC have contributed more than 100 high-quality papers. In the section for the "Think Tank Construction", we first selected 9 representative papers collected by SCI and SSCI, 9 papers collected by CSSCI, and 5 CPCI papers from the Proceedings of 2017 International Conference on Public Administration (12th) and International Symposium on West African Studies (1st), indexed by ISI Web of Knowledge from the USA. These papers not only display the Center’s research contributions comprehensively and objectively, but also highlight the Center’s featured West African studies. Five monographs on West African studies, namely three monographs of the "CWAS Book Series on West African Studies（UESTC）" (published by the Social Sciences Academic Press, China), for Public Management Volume 1 and Economics Volume 1 and Volume 2 from 2017-2020 ), “Research Report on the Elimination of Poverty in China: Cengong County, Guizhou Province” and an English version of “China and Africa in Global Context: Encounter, Policy, Cooperation & Migration monograph” are presented. Two research reports of “Risks and Countermeasures of Sichuan Enterprises’ International Industrial Capacity Cooperation with Africa under ‘Belt and Road’ Initiative” and “Entry Strategy of “African Continental Free Trade Zone” for Sichuan Province Net-information Enterprises” are selected to show the Center’s relevant research contributions in West Africa. In the section for Academic Exchanges and Communications, the Center adheres to the principle of China-African academic and cultural exchanges based on mutual learning, and build the brand of “Forum on West African Studies” and “Lecture Series on West African Studies” through international conferences and academic lectures. We first introduced four high-level academic conferences on "West Africa Economic and Social Development" organized by the Center through the platforms of the "Western China Overseas High-tech Talent Fair" and "International Conference on Public Administration". Secondly, “Lecture Series on West African Studies” have been held in partnership with "UESTC Lecture". A total of 13 lectures on West African Studies have been held from 2017 to 2020. This book selects five thematic lectures on topics concerning West African Public Management, West African Economic Development, West African Culture and Literature, and West African Society and Education for sharing with you. The Center then promotes studies and discussions on West Africa by publishing articles on, (but not limited to) West African countries through the "West Africa Studies" column hosted by the CWAS of UESTC on Huanqiu.com on a regular basis. From December 2019 to 2020, the Center has published 41 articles in total, and this book collects a total of 23 articles on "West Africa Studies" and specially invites articles on China-Africa fighting against COVID-19 together.
Chapter 2 "Collections of Representative Works on West African Studies" is composed of "Selected Paper Publications on West African Studies" and "Selected Monographs on West African Studies" outside the CWAS of UESTC. In the section, we select the important research achievements both in China and abroad that mainly focus on political, economic, cultural, and ethnic issues in the West African region and countries from 2017 to 2020.
Chapter 3 "Major Events in West Africa" covers the current issues and social developments in West African countries over the past four years, sorts out 47 current issues and social developments in West African countries by year from 2017 to 2020, with a view to providing effective information for institutions, scholars and practitioners for West African studies.
About Center for West African Studies of UESTC
1.IntroductionThe Center for West African Studies of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China(CWAS of UESTC)is a research center jointly established by University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), University of Ghana (UG),University of Cape Coast(UCC), Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA),University of Education, Winneba (UEW), and University for Development Studies(UDS)in April 2017. The Center is based in the School ofPublic Affairs and Administration at UESTC and is headed by ProfessorShuRongZhao.
The establishment of CWAS is animportant initiative of UESTC to pursue China’s “Philosophy and Social Sciences‘Going Global’Strategy” and a beneficial practice fo rUESTC to build an international interdisciplinary research system and a new typeof high-level“Think Tank”.
In March 2021, the CWAS of UESTC was accredited by the Ministry of Education of China as the Centerfor National and Regional Studies for Universities.
2.Research Direction
Research Targets: Focusing on Ghana, Benin, Senegal, and other major West African countries and West African regions.
Research Areas: China-West Africa politic science, economic and social development,public administration,education, literature and culture, etc.; China-West Africa economic and trade cooperation; China-West Africa intergovernmental relations.
3.Mission and GoalsThe Center for West African Studies, together with five member institutions of universities in Ghana, UESTC Alumni in West Africa for West African Studies, and the Ghana Chinese Chamberof Commerce, strives to create a "1 + 1 + 1"new research model of China-Africa cooperation, which integrates a Talent Training Base, an Academic Exchange Platform and a Think Tank for West African studies.Itaims to:
(1)To serve as a Talent Training Base. The Center helps to expand the source of international students from West Africa and enrich themulti-levelinternational student training system of UESTC for undergraduate,master, and doctor. Also, itcarries out overseas cadre training, teacher training,customized ICT and engineering training, and summer practice programs for students in West Africa,and devotes itself to building a diversified and distinctive overseas talent training base which integrates academic education,on-the-job training and practical training, and cultivates local talents for Chinese enterprises to address economic and social development problems.
(2)To build an Academic Exchange Platform.Through regularly holding international academic conferences such as Forum on West African Studies,organizing China-Africa Friendship—Academic—Culture Exchanges Month,and promoting overseas exhibitions of 3Dplatforms for cultural resources and China-West Africa International Industry-Academia-Research Cooperation Project,the Center is committed to building a platform for China-Africa exchanges and cooperations in various fields such as academics, humanities,science and technology, and enhancing the influence and cultural soft power of Chinese universities and enterprises in Africa.
(3)To establish a Think Tank for West African studies. The Center is committed to research on economic, political, and humanistic exchanges in West Africa by utilizing the disciplinary strengths and featured research of its members both in China and abroad. It works to strengthen cooperations with West African think tanks such as the Imani Center for Policy Education (ranked 113 in global think tanks) and the Institute for Statistics, Social and Economic Research (ranked 164 in globalthink tanks) as part of efforts to enhance joint research, and collectively publish and undertake research projectson WestAfrican studies. The Center also aims to propose policy advice to the Chinese government and West African countries, provide high-level think tank services for China in fields covering talent training, science and technology services,economic and business management, and public and political governance.And, it also strives to become an influential think tank center for West African studies.
4.Memberships
West African Members: University of Ghana（UG），University of Cape Coast(UCC)，Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration(GIMPA), University of Education,Winneba(UEW)，University of Development Studies(UDS)，West African Alumni Association.
UESTC Members: School of Public Affairs and Administration, School of Management and Economics，School of Foreign Languages，School of International Education，School of Marxism，Office of Scientific Research & Development,School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering,School of Information and Software Engineering.
5.Websites and Wechat Official AccountChinese Website：https://cwas.uestc.edu.cn/sy.htm
English Website：https://cwas.uestc.edu.cn/English/Home.htm
Wechat Official Account：gh_bfde9ecc926a
6.Contact UsTel：0086-028-61831756/61831706
E-mail：cwasuestc@163.com
Address：Office 450, Center for West African Studies, Qingshuihe Campus, University of ElectronicScience and Technology of China, No. 2006, Xiyuan Avenue, High-Tech Zone (WestDistrict),Chengdu, China.
