CCTV Interview with NYU Shanghai Chancellor Tong Shijun: Integrating International Education into Green Urban Development

"Green China" Dialogues: Honoring the Spirit of Innovation and the Power of Science

ESG, short for Environmental, Social Responsibility, and Governance, represents an investment philosophy and corporate evaluation standard that focuses on environmental, social, and governance performance rather than financial performance. The concept was first proposed by the United Nations in 2004. Over two decades, ESG has evolved into a global consensus, fostering a new paradigm of multi-stakeholder collaboration.ESG aligns closely with China’s requirements for economic and social development in the new era. In September 2020, China announced its goals of achieving carbon peaking by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060, driving enterprises to take proactive actions in environmental governance. In June this year, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) issued the "Guidelines for Central Enterprises to Perform High-Standard Social Responsibility in the New Era," emphasizing the need to strengthen ESG efforts. Additionally, Shanghai and Beijing released regional ESG action plans in March and June, respectively.Current trends indicate that ESG practices in China have entered a phase of accelerated development. A series of policies and regulations have been rolled out, complementing market mechanisms to drive corporate model transformation, foster innovative collaboration, and promote the sustainable development of the overall socio-economic system.

Against this backdrop, NYU Shanghai's first provincial and ministerial-level key laboratory—the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Urban Design and Urban Science (LOUD)—has emerged. Established by NYU Shanghai Urban Design Professor ChengHe Guan and Assistant Professor of Urban Research Practice Ying Li, the laboratory is chaired by academician Bojie Fu of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It focuses on three primary research directions: smart cities, low-carbon cities, and resilient cities. The respective focal areas include sustainable urban planning under the framework of digital urbanization transformation in a post-pandemic context, the development of low-carbon cities against the backdrop of global climate change, and planning environmentally sensitive urban blue-green infrastructure using social sensing technologies.

Although China is experiencing a booming phase in ESG development, it faces numerous practical challenges. Amid increasingly complex international dynamics, key questions arise: How can the effectiveness of ESG practices be improved? How can the gap with global ESG advancements be narrowed? When adopting advanced foreign experiences, how can they be adapted and reformed to fit local conditions? From a grassroots perspective, how can the ESG concept be further popularized? Lastly, how can universities and cities achieve symbiosis?To explore these pressing issues, Li Ce, host of CCTV's Green China program, engaged in a dialogue with Tong Shijun, Chancellor of NYU Shanghai and Professor of Philosophy at East China Normal University.

In this episode of Green China, Chancellor Tong Shijun highlighted:

First, China must combine widely accepted concepts with local experiences.
Leveraging its strengths in mobilizing communities and concentrating efforts on major tasks, China should explore a uniquely Chinese ESG pathway with global significance by tailoring approaches to local conditions and adopting practical, grounded strategies.

Second, compared to international ESG practices, China’s strength lies in its rapid policy implementation.
China can effectively transform concepts into collective will. However, there is room for improvement in the details. For instance, while many enterprises fulfill social responsibilities through financial expenditures, the true solution lies in transforming and upgrading industrial capabilities to develop green industries at their source.

Third, fostering nationwide education themed on sustainable development is crucial.
Schools must integrate ESG concepts into their curricula and everyday education to nurture responsible and environmentally conscious talent. NYU Shanghai places significant emphasis on urban science research in the context of global climate change. In 2022, it established the LOUD to actively cultivate talent and promote interdisciplinary research. Meanwhile, enterprises should focus on the sustainable development of their workforce, offering employees opportunities for continuous learning and growth while exploring new production fields. These dual efforts can further implement ESG objectives.

Additionally, it is noteworthy that the 2024 National Education Work Conference emphasized the importance of understanding the relationship between Chinese education and the world.
The conference called for addressing shortcomings, strengthening advantages, and resolutely promoting high-level educational openness. Strategies should include balancing high-quality “bringing in” and “going out” initiatives and continuously enhancing the international influence of Chinese education.

NYU Shanghai is a Sino-foreign cooperative university approved by the Ministry of Education. In Green China, Chancellor Tong Shijun noted that NYU Shanghai aims not only to explore new educational models for reform and development in Chinese higher education
but also to contribute to international educational cooperation and cultural exchanges between China and the United States.

Selected Excerpts:

Li Ce: Recently, I noticed that you mentioned a perspective on ESG that emphasizes the importance of combining the global and the local—identifying the global significance of local knowledge and using grounded, practical approaches to solve global problems. In your view, what are some practical and effective approaches?

Tong Shijun: Our university recently organized an activity where both Chinese and international students and faculty went cycling on Hengsha Island, and I’ll use this as an example. Today, when we talk about ecological civilization, environmental protection, and team building, we adopted cycling as a collective activity. Cycling has been a uniquely characteristic activity in China since modern times. Although bicycles weren’t invented in China, after their introduction, especially in cities like Shanghai, they became iconic. Foreign journalists visiting China in the 1960s and 1970s often remarked on the country as a "kingdom of bicycles"—in Beijing, Shanghai, and elsewhere, people filled the streets cycling.

With social development, improved roads, and better family living conditions, bicycles are no longer as essential as a mode of transportation. However, the love for cycling persists. Some people still insist on cycling to work when conditions allow, representing a postmodern mode of travel.

Li Ce: Against the backdrop of global climate change, the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Urban Design and Urban Science has proposed the concept of "climate urban parks," fostering close collaborations in locations such as Lingang in Shanghai, Ordos in Inner Mongolia, Jingdezhen in Jiangxi, and Galveston Bay in the United States. Previously, green finance primarily supported purely green activities like renewable energy, electric vehicles, and batteries. Compared to international standards and developed Western countries, where do we fall short in ESG development? Are there reforms needed in evaluation criteria?

Tong Shijun: One of our country’s key advantages is that good ideas from the central government can be quickly transformed into collective will and implemented systematically through five-year plans and regional work plans. For instance, policies in the new energy vehicle sector were implemented in a short period, garnering global recognition.

Public awareness in areas like environmental protection, social harmony, and democratic governance is also gradually increasing. While some areas of progress need continued effort, others still require improvement. For example, waste sorting, which started relatively early in Shanghai, has achieved good results overall but still needs to be strengthened further.

Similarly, the nationwide ban on free plastic bags in supermarkets was swiftly implemented following a decision by the State Council. A columnist from The New York Times once remarked on this, expressing admiration for China's ability to make quick decisions and execute them nationwide.

However, in terms of implementation, there are still shortcomings. For instance, enterprises often rely on financial expenditures for carbon trading to meet social responsibility requirements. A more effective solution lies in industrial transformation to enhance competitiveness and align with green industry development.

Li Ce: Cities like Huzhou and Chongqing have achieved notable success as pilot cities for green and low-carbon transitions. In drafting transition plans, we must consider equity and fairness, such as addressing unemployment issues for workers in high-carbon industries transitioning to low-carbon ones. From your perspective, how can employment challenges be addressed during a fair transition?

Tong Shijun: The challenges are significant. My parents worked at the original Baosteel Plant No. 1, and many related industries were located in the Wusong Industrial Zone where we lived. Now part of Baowu Group, the world’s largest steel enterprise, Baowu Group plays a crucial role in implementing ESG. As far as I know, the company primarily fulfills its social responsibility through carbon trading expenditures, which imposes a considerable economic burden. Therefore, upgrading industrial capabilities and guiding companies toward green industries through appropriate transformations are critical.

As an educator, my primary focus is ensuring that workers in transition gain new skills and opportunities. Promoting nationwide lifelong education and fostering a culture of sustainable development is essential. For instance, ECNU President Qian Xuhong (a chemist) advocates for green industries like sustainable agriculture, eco-friendly pesticides, and fertilizers. These industries not only achieve ESG goals but also create new production sectors, address employment challenges, and ensure steady economic growth.

Li Ce: If a city is located in a carbon-intensive region and constrained by high-pollution industries, transitioning from high energy consumption, high emissions, and overcapacity industries to a low-carbon and green economy in the short term can be extremely challenging. For example, cities like Huzhou offer an average interest rate subsidy of 0.5 percentage points for eligible enterprise transformation projects, addressing the conflict between financing transformation and the lending restrictions on high-pollution industries. On an individual level, raising awareness, including investor education, is also crucial. At NYU Shanghai, are there any relevant courses addressing these issues?

Tong Shijun: We integrate green concepts into the educational process across various disciplines. The university has three academic divisions: the Arts and Sciences division, which focuses on teaching and research in natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities; the Computer, Data Science, and Engineering division; and the Business division. Within the curricula of these divisions, we incorporate concepts such as ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) and SDG (Sustainable Development Goals), which are initiatives advocated by the United Nations and significantly contributed to by China.

These concepts are also reflected in students' social service activities. Additionally, the campus itself is designed with green principles in mind, ensuring that students, faculty, and staff are immersed in these values as they live, work, and study on campus. Most importantly, graduates leave with a strong sense of social responsibility and green principles, as well as the skills needed to implement these ideas in their careers.

As a philosopher, I find it fascinating that businesses can achieve economic, social, and cultural goals through implementing ESG projects. A well-functioning socialist market economy should embody these values. China's practices in this regard not only address domestic issues but may also offer experiences and models for solving global challenges.

Li Ce: NYU Shanghai is one of the most internationalized universities in China. It is a research-oriented institution jointly established by East China Normal University and New York University, making it the first Sino-American joint university in China. Given the current complex international landscape, what are your thoughts on running a joint university? You have emphasized the importance of international education on multiple occasions, and your graduates are both beneficiaries and drivers of this process. What do you see as NYU Shanghai's greatest advantage in cultivating internationally minded young talent?

Tong Shijun: NYU Shanghai was officially established on October 15, 2012, as a joint university between New York University and East China Normal University. Approved by the Ministry of Education and supported by the Shanghai Municipal Government and the Pudong New Area Government, it was the first Sino-American joint university with independent legal status.

Before NYU Shanghai's establishment, New York University operated a global study center at East China Normal University, where students could study abroad with courses specifically designed by ECNU to meet their needs. NYU's global network includes 13 such study centers worldwide, offering courses but not degrees.

Over time, NYU, ECNU, the Shanghai Municipal Government, and the Pudong New Area Government decided to expand this partnership to provide degree programs. Thus, NYU Shanghai was founded, and it now issues three credentials to its graduates: the NYU Shanghai diploma, the NYU Shanghai graduation certificate, and the NYU degree certificate.

One of NYU Shanghai’s defining features is its high level of internationalization. It is both a Chinese Sino-foreign joint university and an integral part of NYU’s global education system. The university's working and teaching language is English. Within the framework of Chinese law, NYU Shanghai’s day-to-day operations adhere to NYU's systems. Faculty are recruited globally based on NYU’s platforms, channels, and standards.

Among the student body, Chinese and international students each make up half, with most international students coming from the United States. Chinese and international students live together during their first and second years and attend classes together. Outside the classroom, students from different countries also frequently participate in activities together. While the university encourages and supports student-led organizations, it does not allow student activities to be organized based on nationality. This phase of study can be described as "international education without leaving the country."

During their four years of undergraduate study, students are required to spend one or two semesters outside of Shanghai, attending classes at other campuses or global study centers within NYU's global education network. This phase can be called "a home campus experience while roaming the world," as students remain NYU students wherever they go, with shared campus IDs and academic records.

Another hallmark of NYU Shanghai is the autonomy it grants students in course selection, choosing majors, and determining their academic pace. However, this autonomy requires cultivation. During the first and second years, the university pays particular attention to students’ academic and psychological well-being, as many students experience significant academic pressure. The school provides ample academic resources, and each student is assigned an academic advisor to offer support in areas such as language, mathematics, and mental health.

Liberal arts education holds a crucial place in the curriculum. While the number of required credits is not extensive, the courses are highly intensive. Students are not required to declare a major upon entry. Some students may already have clear professional goals and choose courses with those in mind, but the university requires all students to declare their major and minor by no later than the second semester of their second year. During their third and fourth years, students design their course schedules based on their chosen fields of study, and the university strives to accommodate their course selection needs.

For most students, career aspirations and major choices are unclear at the start. Even among those with clear goals, some may change their minds. Thus, students need time to discover their strengths and interests.

As former Chancellor Yu Lizhong once said, the founding of this university was a result of favorable timing, geography, and human effort. While the subsequent development journey has been challenging—especially in recent years—we are grateful that the school was established in 2012. In hindsight, this was fortunate.

Today, complex geopolitical and international relations have introduced difficulties in the university’s operations, admissions, faculty recruitment, and management. However, the importance of the university to society, the nation, and even the world has become more evident compared to 12 years ago. From this perspective, while operating the university is challenging, its growing importance is a valuable resource. We are confident in our ability to run the university well and contribute to solving global and Chinese problems through it.

To a large extent, the establishment of our Urban Lab reflects this commitment and vision. We are pleased to see that the lab has already made significant contributions toward achieving the university's aspirations. We hope the lab continues this momentum, as it not only benefits society but also supports the development of the university.