As the new era, goals and strategies require, on 20 July 2018, the Institute for Studies in Rural Revitalization Strategy was founded in Lanzhou University so as to better serve the local socio-economic development.

Rural Revitalization Strategy raised in the report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China remains the utmost historical task for China to build a comprehensive well-off society and a socialist modernized country in the new era. This strategy is significant to address the issues related to agriculture, rural areas, and rural people which are fundamental to China. Besides, it also functions as a major decision to realize the thriving of industries, talents, culture, ecology and organizations, boosting the comprehensive agricultural upgrading, all-sided rural progress and all-directional development of rural residents.

Lin Duo, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, pointed out that the imbalanced and inadequate development remains the main features of our rural areas regardless of its quick progress and visible changes made since the Reform and Opening-up. Hence, he wished Lanzhou University could insist on this exploration and make it with urban-rural growth, industries-counties integration come true, making residents and counties well-off and prosper.And he required that with political awareness enhanced, the relevant departments should be committed to the strategy with more energy put in as it is important to addressissues relating to agriculture, rural areas, and rural people. Thus, our provincial rural development could be promoted to a new height.

The foundation of the institute is to illustrate the motive of the university to be evolved in the socio-economic growth and to respond the spirit of the Provincial Party Congress. TheInstitute for Studies in County Economy Development and Institute for Studies in Rural Revitalization Strategy will be jointly operated by the same team with four research centers including the Industrial Development Research Center, the Cultural Tourism Research Center, the Targeted Poverty Alleviation and Rural Revitalization Research Center, and the County Governance Research Center according to the management of scientific entities.In so doing, it aims to facilitate the implementation of Rural Revitalization Strategy as the two institutes focus on studying the theory and practicing the strategy with internal R&D resources integrated with external academic institutions. Centering on rural distinctiveness and local development demand, the institute can provide special trainings on nurture of distinctive industries, rural revitalization and urban-rural integration. With researches on hot-spot issues and difficulties of rural development, consulting services and advice will be provided to governments and other relevant departments. Besides, forums and briefings on county economic development and rural revitalization will be held regularly. Align with top-ranking think-tanks, we will make strenuous efforts to enhance capabilities in researching and social services with wisdom, information and talents fully used, thus to promote Double First-Class[1] Construction of our university.

[1]world-class universities and world-class disciplines