Scholars Convene in Beijing to Examine Governance, Institutions, and the Political Economy of Development

The University of Chicago Center in Beijing

20th floor, Culture Plaza
No. 59A Zhong Guan Cun Street
Haidian District Beijing 100872

The University of Chicago–Beijing Political Economy of Governance Conference was held on June 12–13, 2026, at the University of Chicago Center in Beijing, bringing together more than 60 scholars, researchers, and academic leaders from institutions in China and abroad. Focusing on the political economy of governance, the conference examined how institutional structures, state capacity, and political arrangements shape governance and development across different historical and contemporary contexts.

Over the course of two days, participants engaged in keynote dialogues, research presentations, and discussions on topics including democratic institutions, bureaucratic organization, delegation, digital governance, state-building, and the historical foundations of economic development. Scholars from the University of Chicago, Princeton University, New York University, Stanford University, Yale University, Peking University, Tsinghua University, and other leading institutions brought perspectives from political science, economics, and related fields, exploring how institutions evolve and how governance systems respond to changing social and economic conditions.

The conference reflects the University of Chicago Center in Beijing’s commitment to fostering international academic exchange and interdisciplinary research. By creating a forum for comparative perspectives and scholarly dialogue, the event advanced conversations on governance, institutional change, and development while strengthening connections among researchers studying political economy across regions.