Officials ready for training at Harvard
By Zhao Huanxin and Zeng Qingkai (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-08-22 05:58

More Chinese officials are expected to receive training in the United States, as both sides consider extending a joint programme at Harvard University, education officials said yesterday.

"We are looking at the possibility of continuing the China's Leaders in Development Programme beyond the initial projected five-year period," said David Ellwood, dean of Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government (KSG).

Sixty-one local and central government officials, the fourth batch since 2002, arrived in the US on Saturday to take courses on public administration and international development issues, school sources said.

The programme, launched by the State Council Development Research Centre at Tsinghua University and Harvard University to train around 60 Chinese officials each year, expires in 2006.

"The discussions (of extending the programme) are at an early stage and will also depend on consultation with our Chinese partners," Ellwood told China Daily.

"In addition, we are looking at a number of other possible collaborations but these are in a very early phase of discussion."

Executive Associate Dean of Tsinghua University's School of Public Policy and Management Xue Lan said his institution expects to maintain a steady and strong co-operation with Harvard in terms of training government officials.