Fudan University initiative aims to advance global development

Fudan University in Shanghai launched a new research report and initiative at the recent 2026 Global South Modernization Forum in Cairo, Egypt, aiming to promote global shared development with a focus on Global South nations.

The research report, titled "Shared Development: Towards a New Global Development Agenda beyond 2030", looks to lay the theoretical groundwork for further advancing global development knowledge production and practical collaboration beyond 2030.

It proposed that "shared development" is based on the common pursuit of equality and development by the global community, especially Global South nations. It emphasized that development should be measured as people-centered and closely linked to the comprehensive development of the individual.

Fudan hoped to promote the establishment and refinement of an international network for knowledge production and the translation of knowledge into practice, with "shared development" at its core. This initiative aims to enable the Global South to articulate ideas on an equal footing, systematically exchange experiences, and make a meaningful contribution to human development beyond 2030 through the power of collective creativity and sincere solidarity.

Prepared by a research team at Fudan's School of International Relations and Public Affairs, the report also outlined an action plan for the next five years. The school is set to prioritize supporting the joint authorship and dissemination of research findings in collaboration with institutions in the Global South, while promoting two-way exchanges among students and scholars.

The university will launch the "Global South Faculty Development Doctoral Program" for students from Global South nations, encouraging young scholars to return to their home countries after completing their studies to contribute to higher education, national development, social governance, and international affairs.

At the same time, the school will design and launch a structured online curriculum on development and governance, localized comparative governance workshops, and a decade-long summer school program focused on the development challenges facing the Global South, according to the university.

During the forum, Fudan University showcased a total of 19 major academic works and research achievements, spanning multiple fields, including global governance, international relations, artificial intelligence, energy transition, disaster prevention and mitigation, as well as international communication.

(Caption: Fudan University in Shanghai launches a new research report and initiative at the recent 2026 Global South Modernization Forum in Cairo, Egypt.)