Ming Yang (AIPE 02) earned a bachelor’s degree in the School of the Humanities at Tsinghua University. In 2003, he earned his master’s degree from Tsinghua University’s School of Public Policy and Management. His thesis research focused on industrial competitiveness and firm competence in China.

While at Tsinghua, Yang served as the appointed Vice Secretary of the Youth League of the School of Public Policy and Management, the elected President of the Student Union of the English Department and the Vice President of the English Club. While completing his studies in China, Yang also worked as an assistant to the Director of the Economics and Trade Committee of Yong Nian County in the Hebei Province and as a research assistant at the Research Development Council of the State Department of China.

Yang is now studying at Harvard University, working towards a master’s degree in public administration in international development. According to Yang, his experience at AIPE helped him prepare for his graduate work and research at Harvard:

“In both career pursuit and higher education application, the AIPE experience in Hong Kong 2002 always provides me with things to impress people. I had some international activity experience before the AIPE program, but none of them were as able as AIPE to draw together renowned professors to learn from, outstanding students to interact with and interesting places to visit in a three-week time.

“On the American style AIPE classes, students and professors learned together through discussion and debates. It was, at first, a surprise to non-U.S. students like me, but then an edge tool when I learned to employ it. The program brought me friends throughout the world, which promoted understanding of the differences as well as common interests among people and nations.

“The MPA program I am now taking at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University has international students representing some 30 nations of the world. AIPE gave me a good cultivation for living and studying in such a diversified environment. Such experience and ability are essential in a world that is getting more and more integrated.

“AIPE for me is socially enjoyable, intellectually encouraging and competence enhancing.”