Introducation  

   The Institute of Contemporary Socialism of Shandong University (ICS) was founded in September 1983, reorganized in March 2000, and has been listed one of the “Top 100 Research Institutes of the Ministry of Education in Humanities and Social Sciences” since October 2000. It now has over 20 researchers from home and abroad, and four departments focusing on the study of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, the comparative study of socialism in China compared with that of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, of developing and developed countries. Professor Liu Yu’an is the director of the Institute.

   ICS is located at the old east campus of the University in Jinan, Shandong, China. It is landscaped with broad lawns and shady trees. On the south, it is bordered on by Honglou Square, which leads to the old campus of the University, now one of the top 30 prestigious universities in China. The University boasts a history of over a century since its founding in 1901. To the west towers an impressive Catholic cathedral, a notable city landmark of Jinan, the capital of Shandong Province, a city of beautiful springs and mountains.

   Management

   In terms of management of academic and scientific research, ICS does not fix positions and projects. Projects and positions are open to home and aboard. Anyone with a project and corresponding budget will be employed by ICS. No employee will be allowed to leave the Institute with his or her project undone. People who don’t finish the project will not be appointed again. People who finish the project successfully will enjoy the privilege to be appointed and awarded.

   Working conditions

    With 636 meters square, ICS is situated in the School of Political Science and Public Administration (Building 1). It has a network center and all the 30 computers have access to the Internet. Each department has its own computer and laser printer. Full time researchers have computers at home.
Library: The library of the University has over 3 million Chinese books and about 200 thousand foreign books in store. ICS’s own library has over 20 thousand Chinese books, nearly 4 thousand foreign books, more than 600 newspapers and periodicals, and many kinds of CDs.

   Academic and Scientific Achievements

   Since January 1996, full time researchers have 17 projects as the first principal, 7 funded in the order of 180,000 Yuan from National Social Science Fund. 18 books and 142 papers have been published since 1996 by full time researchers of ICS.

  Areas of Research

   Theory and Practice of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, Socialist Movement in Former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, Socialist Movement in Developed Countries, Theory and Practice of Socialism in Vietnam, North Korea, Laos and Cuba.

  Journal

   Issues of Contemporary World Socialism (ICWS), founded in 1984, is a Chinese National Core Journal. It is the only journal that studies and introduces main issues of contemporary world socialism. Columns include “Theory and Practice of Socialist Construction in China”, “Socialism Abroad”, “On Former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe”, “Contemporary World Political Economy and Socialism” “Scientific Exploration and Debate” and so on.