Zhejiang (Zhejiang University) Centre for International Studies on Development and Governance (CiSDG) is jointly incubated by Zhejiang Government and Zhejiang University. In fact, it has two components with the same mission, one is the Zhejiang Centre, another is the University Centre. It aims to become a well-recognized international think-tank in Zhejiang, China, with a major focus on Asia and a broader influence in the world. With the approach of promoting international cooperation and the nexus of the government, the industry and the academia, it is designed to conduct evidence-based studies on such key issues concerning modernization as shared prosperity and to deepen mutual understanding between Zhejiang Province and the international community.
The Zhejiang Centre is a legal entity registered as a non-government organization, which has the autonomy to decide its own staff as well as salaries and benefits. In the first few years, the Provincial public finance could provide support to its major programs and activities through purchasing of services. The University Centre is a startup with core staff members from the University, and seed money from the Provincial public finance to support the institutional operation. In the near future, it will establish an independent foundation with funding from private donations matched with public finance, and then CiSDG will become an independent think-tank affiliated with the University with the support from the foundation.