To enhance the service functions of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Demonstration Zone, the Institute of Shanghai Cooperation Organization Studies at Shandong University has been prioritized for development. This institute focuses on key areas including SCO and international security, SCO and international economic cooperation, legal issues related to SCO, and SCO and international cultural exchanges. It provides strategic support for the high-quality development of the SCO Demonstration Zone in terms of international situation analysis, international security, international economic cooperation, international law, and cultural exchanges, contributing Shandong University's solutions to high-level opening-up.
Since 2023, the Institute has actively promoted cooperation with the SCO Demonstration Zone to serve national and local development. As the author's affiliation, it has published 5 foreign-language monographs in top international academic journals and international first-class academic publishers, along with several papers in top-tier SSCI journals. Notably, Professor Edmund Li Sheng's monograph The Greater Eurasian Partnership and the Belt and Road Initiative won the Springer Nature: China New Development Award 2024.
The Institute co-hosts the "Cooperation and Development" lecture series, inviting renowned domestic and international experts to address current political hotspots and national policies, meeting the academic needs of faculty and students. It has appointed over 30 domestic and international experts as visiting researchers, strengthening policy research and consulting capabilities. As the lead organizer, the Institute has hosted multiple diplomatic events, including the 4th Shandong Forum Sub-forum in 2024 and the SCO Countries Science, Education, and Economic-Trade Integration Forum in 2025, establishing high-quality platforms for academic exchange. In addition, the Institute of SCO Studies will also support the development of the International Medical College project of Shandong University, promote the establishment of an international platform integrating high-end medical education, scientific research and innovation, medical services, and people-to-people exchanges, and facilitate in-depth alignment among SCO member states in areas such as international medical assistance, the construction of regional medical centers, and public health cooperation.
In 2024, the Institute was recognized as an "Excellent Case of Institutional Innovation for Advancing SCO Demonstration Zone Construction" and joined the "SCO Demonstration Zone Financial Partners Team" and the "Global South Think Tank Cooperation Alliance". In 2025, it became a founding member of the "SCO Research Joint Think Tank Platform" and established the "SCO Overseas Joint Research Institute" with the National Nuclear Research University of Russia (MEPhI) and Kyrgyz National University, further expanding its international cooperation network.
The Institute will continue to deepen international cooperation, strengthen think tank construction, advance research in digital economy and other fields, enhance China's voice and influence on the global stage, and inject new momentum into the development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
