On December 15, 2022, SPAA holds a session on the review of PA study and workshop on how to define a good thesis topic for first-year international students. This all-important session was held via Tencent meeting. Prof Zhao Shurong, Prof Liu Xuan, Associate Prof Ren Yang, Associate Prof Fan Xin and Dr Dumor Koffi were invited to join this event. The event aims to review the course work of this semester and to prepare the thesis proposal in the next semester.

It started off with introductory remarks by Prof. Zhao Shurong. As the lecturer of the course “Classic Readings of Public Administration”, she made a comprehensive review on Public Administration (PA) study. The session was very interactive as a step-by-step review of the related course topics was made and Prof. Zhao succinctly answered questions raised by students. This session will better position the students offering this course (PA STUDY) on its contents, and will also help them to be abreast with the course, and keep them academically fit for their forthcoming course examination.

Followed by Prof. Zhao Shurong, other course lecturers Prof Liu Xuan, Associate Prof Ren Yang and Associate Prof Fan Xin, attended and demonstrated their willingness for supporting students for the course study.

The second session was the workshop on “How to define a Good Thesis Topic”. The research fellow Dr. Koffi Dumor from CWAS of UESTC SPAA-based, was invited to share his insights. He chronologically and explicitly gave a thorough insight into what makes a good research/thesis topic for social science students. After his exhaustive input on the topic, there was time for questions from the students to share and discuss.

This event will help students to have a better understanding of public administration study and will also help them to be able to choose and write a good thesis topic for their master's program as they were also given the opportunity to present their thesis topics for critical comments by Prof. Zhao and Dr. Koffi.

The students in attendance applauded the school for such an initiative as they further said that this has helped them enrich their existing knowledge and better position them academically.

（Reviewed by Prof. Zhao Shurong）