Biography

Linxiu Zhang is a professor and director at the Center for Chinese Agricultural Policy (CCAP), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). CCAP is a policy research center which focuses on agricultural and rural development policies. It also serves as a think-tank of the government. She is also a professor at the College of Economics and Management of University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) where she offers teaching and students supervision. She is a Co-director of a collaborative programme called Rural Education Action Programme (REAP). This is a platform for conducting action research and impact evaluation to address issues related to human capital development in China and especially in rural areas.

Since 2011, in parallel to the above post, she was appointed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences the Co-Director of UN Environment’s International Ecosystem Management Partnership (The Centre). She worked closely with the Director in establishing the Centre, raised funds for operation, oversees daily work, and jointly led the development of work programmes and the Flagship Programme on Climate, Ecosystems and Livelihoods as future strategic direction. These efforts have won the hearts and minds of all staff members of the Centre as well as credits entrusted by many national and international agencies, donors and partners.

She has more than 30 years of research experience. Her research concentrates on policy relevant studies on rural development in China, particularly on poverty alleviation, labor market development, public investments, and the economics of rural education and healthcare. She has published more than 250 papers in peer-reviewed journals and also made significant policy impacts by submitting 26 policy briefs to the central government of China.

She has received numerous awards. The most recent ones include “Ten Most Outstanding Women in Science” award from CAS (2013), TWAS “Celso-Furtado Prize” in Social Sciences (2013), “Fudan Management Excellence Award” (2014). She was elected to TWAS as a fellow in 2014.