Today, the world is moving from the IT era to the DT era at a rapid pace. In the afternoon of the 30th of November, Case Center director Mu Ling and assistant professor Cao Feng from School of Public Policy and Management, Tsinghua University brought the MID 2015 and MIDG 2015 students and Case Center staff as well as researchers, totaling more than 30 people to visit the Alibaba research institute. Through the excursion, the 2015 MID/MIDG students could gain a deeper understanding of how Alibaba serves as a representation of development state of China’s online enterprises and helped the students better understand the new concepts and viewpoints of “Internet plus” and big data. The staff at the Alibaba research institute gave various presentations from different angles in detailed explanation.

The students visiting the Alibaba research center

The purpose for the Case Center’s organization of this excursion to the Alibaba research institute was to broaden the vision of the MID and MIDG students, and enrich the content that they have been learning through their courses. In the process of interacting with the experts at the Alibaba research institute, the MID/MIDG students were able to deepen their understanding of the rich culture for enterprise that Alibaba founder Jack Maher had instilled in Alibaba, as well as how a large commercial organization like Alibaba should assume responsibility for society as a whole. MID and MIDG students were encouraged in the process of their studies and their putting to practice their public policy skills, to remember that public managers should always keep a sense of responsibility towards society.

Through this discussion, the Case Center gained a greater understanding of the key concepts of the Alibaba Company, its innovation practice, future planning, as well as governmental interactions. In the future, the two parties can build upon this good foundation for cooperation and look forward to a follow-up on Alibaba case study in the future, which will provide useful reference for the future transformation of the government to eco-governance under the backdrop of the DT era.

Staff and students taking a group photo with experts from the Alibaba research institute