On the 6^th of November the RUC National Poverty Alleviation Research Institute (NPARI) was established. Chairwoman of the University Council JIN Nuo, and representatives from the State Council Department of Poverty Alleviation Office, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Department of Business Affairs, the National Bureau of Statistics, the National Development Bank and many others from social organisations, financial institutions, businesses and academic institutions were in attendance at the ceremony of the Institute’s founding. The ceremony was presided over by the Dean of the School of Agriculture and Rural Development (SARD), TANG Zhong. Director of the RUC’s Office of Scientific Research LIU Yuanchun officially proclaimed the resolution to found the Institute. The official plaque for the institute was unveiled by Chairwoman JIN Nuo, Director of the State Council Poverty Alleviation Development Committee FAN Xiaojian, member of the State Council Poverty Alleviation Office Mr XIA Gengshen, Board Chair of the Beijing Dabei Agricultural Technology Group SHAO Genqiu, Dean TANG Zhong and SARD Professor WANG Sangui. Vice President YI Zhihong and Chair SHAO Genqiu mutually signed the donation agreement. Chairwoman JIN issued a certificate acknowledging the donation from Dabei Agricultural Technology Group, expressing gratitude for the generous donation of 10 million RMB for the founding, development and support of the NPARI. Mr XIA Gengsheng expressed his congratulations for the founding on behalf of the State Council’s Poverty Alleviation Office, expressing his hope that the research produced by the Institute would contribute to improving the theory and practice of poverty alleviation, strengthen the ability to make good policy, and at the same time strengthen cooperation between all departments working on poverty alleviation. Director FAN noted, that although China has made great headway into the task of poverty alleviation thus far, however there is still a lot of work to be done. In the wake of changes in the nature of poverty alleviation work, the NPARI must strive to recognise new issues, meet new challenges, and make a contribution to the “two one-hundred years” objective. Vice President YI delivered a speech on behalf of RUC. She pointed out that RUC’s NPARI will be strengthening collaborative efforts with the State Council’s Poverty Alleviation Office and other partner institutions, so as to continue to meet the challenge of poverty alleviation. In this, it will always be at the frontline of national efforts, using their research accomplishments to act as advisor for all the organisations around the nation involved in poverty alleviation. Board Chair SHAO was next at the podium, noting that Dabei Agricultural Technology Group was founded in 1993, from which time it has answered the national call to make efforts in alleviating poverty. He stated that the 10 million RMB donation made by his company was in support of the institute, and was an embodiment of Dabei’s positive commitment to the cause of poverty relief. He expressed hope that RUC’s NPARI would provide a knowledge base for developing policy to address the issue of poverty, and become an important think-tank for meeting this challenge. Following, Professor WANG Sangui took to the stage to give a brief rundown on the current circumstances at the SARD. He stated that the SARD’s chief long-term objective was to become a first rate policy and academic research and consultancy organisation both nationally and globally. Its chief focus was producing incisive, systematic and evidence based research to increase the theoretical knowledge base on poverty relief in both China and other developing nations. At the same time, it aims to expand participation in international organisations and research into poverty relief policies and projects in other developing nations, contributing strength to the objective of sustainable development set by the United Nations. In the interim, he continued, our mid-term objective is to work in service of the national strategy of poverty alleviation, to provide support for policy decisions made by the government, and provide a consultancy service for enterprises and all social organisations involved in the important work of poverty relief. As an important site for national research into poverty relief, RUC’s NPARI has created a board of directors responsible for directing the research undertaken at the institute, establishing research positions, and inviting high-level visiting scholars and post-doctoral researchers. The institute is also implementing a system for combining education and research in order to address the national strategy of poverty relief, encouraging collaboration between government departments, international organisations, academic institutions, enterprises, and NGOs, offering training and consultancy services.