In mid-July, Xiaolin Miao, Dean of the School of Public Finance and Administration and Director of the Public Policy Research Center at Yunnan University of Finance and Economics, led a research project on enhancing the balance and accessibility of public services. This project, awarded a “Major to Key” project by the National Social Science Fund, marks a significant milestone for the development of the university’s public administration discipline and the application for doctoral programs.

This year marks the 18th year that this “post-80s” doctoral advisor has been studying and working at the university. As the leader of the university’s public administration and national security disciplines, he has long been engaged in research on fiscal and public administration issues. In recent years, his academic research has focused on local government debt risk and fiscal security, transfer payments, and the equalization of basic public services. He provides decision-making consultations on the allocation of fiscal resources and institutional design in Yunnan and explores optimized fiscal system solutions for governance in Yunnan’s border areas.

Regarding his research direction, Xiaolin Miao said, “How to integrate Yunnan’s elements into the national payment system and ensure that every penny is spent effectively is what I aim to research and solve.”

Yunnan is located in the remote western region of China, with relatively underdeveloped economic conditions. On one hand, the cost of fiscal expenditure is relatively high, requiring more financial support to achieve the same level of basic public service equalization. On the other hand, fiscal revenue is limited, making a significant portion of the disposable financial resources dependent on central government transfer payments. Therefore, research on a fiscal system tailored to Yunnan’s provincial conditions is urgently needed.

From entering the university in 2006 as a master’s student to staying on as a faculty member in 2009, the roles have changed, but the main thread of learning and research remains constant.

In Xiaolin Miao’s view, teaching and research must be integrated. “First, teaching helps with thinking. When you enter the classroom and lecture to students, new ideas quickly emerge. Second, research aids teaching and helps in student development. Only through related research and thinking about the course content can you both teach the textbook material well and expand new knowledge. Whether in research or teaching, unifying the two and focusing on talent cultivation can promote the development of innovative talent.”

In 2019, the Yunnan Provincial University Border Area Governance and Fiscal Resource Allocation Science and Technology Innovation Team, led by Prof. Miao, was approved for establishment. The team aims to address how fiscal policies can effectively promote the supply of public services such as education, healthcare, ecological protection, and social security in Yunnan’s border areas, as well as facilitate high-quality economic development. The team provides intellectual support and decision-making references for the social and economic development and fiscal reforms in Yunnan’s border areas.

(This article was reprinted from the September 27, 2023, issue of Yunnan Daily, page 7.)