Yang Shangbao believes that a public servant must translate knowledge into practical relevance. He is determined to harness the insights gained from public policy studies to spur greater development of the water industry.
"We cannot afford to focus only on book-learning and ignore practical relevance.
[ALUMNI-INFO TEXT="Shangbao was instrumental in establishing the entire desalination industrial system in China and the publishing of many books on water conservation and desalination. He also supported the founding of the National Desalination Industry in China and facilitated China’s entry into the International Desalination Association. For his work, he was awarded the highest level of “Special Achievement Award” by the Membrane Industry Association of China in 2016, and nominated for the list of “10 People who Contributed the Most to China’s Development”.
Shangbao’s illustrious career saw him start as a blast furnace worker, moving on to become a university professor and later a policy maker. The multifarious nature of his career reflects his life outside work where he enjoys networking with former schoolmates, giving speeches at alumni events and attending reunions. “I always try to find opportunities to talk and network with alumni when I meet them during business visits and trips,” he remarked.
His wealth of experience, theoretical formulation and public policy, coupled with his passion for water resources, aided him in driving the progress of the water industry in China. Now, he plans to take things to greater heights by harnessing the success of China’s water industry to benefit countries outside China."][/ALUMNI-INFO]
[ALUMNI-QUOTES TEXT="Despite his remarkable achievements, he is still faced with the conundrum of finding a
balance between the “ideal”, which is often embodied in theoretical science, and the “reality” of the practical world.
LKYSPP has allowed him to synergise the growth of his IQ, EQ and AQ (Artistic Quotient) as the key to success. His LKYSPP experience has taught him to use science to complement his work in public management, further enhancing his management capabilities. He reflected: “What impressed me most is that we first look at public policy as a science."
For his next 10-year lap, he aims to gain more insights from public policy to spur China’s development and human progress, staying true to his heart. “Do your best and leave no regrets!” he says."][/ALUMNI-QUOTES]