Zhang Xiulan

Zhang Xiulan has been an independent non-executive director since August 2022. Professor Zhang is currently a consultant at the University of California, San Francisco. She was previously the Dean of the School of Social Development and Public Policy, Beijing Normal University. She was also a member of the 11th and 12th Beijing Municipal Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and a member of the Healthcare Reform Advisory Committee of the State Council. Professor Zhang has led over 40 research projects, including national level priority social science projects, and projects funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Education. In expert capacity, Professor Zhang has also provided expert consultation to government on policy making, including the 11th National Five-Year Plan, the “Five Guarantees Regulations”, the Adjustment Mechanism for Urban Minimum Living Standard, Urban and Rural Medical Assistance Policy, Social Assistance System and others. In addition, Professor Zhang has also worked on mandates from the State Council Healthcare Restructuring Office, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ford Foundation, European Union, World Bank, World Health Organization, UNICEF, Save the Children Foundation and other organizations. Professor Zhang received her Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Geography, and Master’s Degree in Economic Geography from the Beijing Normal University in 1985 and 1988, respectively. After graduation, she joined the “China Society”, a newspaper published by the Ministry of Civil Affairs as an Editor. In 1999, she received her Doctor of Philosophy in Social Welfare from the University of California at Berkeley with her research focused on social protection, social policy, social welfare and healthcare. In the same year, Professor Zhang founded the first Institute of Social Development and Public Policy in China at the Beijing Normal University, which subsequently became the School of Social Development and Public Policy.