The predecessor of the Institution for Human Rights of the Southeast University is the Institute of Constitutional and Human Rights Law which was established (in 2007) right after the university’s School of Law was rebuilt in 2006. Professor Gong Xianghe served as the institute director, and Li Buyun, a giant in human rights law and human rights educator in China, is a full-time professor and an honorary director. Southeast University became one of the first universities to establish human rights research institutions in China. It quickly formed a human rights law teaching and research team and has actively carried out human rights education and research. 

 

In March 2020, the Institute of Constitutional and Human Rights Law was upgraded to a university-level independent research institution. It is a new type of research institution of the university that focuses on multidisciplinary research. Professor Zuo Wei, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Southeast University, serves as the dean; Professor Liu Yanhong, Dean of the School of Law, serves as the Executive Dean; Professor Gong Xianghe, the human rights law discipline leader, serves as the Executive Vice Dean and presides over the daily work. 

 

In December 2020, the institution was officially approved by the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Ministry of Education as a national human rights training base. It is the first national key research base for humanities and social sciences at the Southeast University.

 

 

The Institution supports the Southeast University's other disciplines such as transportation engineering, architecture, civil engineering, biomedical engineering, computer science and technology. It has developed rapidly with the rise of law disciplines. It is now working closely with academic institutions across the country, including the Party School of the Central Committee of CPC, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Renmin University of China, China University of Political Science and Law, Southwest University of Political Science and Law, Nankai University, Wuhan University, Fudan University and other famous universities. An interdisciplinary research team composed of more than 70 experts in multiple disciplines has formed a first-class human rights research team in China. 

 

The full-time staff include the social rights research team led by Professor Gong Xianghe, the digital human rights research team led by Professor Liu Yanhong, the human rights theory research team led by Professor Yang Chunfu, and the liberal rights research team led by Professor Wang Jinyuan. More than ten people have emerged as academic leaders with substantial influence in the field of human rights.

 

 

Human rights research has developed in an all-round way, with in-depth research in such fields as social rights, digital human rights, special subjects in human rights, human rights theory, liberal rights, international human rights. Core scientific research indicators have ranked in the forefront of the country. In terms of social rights research, it is in a leading position in the country in the basic theory of social rights, the right to education, the right to traffic, and the right to health. The Institution also leads in the research of new social rights issues in the digital age, realizing the transformation and upgrading of human rights research in the digital age.

 

Human rights education was carried out earlier than in other universities (in 2007). A complete and wide-coverage human rights education system -- from undergraduate to postdoctoral level -- has taken shape.

 

The Institution has submitted a series of consultation reports to Party and government agencies in areas such as social rights, special subjects in human rights, and digital human rights, participated in national legislation, and promoted rule of law for human rights. The Institution has vigorously pushed forward collaboration between different sectors, and promoted human rights training and social services. The promotion of international human rights research and human rights education through various forms has created an international platform for human rights exchanges and cooperation.

 

 

 

The Institution will promote the socialist human rights concepts with Chinese characteristics, attract human rights talents, pool resources, carry out human rights education and training, and promote human rights theoretical research in China. The Institution will strive to live up to the high standards of a national human rights education and training center

 

 

The Institution will promote China's experience in enhancing people's livelihood and boost China's global discourse power in human rights. By using artificial intelligence and big data, the Institution will strengthen social rights protection research and work with multiple think tanks of the university to provide decision-making consultation for human rights protection.

 

 

The Institution will enlarge its office space, and upgrade the library and reference room to equip them with up-to-date academic materials and databases. A special fund of no less than 3 million yuan per year will be guaranteed.