Shandong University Centre for Human Rights Studies was established in 1990 as Human Rights Research Office at Shandong University, which is one of the earliest human rights research institutions in China. In 1994, Shandong University decided to upgrade the Human Rights Research Office to Shandong University Centre for Human Rights Studies, with Professor Xu Xianming serving as its first director. In order to promote Chinese human rights law as an important subject and to show the research achievements in this field, the Centre established the CSSCI-source journal "Human Rights Research" in 1998, which can represent the highest level of domestic human rights research. It received recognition in the White Paper "Seeking Happiness for People: 70 Years of Progress on Human Rights in China" released by the Information Office of the State Council in September 2019. In 2005, relying on the Centre for Human Rights Studies, Shandong University successfully establish  hed the Constitutional and Political Civilization Research Base with human rights law as the main research direction, which is a National Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences in Shandong Province. In 2011, Shandong University School of Law established the Center for Soft Law and Human Rights Studies as a parallel research institution to the Centre for Human Rights Studies, with a complete management system to ensure its operation. Renowned jurist Professor Luo Haocai, the Vice Chairman of the 10th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and the President of the China Society for Human Rights Studies, served as the honorary director of the centre. In 2013, Shandong University Centre for Human Rights Studies was approved as a "Taishan Scholar" position approval unit by the Shandong Provincial Government. In 2014, it was selected as a National Human Rights Education and Training Base. In 2017, the interdisciplinary law program established on the basis of human rights law was selected in Shandong University's Dicsipline Peak Plan. In 2020, the law discipline of Shandong University, based on the human rights discipline, was selected as a National First-class Undergraduate Program construction site. 

 

Shandong University Centre for Human Rights Studies has 1 expert selected in the first batch of the National New Century Talents Project, 1 expert selected in The National Top-10 Outstanding Young Jurists, 1 young top-notch expert selected in the National Ten Thousand Talents Program, 3 experts selected in the New Century Talent Support Program of the Ministry of Education, 3 experts with special government allowance from the State Council, and 1 distinguished professor of Taishan Scholar, 2 distinguished professors of Shandong University, 4 Outstanding Young and Middle aged Scholars, 4 Qilu Young Scholars, and 2 full-time foreign teachers.

 

In recent years, Shandong University Centre for Human Rights Studies has published over 20 landmark achievements in journals such as Chinese Social Sciences, Chinese Journal of Law and Chinese Legal Science. They have received 2 second prizes and 1 third prize for Excellent Achievements of Scientific Research in Higher Education Institutions awarded by the Ministry of Education, 3 first prizes and 4 second prizes for Excellent Achievements of Social Sciences in Shandong Province, and hosted 3 major projects by the National Social Sciences Fund.

 

Shandong University Centre for Human Rights Studies also actively participates in a series of social activities to promote the development of Chinese human rights and rules of law. Centre has previously drafted white papers such as Progress in China’s Human Rights in 2013, Progress in China’s Human Rights in 2014, and New Progress in the Judicial Protection of Human Rights in China as the responsible unit. It also participated in the drafting of more than 20 laws and regulations, including the Civil Code of the People's Republic of China and the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of the Elderly, and provided opinions or suggestions on more than 30 draft laws and regulations, including the Amendment to the Private Education Promotion Law (Second Review Draft), the People's Juror Law (Draft), the Detention House Law (Draft for Comments), the Standardization Law (Draft for Comments), the Community Correction Law (Draft), and the Normative Text of the Constitution of National Legal Societies.

 

Over the past 30 years of development, Shandong University Centre for Human Rights Studies has always adhered to the belief of ‘Human right is the true essence of the rule of law’. Through unremitting efforts, it has become a key position for Chinese human rights research, a cradle for talent cultivation in the field of human rights law, a think tank for implementation of national human rights strategies, and a window for international communication in human rights research.