Considering it an important innovation in the leadership training, CELAP officially launched its Kunshan Campus in the Party School of the CPC Kunshan Committee in June 2008.

It is deemed a “twining” co-operation between CELAP, a national institution in leadership training and development, and Kunshan, which ranks No.1 among China’s Top 100 counties (cities) in social and economic development. Kunshan also takes the lead in the construction of a well-off society in Jiangsu Province. The relationship between the two integrates CELAP’s training resources with Kunshan’s practice in reform and opening-up into one, setting up live classrooms for CELAP participants in order to share the latest experiences in the development of Kunshan, as well as the whole Yangtze River Delta.

All the courses in Kunshan Campus adopt experiential teaching method, which enables local officials acting as lecturers and teachers to share their experiences during the process of building a well-off society. The teaching pattern can be described as “turning sites into classrooms, turning experiences into textbooks, turning practitioners into lecturers.” Based on Kunshan’s development during the past three decades, CELAP Kunshan Campus has formed 40 training sites in five categories on the city’s economic development, urban and rural construction, Party and government construction.

Led by CELAP, Kunshan Campus has organized numerous field visits. According to various programs that target corresponding audiences, it sets up courses such as local government’s function in dealing with financial crisis, government’s guidance and promotion of local economy, transferring economic development patterns to speed up opening-up, urbanized township planning and development, integrated development of rural and urban areas.

Following the principles of scientific development and win-win strategy, CELAP Kunshan Campus has become a model base in leadership training and development.