In May, the School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University (Tsinghua SEM) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) officially launched the 2026 cohort of the Emerging Policymakers Program (EPP) at the AIIB Headquarters. The program brings together 40 early-career government officials from 27 emerging and developing economies across Asia, Africa, and Latin America for an intensive three-month capacity-building initiative focused on climate policy, green infrastructure, and sustainable development.
The launch ceremony featured remarks by Professor Bai Chong-En, Dean of Tsinghua SEM; AIIB Chief Economist Erik Berglöf; and two participant representatives, who shared their personal motivations and professional aspirations for joining the program.
In his address, Bai Chong-En welcomed the 2026 cohort and congratulated them on their participation. He also outlined three expectations for participants: first, it deepens their understanding of climate change —not merely as an environmental issue, but as an economic, social, and political imperative; second, they build lasting professional connections with fellow participants, faculty members and partner institutions; and third, they return home as changemakers—equipped with new knowledge, practical tools and collaborative partnerships, becoming engaged leaders who can translate insights into action, and action into impact.
The cohort represents an exceptional group of rising professionals: 60% work directly in government ministries and agencies, 75% hold master's degrees, and the program has achieved a perfect gender balance among participants.
In his opening remarks, Erik Berglöf celebrated the EPP's multi-institutional partnership—encompassing Tsinghua University, the London School of Economics, Stanford University, and the AIIB—as a shared commitment to capacity building for climate action and sustainable development. Reaffirming AIIB's enhanced support for the program this year, he encouraged participants to actively exchange insights from their national contexts, forge lasting connections, and pursue collective action to tackle climate challenges.
The launch ceremony also featured powerful remarks from two participant representatives who articulated both personal motivations and collective aspirations for the program.
NannySantana Leal de Figueiredo from the Ministry of Health, Brazil, shared a deeply personal story illustrating the transformative power of education: "For my family and me, education is the most powerful tool for social development. My grandmother was illiterate, and within a single generation, she has her granddaughter here with you today to discuss resilient policies for green infrastructure." She added that "knowledge, conversations, and equitable public policy, can change lives, and it's what is required to face climate change."
Dennis Wolanyo Kwame from the Ministry of Finance, Ghana, revealed a meaningful personal connection to Tsinghua: "Some nine or ten years ago, I applied to Tsinghua University for my master's degree. For a few reasons, I was unable to attend. So, when I heard about this program, I was actually happy and really wanted to be part of it." He emphasized the importance of building sustainable networks: "I look forward to creating lasting networks that would go beyond the years of the program but actually help inform policy formulation and implementation in our various countries. Examples, lessons and peer learning—these are key attributes of what I hold as a policymaker."
The 2026 EPP program combines in-person learning at Tsinghua University and field studies across China with online coursework delivered by partner institutions. The curriculum covers climate science, environmental governance, low-carbon transition, green industrial policy, innovation, and sustainable infrastructure.
Over the next four weeks in China, participants will engage with world-class faculty on topics ranging from carbon neutrality and green infrastructure to fintech and public policy. They will also participate in an intensive week-long case study workshop led by Stanford professors, designed to sharpen analytical skills and deepen understanding of how policy decisions are made in complex real-world settings.
Field studies in Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Jiangmen will allow participants to see firsthand how China is advancing sustainable development on the ground. Following the one-month on-campus program, online courses from July to August will be delivered primarily by faculty from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
The EPP was successfully piloted in 2025 and expanded for 2026, reflecting the strong commitment of AIIB and its academic partners—including Tsinghua SEM, the London School of Economics and Political Science, and the Leadership Academy for Development at Stanford University's Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies—to capacity building, climate finance, and fostering policy dialogue among emerging and developing economies.
On the same day, EPP participants joined AIIB in an event marking the 2026 International Day for Biological Diversity, themed "Building Nature into Infrastructure – Creating Opportunities for Biodiversity and Resilience." The event brought together representatives from multilateral development banks and other organizations to discuss the role of nature-based solutions and "Nature as Infrastructure" approaches in strengthening resilient and sustainable infrastructure development.
Editor: Li Han