Zhang Donggang Engages Students on Xiaohongshu for Inclusive Governance at Renmin University

Zhang Donggang, who is the Party secretary at Renmin University of China, has recently established an account on the popular lifestyle platform Xiaohongshu, also known as Red Note. This initiative, confirmed by the university's official WeChat account on September 7, seeks to enhance engagement with students and quickly address their issues. As of Tuesday noon, the account had already achieved over 61,000 followers.

Students and alumni are actively commenting on Zhang’s posts, which has prompted swift reactions from various university departments. For instance, after a student reported an annoying mechanical noise from a library escalator, both Zhu Yan, the head of the General Support Department, and Zhang Bin, the library director, assured that repairs were in progress within an hour. In another instance, a student's complaint regarding the slow virtual private network for online classes was met with a prompt commitment from Wang Fuyin, the Party secretary of the Tongzhou campus, to perform technical upgrades the following day.

The Paper, a Chinese media outlet, highlighted that Zhang personally set up the Xiaohongshu account and is motivating other department heads to participate in online discussions. He emphasizes that this initiative is intended to prioritize students, enhance governance efficiency, and encourage a culture of empathy and shared accountability. Zhang has directly addressed student inquiries, stating that he would consider requests for earlier shuttle bus services and responded positively to suggestions for increasing fresh fruit options in campus dining facilities, leading to immediate action.

Analysts consider Zhang's initiative to be a significant shift toward a more student-oriented governance model. It is noted that while university leaders occasionally utilize social media for updates, they seldom disclose their identities for direct interaction. Zhang’s prompt responses and approachable demeanor have earned him considerable support from the student community. Born in 1965, Zhang holds a Ph.D. in economics and is a professor focused on modern Chinese economic history and comparative development. Before assuming his role as Party secretary at RUC in 2021, he held several director-general positions at the Ministry of Education.