In the afternoon of 7 November 2020, The 3rd Xixian Forum of Income Distribution and Public Finance, co-organized by the School of Public Finance and Taxation of ZUEL and Innovation Base for Income Distribution and Public Finance, was successfully held in Wenqin Building 127. Professor Qiao Xiaochun from the Institute of Population Research, Peking University, was invited as the guest speaker of the 3rd Xixian Forum to give a lecture on "Why Mixed Research Methods Should be Applied". The presentation was chaired by Professor Lu Yuanping, Executive Dean of IIDPF. More than 20 students and faculty members attended the presentation, including Associate Professor Yu Changyong and Dr. Huang Hongwei from the School of Public Administration, Dr. Wan Xin and Dr. Zhang Fan from the IIDPF. There was a full house and a great atmosphere.
Professor Qiao Xiaochun is a PhD supervisor at the Institute of Population Research, Peking University, the executive editor-in-chief of Population and Development, and the chief expert on the National Social Science Foundation's major bidding project On the Measurement of Healthy Life Expectancy and Health Levels of Population Groups. Professor Qiao is also Vice Chairman of the Chinese Population Association, member of the Population Expert Committee of the National Health Commission, the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population, the Population Association of America, the Gerontological Society of America,
member of the core group of the International Healthy Lifespan Research Organization and board member of the International Commission on Historical Population. Professor Qiao is an expert in social science research methods and demographic analysis techniques. His book How Far is Chinese Social Science from Science? has generated strong reactions in the social science community.
In the lecture, Professor Qiao Xiaochun shared his academic experience and gave a fascinating talk on " Why Mixed Research Methods Should be Applied” through presenting a fascinating lecture to the audience. Professor Qiao Xiaochun gave a detailed explanation of the advantages and disadvantages of both quantitative and qualitative research methods in observational research. He emphasised that in the design of studies in the social sciences, qualitative research is the basis, scientific quantification is the means, and finally, qualitative interpretation must again be done in response to the specific issues that emerge from quantitative results. Professor Qiao Xiaochun's novel academic views deeply enlightened the minds of the students and faculty on site. After the lecture, on-site teachers and students had a positive interaction with Professor Qiao.
