The China and Global Development Network (CGDN) is one of the centres in the Department of Applied Social Sciences at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. CGDN (previously China Research and Development Network) was established in 2005 in light of the rapid social transformations of Mainland China in the post-reform era, to meet the urgent need for developing indigenous social work theories and practice models in response to the growing demand for professional social service. The Network was renamed CGDN in June 2021 to facilitate international partnership in social work and global social development, in view of the opportunities and challenges presented by the new geopolitical context.

The objective of CGDN is to become a leading academic centre for social development, social policy, and social work research and practice in Mainland China and the world. CGDN has been striving to provide outstanding capacity building programmes and engage in rigorous research with the Mainland China social work community. We have also extended our network to other countries along the New Silk Road to promote regional and international partnership in social work education, practice and research. To date, CGDN has facilitated: in Mainland China, the establishment of the Peking University-The Hong Kong Polytechnic University China Social Work Research Centre and the Yunnan University-The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Design and Social Development Centre; globally, the collaboration with universities and social welfare agencies in Israel, Kazakhstan, Thailand, and Vietnam.