The Media and Social Development Research Base of Hebei province was jointly established by the Hebei Provincial Federation of Social Sciences and Hebei University in 2010, when the cooperation agreement was signed and the Base was officially inaugurated. Based at the School of Journalism and Communication of Hebei University, the Base focuses on Hebei and the needs of regional social development. Its principal research areas include media and social development in Hebei, the province’s cultural and creative industries, and the identification and documentation of its intangible cultural heritage. Through these efforts, the Base connects academic research with local cultural development and social progress.

The Base has an Advisory Committee, a Management Committee, an Academic Committee, and an Administrative Office. A Secretariat within the School of Journalism and Communication handles its day-to-day affairs and coordinates academic exchanges and liaison activities in China and abroad. With support from Hebei University’s Office of Scientific Research and the School of Journalism and Communication, the Base maintains more than 100 square metres of dedicated office space, with full-time research assistants and relevant equipment to support research and academic activities. Bringing together core researchers from the University and distinguished external experts, the Base has built a highly qualified research team with a balanced mix of career stages and complementary areas of expertise.

For more than a decade, the Base has conducted sustained research in journalism, communication, and social development. It has secured funding for 40 projects from the National Social Science Fund of China and nearly 100 provincial and municipal social science research projects. Several books have received recognition from the Ministry of Education, the Hebei Provincial Federation of Social Sciences, and other organisations, while multiple articles have been reprinted in Xinhua Digest. These achievements constitute a body of research with academic value and social impact.

The Base places great emphasis on academic exchange and collaboration, providing a platform for dialogue across regions and cultures. In September 2015, it jointly organised the International Symposium on China–Arab Communication and Innovation with Beijing Language and Culture University in Beijing, bringing together diplomats and scholars from more than 20 Arab countries. In August 2017, the Base hosted the Cross-Strait Forum on Chinese-Language Publishing in Baoding, convening scholars and publishing professionals from both sides of the Taiwan Strait. In October 2019, it hosted the China Communication Forum and the Symposium on Civilisational Integration, Changes in Everyday Life, and Communication in Xiong’an New Area, where participants discussed communication and social change.

Drawing on its disciplinary expertise, the Base actively engages in community service and public-interest initiatives. On 16 July 2025, faculty members and students from the Base travelled to Korla No. 11 Middle School in Xinjiang to deliver training designed to strengthen ethnic minority teachers’ proficiency in standard spoken and written Chinese. This marked the Base’s first on-site outreach teaching programme, providing participants with eight days of Mandarin instruction. The initiative supported the promotion and wider use of standard spoken and written Chinese and encouraged communication and interaction.

Looking ahead, the Base will continue to address key issues in media and social development, advancing research, talent development, academic exchange, and public service to provide academic support for Hebei’s cultural, economic, and social development.