National Institute of Cultural Development (NICD) is a joint academic institution constructed by the team of cultural system reform of the Ministry of Culture and BISU. The mission of NICD is to offer an external platform for national cultural development, an information think-tank of global cultural development, a theoretical research center for international cultural trade, and a training-base for international cultural management.

NICD is always in the leading position in terms of research on cultural trade. Furthermore, NICD makes great contribution to the theoretical and practical research on public cultural undertakings, cultural exchanges, cultural inheritance and other fields. Actively working on theoretical and practical issues in the course of the national cultural development, NICD has completed about 10 research projects at the national, provincial and ministerial levels, and submitted more than 20 proposals. Based on previous accumulation, NICD has established China Institute for Cultural Trade Research, Expert Committee of Cultural Trade of Beijing International Association for Trade in Services, Beijing Collaborative Innovation Center for International Cultural Trade and Cultural Exchange, and takes charge of the three secreariats.