On May 15, the 3rd Conference of the Alliance of Universities for Digital-Intelligent Finance and Economics and the 9th Conference of the Alliance for the Development of First-class Finance and Economics Disciplines were held. Co-hosted by the two alliances and organized by Zhongnan University of Economics and Law (ZUEL), the conference was themedDigital Intelligence, Interdisciplinary Synergy and Independent Innovation: Opportunities and Challenges for Finance and Economics Disciplines during the 15th Five-Year Plan Period. It brought together over 200 experts and scholars from 49 member universities nationwide to explore approaches for the high-quality development of finance and economics disciplines in the digital and intelligent era.
Hou Zhenfa, Party Secretary of ZUEL, and Liu Yuanchun, Chairman of the Alliance of Universities for Digital-Intelligent Finance and Economics, President and Deputy Party Secretary of Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, addressed the opening ceremony. Zhu Fangwei, Chairman ofthe Alliance for the Development of First-class Finance and Economics Disciplines, President of ZUEL, and Deputy Secretary of the University Party Committee, and Liu Yuanchun, President of Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, delivered keynote speeches at the conference. The opening ceremony and keynote speeches were presided over by Chen Baifeng, Member of the Standing Committee of the University Party Committee and Vice President of ZUEL.
Hou Zhenfa noted that digital technology is unprecedentedly disrupting and reshaping the knowledge systems, research methods, and talent development models of traditional finance and economics disciplines. He stated that as we embark on the 15th Five-Year Plan, we must build on our existing foundation to further deepen cooperation and jointly address the new challenges and requirements posed by the digital and intelligent era for finance and economics education. He expressed the hope that member institutions of the alliance would further strengthen mechanisms for jointly building platforms, developing standards and sharing research outcomes. He called for promoting cross-institutional and cross-regional project collaboration and joint talent cultivation to collectively forge a Chinese solution for digital and intelligent finance and economics education.
Liu Yuanchun reaffirmed the four core objectives of the Alliance of Universities for Digital-Intelligent Finance and Economics: First, to jointly build a leading hub for cultivating talent in digital and intelligent finance and promote the systematic enhancement of artificial intelligence literacy; second, to jointly explore new paradigms in finance research driven by artificial intelligence, fostering interdisciplinary integration and paradigm shifts; third, to jointly establish a smart and efficient foundation and environment for digital and intelligent new finance education, strengthening the infrastructure for data and platforms; fourth, to jointly create an open and inclusive ecosystem for digital and intelligent finance education, expanding international cooperation and ensuring security.
Zhu Fangwei delivered a keynote speech titled Building a New Field-Based Framework for Discipline Development. He systematically outlined a path for discipline development guided by national strategic needs and centered on disciplinary fields. He shared how ZUEL has established a field-selection mechanism to construct a three-pronged iterative framework: “national strategy driving disciplinary field iteration,” “interdisciplinary integration promoting disciplinary field iteration,” and “artificial intelligence empowering disciplinary field iteration.” With closed-loop management, ZUEL has facilitated the implementation of these fields, transforming disciplinary development from closed to open and from static to dynamic.
In the keynote speechReshaping Higher Education in Finance and Economics with AI: Questions of the Intelligent Era, SUFE’s Response and Its Mission, Liu Yuanchun pointed out that as the AI revolution profoundly reshapes the logic of knowledge creation and dissemination, it has challenged the traditional models of finance and economics disciplines. He also elaborated on Shanghai University of Finance and Economics’ reform initiative:New Digital Finance and Economics. This project drives the growth of digital and intelligent finance and economics by revamping systems for talent cultivation, academic disciplines, scientific research, and university governance.
Following the opening ceremony and keynote speeches, two parallel roundtables were held. They were respectively presided over by Fan Zuojun, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and President of Guangxi University of Finance and Economics, and Zhang Binghui, Secretary of the Party Committee of Jilin University of Finance and Economics. In line with the theme of the conference, distinguished guests shared their reform practices and exchanged views on future development. The attendees included: Li Tao, Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President of Central University of Finance and Economics; Li Zhisheng, Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President of Southwestern University of Finance and Economics; Tian Xiangyu, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and President of Shanxi University of Finance and Economics; Wu Huaqing, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and President of Anhui University of Finance and Economics; Zhang Lin, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and President of Harbin Finance University; Chen Deqiu, Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President of University of International Business and Economics; Miao Jianjun, Dean of the School of Economics of Zhejiang University; Su Ling, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and President of Hunan University of Finance and Economics; Wu Hua’an, President of Chongqing Finance and Economics College; Xiao Xiaohong, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and President of Guizhou University of Commerce; Zhao Minjuan, President of Xi’an University of Finance and Economics.
In the afternoon, four parallel sub-forums were held, bringing together nearly a hundred scholars from participating universities to engage in in-depth discussions on topics such as talent development in digital-intelligent finance and economics, as well as interdisciplinary integration. He Chuantian, Vice President of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies; Li Xiliang, Vice President of Shandong Technology and Business University; Zhao Hua, Vice President of Hunan University of Technology and Business; Zhang Zhongmin, Vice President of Hubei University of Economics; Zhang Bo, Vice President of Chongqing Technology and Business University; Jiang Hai, Vice President of Nanjing Audit University; Zhu Sihai, Vice President of Fujian Jiangxia University; and Geng Huijian, Vice President of Hebei University of Economics and Business served as conveners of the respective sub-forums.
In his closing remarks, Zhu Fangwei noted that the conference further clarified the contemporary orientation of the development of finance and economics disciplines during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, forged a broad consensus on promoting disciplinary innovation through interdisciplinary integration, and strengthened the commitment to open collaboration and joint development for shared benefits. The closing ceremony was presided over by Li Xiaoping, Assistant President of ZUEL.
The two alliances bring together finance and economics universities nationwide to advance educational reform and innovation. Their joint annual conference strengthened collaboration and will help drive digital transformation, interdisciplinary development and independent innovation in the field during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.
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Writers: Hou Jing, Chen Changjun
Photographers: Du Peng, Peng Jia