To meet the demands of high-quality development and support the economic growth of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Economics Department of our university has been collaborating with the Shenzhen Branch of the Agricultural Bank of China in recent years. This collaboration focuses on research and talent cultivation in the fields of digital economy and digital finance, leading to the joint establishment of the Shenzhen MSU-BIT University Digital Finance Research Center. On the afternoon of March 8th, the Shenzhen Branch of the Agricultural Bank of China, the Economics Department, and the Research Department of our university co-hosted a Digital Economy and Fintech Academic Symposium at the International Activities Center in our university library, and held the inauguration ceremony for the Digital Finance Research Center.
The event was chaired by Professor Meng Fanchen, the Chinese Director of the Economics Department. Professor Lin Jianwu from the School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University and Professor Zhao Jianliang from the School of Management and Economics at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen) were invited to give academic presentations on the topics of "Digital Transformation of Financial Institutions" and "Blockchain as a Trust Machine: The Case of Long-Term Care Insurance," respectively. The event was attended by Mr. Yao Mingde, Party Secretary and President of the Shenzhen Branch of the Agricultural Bank of China; Professor Li Hezhang, President of Shenzhen MSU-BIT University; Professor Zhu Dijian, Party Secretary and Vice President of the university; Professor Arkhipova, Russian Director of the Economics Department; Professor Meng Fanchen, and more than 100 faculty members and students from the Economics Department.
On behalf of the university, Zhu Dijian, the Party Secretary of SMBU delivered a welcome speech, extending warm greetings to the leaders from the Shenzhen Branch of the Agricultural Bank of China and expressing gratitude to the professors who shared their research findings with the university's faculty and students. He emphasized the importance of universities leveraging their talent resources to support the high-quality development of the national digital economy, and highlighted the need for cooperation and support from enterprises in cultivating innovative talents. Secretary Zhu also expressed heartfelt thanks to the Shenzhen Branch of the Agricultural Bank of China for its support of the university’s talent cultivation efforts and extended festive greetings to the female guests, faculty, and students present.
The inauguration ceremony for the Digital Finance Research Center was marked by a beautiful string quartet performance. Professor Arkhipova introduced the background, infrastructure, personnel composition, and research directions of the Digital Finance Research Center, encouraging students to actively participate in the center's activities, broaden their perspectives on the digital economy, engage with cutting-edge fintech research, and enhance their research capabilities and professional skills.
Yao Mingde, representing the Shenzhen Branch of the Agricultural Bank of China, delivered a speech, sharing the development history of China’s banking industry with the faculty and students. He highlighted the valuable experience and achievements of the Agricultural Bank of China, one of China’s four major state-owned banks, in its digital transformation and development of digital finance services. He also underscored the urgent demand for high-level talents with strong knowledge and skills in mathematics, statistics, and information processing, such as data analysts and data miners. Furthermore, President Yao emphasized the significance of the collaboration between the bank and Shenzhen MSU-BIT University in establishing the Digital Finance Research Center, expressing his hopes for the center to achieve significant research outcomes that will contribute to the development of China’s financial sector.
On behalf of the university, Principle Li Hezhang delivered a speech during the ceremony, extending sincere congratulations on the establishment of the Digital Finance Center and expressing heartfelt thanks to Professors Lin Jianwu and Zhao Jianliang for their outstanding academic presentations. In his speech, President Li outlined the progress and achievements that Shenzhen MSU-BIT University has made in recent years in areas such as discipline development, talent cultivation, faculty development, and scientific research. He encouraged all faculty and students in the Economics Department to work diligently, focus on the frontiers of science and technology as well as the main areas of economic development, and align their research with the strategic development goals of the nation and the Greater Bay Area. He called for in-depth research in fields such as artificial intelligence and quantitative investment, fintech and regulatory policies, fintech innovation and applications, and digital finance and business models, with the aim of building a robust platform for the Digital Finance Center at Shenzhen MSU-BIT University. President Li urged everyone to strive for more innovative achievements that would significantly contribute to the development of the digital economy and regional economic growth.
