With the majestic tide surging under the vast sky, exuding boundless grandeur, the 2024 Annual Conference of the Higher Financial & Economic Education Branch of China Higher Education Association (HFEEB) was successfully held on November 1 by the Qiantang River in Hangzhou. Themed “Building a Leading Country in Education: The Role of Higher Financial & Economic Education,” the conference was hosted by ZUFE as a significant academic event celebrating ZUFE’s 50th anniversary. Attendees included Jiang Enlai, vice president of the China Association of Higher Education (CAHE); Chen Feng, deputy director of the Department of Education of Zhejiang Province; Shi Jianjun, chairman of HFEEB; Li Jinchang, secretary of ZUFE’s Party Committee; Wei Jiang, president of ZUFE; over 50 senior leaders and over 200 experts from more than 70 universities nationwide. Together, they exchanged insights on the reform and development practices of higher financial and economic education, and discussed strategies for its future advancement.
Professor Gu Shengzu, vice chairman of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and deputy director of the NPC Financial and Economic Committee, was invited to deliver a special keynote speech via video.
The opening ceremony of the conference was chaired by Zhang Guocai, vice chairman and secretary-general of HFEEB. He extended his congratulations on the 50th anniversary of ZUFE and expressed his anticipation that the distinguished guests’ insightful speeches would provide a feast of ideas and a delightful intellectual experience for all attendees.
Li Jinchang, secretary of ZUFE’s Party Committee, delivered a welcome speech, expressing his heartfelt gratitude to the leaders and colleagues who have long supported ZUFE’s development. He emphasized that the Annual Conference of HFEEB is a prestigious conference in academic research and education in the field of finance and economics. The 2024 conference aims to provide a platform for in-depth exchanges, contributing wisdom and solutions to building a new development framework for higher financial and economic education and actively promoting its high-quality development. He highlighted ZUFE’s progress and achievements, noting that ZUFE is vigorously implementing the “New Finance and Economics Strategy” and advancing the construction of a distinctive first-class university of finance and economics. He also extended a sincere invitation to all attendees to participate in ZUFE’s 50th anniversary.
Jiang Enlai, vice president of CAHE, delivered a speech at the conference, expressing his gratitude to the leaders and guests who have long supported CAHE and the development of HFEEB. He stated that HFEEB is an important subsidiary of CAHE and a key academic organization in the field of higher financial and economic education. To better implement the strategic deployment of “integrating education, science and technology, and talent development,” HFEEB must adhere to enhance its political loyalty, developing through high-quality Party building; uphold academic excellence, building a new type of high-end think tank for higher financial and economic education; focus on service enhancement, improving the ability to support high-quality development; maintain standardized operations, continuously strengthening internal capacity building; and emphasize innovation, exploring new dynamics and advantages for HFEEB’s development.
Chen Feng, vice director of the Department of Education of Zhejiang Province, delivered a speech, extending a warm welcome to the leaders and guests attending the conference and offering heartfelt congratulations on the 50th anniversary of ZUFE. He noted that Zhejiang boasts a long history and a prosperous culture, holding an irreplaceable position in the development of Chinese civilization. While Zhejiang is a resource-limited province, it is an economic powerhouse, yet its higher education system does not fully align with the province’s socio-economic development. He emphasized that, against the backdrop of National Innovation-driven Development Strategy, Zhejiang is vigorously supporting and promoting a new round of high-quality development in higher education, accelerating the development of high-level universities and first-class disciplines to enhance the role of higher education in driving Zhejiang’s high-quality development. He expressed hope that the attending experts would offer valuable insights for the development of ZUFE, show concern for the reform and progress of higher education in Zhejiang, thereby contributing to the province’s goal of becoming a stronghold of higher education.
Shi Jianjun, chairman of HFEEB, pointed out that the 2024 conference, renamed from the 15th China Higher Finance and Economics Education President Forum, aims to address new issues and trends, collectively exploring and resolving numerous challenges in the field of higher financial and economic education in China. He emphasized the need to thoroughly study and implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, deeply consider how to enhance the transformation of the disciplinary system in higher educational institutions of finance and economics, and promote the deep integration of modern information technology with traditional finance and economics disciplines. This will accelerate the empowerment of new quality productive forces through higher financial and economic education and expedite the construction of a modern education powerhouse, cultivating more outstanding and innovative talents with high quality. He expressed sincere gratitude to ZUFE for the diligent efforts in organizing this conference, and wished the conference a complete success!
The keynote speeches of the conference were divided into two sessions, featuring experts from renowned comprehensive universities and higher educational institutions of finance and economics across the nation. The first session was chaired by Wei Jiang, president of ZUFE, while the second session was chaired by Sun Jieguang, former secretary of the Party Committee of Jilin University of Finance and Economics.
In the first session of keynote speeches, Professor Zhou Jianghong, vice president of Zhejiang University, delivered a thematic report titled “Practices and Reflections on the Construction of an Independent Knowledge System in Philosophy and Social Sciences.” Professor Yang Zhong, former executive vice secretary of the Party Committee of Nanjing University, presented a report titled “Several Reflections on Higher Financial and Economic Education in the New Era.” Professor Zhi Xiaoqiang, vice president of Renmin University of China, gave a report titled “Innovative Cultivation Models to Inspire Student’s Enthusiasm.” Professor Gao Wenshu, vice president of University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (UCASS), discussed “Reform Explorations in UCASS-ZUFE Joint Cultivation of Top-Notch Innovative Talents.”
In the second session of keynote speeches, Professor Ma Haitao, president of Central University of Finance and Economics, delivered a thematic report titled “Practice Logic and Optimization Paths for the Reform and Development of Higher Educational Institutions of Finance and Economics in the Context of Building a Leading Country in Education.” Professor Zhao Zhongxiu, president of University of International Business and Economics, presented a report titled “Transformation of the Disciplinary System in Higher Educational Institutions of Finance and Economics.” Professor Zhao Jianjun, secretary of the Party Committee of Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, offered a speech titled “Embarking on a New Journey in Higher Financial and Economic Education.” Professor Liu Yaobin, secretary of the Party Committee of Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics, discussed “The Role of Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics in Building a Leading Country in Education.” Professor Wei Jiang, president of ZUFE, concluded with a report titled “Universities Should Aim to Cultivate ‘Whole Persons.’”
President Wei Jiang’s report began with “several intriguing paradoxes.” He elaborated on the concept and practice of cultivating “Whole Persons”—the MAQ-type talents (M stands for Morality, A for Ability, and Q for Quality) cultivation goal of ZUFE—from three perspectives: what kind of university to build, what kind of individuals should universities cultivate, and how to cultivate them. He emphasized that education is not only about imparting knowledge, but also about shaping qualities and spirits. ZUFE is implementing the “New Finance and Economics Strategy,” striving to establish a new cultivation system that integrates disciplines, industry, and research with teaching through projects such as “Transform and Upgrade Undergraduate Program” and “Reconstruct a Platform-supported-and-project-based Talent Cultivation System”. These efforts aim to accelerate the establishment of a distinctive first-class university of finance and economics.
President Wei Jiang delivered the closing remarks at the conference. He expressed gratitude to the leaders and experts for their dedication to the principle that “Education is of critical importance to the future of our country and our Party,” collectively witnessing an extraordinary academic conference. The conference proposed new ideas, concepts, and measures to promote the high-quality development of higher financial and economic education, offering fresh perspectives, models, and solutions for integrating education, science and technology, and talent development, and for building a leading country in education.
The conference also featured two prelude forums. The forum on “Transformation of the Disciplinary System in Higher Educational Institutions of Finance and Economics” was chaired by Zheng Yali, vice president of ZUFE. It invited Professor Wang Yonggui, president of Zhejiang Gongshang University; Professor Dong Birong, president of Nanjing Audit University and secretary of its Party Committee; Professor Si Linsheng, president of Henan University of Economics and Law and secretary of its Party Committee; Professor Jin Zhuang, president of Inner Mongolia University of Finance and Economics; Professor Fang Jie, president of Hubei University of Economics; Professor Zhang Lin, president of Harbin Finance University; Professor Xu Dandan, vice president of Beijing Technology and Business University; and Professor Mi Zichuan, vice president of Shanxi University of Finance and Economics, to deliver thematic reports.
The forum on “Empowering New Quality Productive Forces through Higher Financial and Economic Education” was chaired by Zhang Bo, vice president of Chongqing Technology and Business University. It invited Professor Zhang Binghui, secretary of the Party Committee of Jilin University of Finance and Economics; Professor Zhao Minjuan, president of Xi’an University of Finance and Economics; Professor Guo Jianguo, secretary of the Party Committee of Shandong Technology and Business University; Professor Xia Fei, president of Guangxi University of Finance and Economics; Professor Liu Changgeng, president of Hunan University of Finance and Economics; Professor Su Benyue, president of Tongling University; and Professor Dong Jincai, vice president of ZUFE, to deliver thematic reports.
The conference concluded with the flag-handover ceremony for the Annual Conference of HFEEB. Li Jinchang, secretary of ZUFE’s Party Committee, passed the flag to Zhao Jianjun, secretary of the Party Committee of Southwestern University of Finance and Economics. The conference came to a successful close amidst warm applause from the attending guests.
