The Third Global Doctoral Forum 2026 of the Central University of Finance and Economics(CUFE)opened at the lecture hall of the library on its Shahe campuson June 23. The event was attended by CUFE President Ma Haitao,and Deputy Director of the Department of Management Sciences at the National Natural Science Foundation of China Wu Gang.Also present wereDeputy Secretary-General of the China Education Association for International Exchange Wang Luxin and Liu Yongqiang, director of the DivisionofInternational Organizations of the Ministry of Education's Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges (Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs). Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences, Eric Maskin, delivered a video address. Among other attendees were leading experts and scholars from top universities worldwide — like Stanford University and the University of Chicago— along with over 60 top doctoral students from various countries and regions,people in chargeof CUFE departments as well as representatives of CUFE faculty and students. The opening ceremony was hosted by CUFE Vice President Li Tao.

The Third Global Doctoral Forum 2026 of the Central University of Finance and Economicskicks off in Beijingon June 23

In his address, CUFE President Ma Haitao highlighted the university's achievements in education and internationalization in recent years. He noted that this year's forum covered several cutting-edge fields — including economics, finance, business administration, data science and artificial intelligence. Having been held for three consecutive years, the forum has gradually evolved into a flagship academic event with international influence.He also expressed his hope that the forum would provide a platform for deep exchanges among scholars from home and abroad, promote experience sharing and academic collaboration — and contribute to building a more open, inclusive and innovative global academic community.

For his part, Wu Gang, praised CUFE's efforts in promoting high-quality research among young scholars. He declared that the National Natural Science Foundation of China valued the cultivation of young talent and supported the forum's special sub-forum on "Basic Research Projects for Young Students" — encouraging young international scholars to share their research progress and innovative ideas to jointly promote academic innovation.

Wang Luxin remarked that the Global Doctoral Forum provided an excellent platform for research collaboration and cross-cultural exchange among young scholars worldwide. He called on all parties to use the forum as an opportunity to promote academic resource sharing and collaborative innovations, injecting new vitality into global academic development.

Liu Yongqiang encouraged young scholars from China and abroad to focus on common human development issues from a global perspective — thereby enhancing understanding and friendship through mutual learning and contributing wisdom to building a community with a shared future for humanity.

Eric Maskin congratulated the forum on its convening and encouraged participating doctoral students to advance academic progress with a rigorous and innovative spirit.

Dignitaries who jointly launched the forum included Ma Haitao, Wu Gang, Wang Luxin, Liu Yongqiang, along with Max Z.J. Shen, former vice president of the University of Hong Kong and foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering; Hong Yongmiao, dean of the School of Economics and Management at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences and fellow of the World Academy of Sciences for the advancement of science in developing countries; Wu Weixing, president of Capital University of Economics and Business,and Miao Jianjun,Tsingshan chair professor and dean of the School of Economics at Zhejiang University. Ma Haitao presented a flag to doctoral student representative Beatriz Gietner, marking the official start of the Third Global Doctoral Forum.

The launch ceremony of the Third Global Doctoral Forum 2026 of CUFE

In the keynote speech session, Hong Yongmiao, Max Z.J. Shen, Wu Weixing and Miao Jianjun delivered reports on frontier topics. These included macroeconomic forecasting, supply chain intelligence, robotics technology and household income distribution, tariffs, and inflation — sharing the latest progress in theoretical innovation and academic exploration. This session was chaired by CUFE Vice Presidents Li Jianjun and Chen Binkai.

The keynote speech session

Doctoral students ChristopherW. A. Sims from Northwestern University in the US, Alexander Nefedov from the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, located in Moscow, and Yang Mingjie from CUFE, spoke as camp representatives. Assistant to CUFE President Zhang Xueyong chaired this session.

The Global Doctoral Forum of CUFE has become a high-level flagship event for deepening cross-cultural exchanges, promoting disciplinary integration and strengthening international academic cooperation. Participating experts and doctoral students will further leverage the forum's role as a bridge.As such, they'll advance academic research and talent cultivation towards internationalization and innovation — attracting more young talent from China and abroad, expanding the depth and breadth of international cooperation, and jointly writing a new chapter in educational internationalization and academic research.

Writers: XU Kerou

Reviewers: PENG Yuchao, HUANG Naijing

Editors: WANG Xinyu

Approvers: HUO Xiaoran