Recently, the International Forum on Collaborative Innovation in Digital Technology and Modern Finance（2026）was successfully held in Conference Room 508, South Wing, Wenquan Building, Nanhu Campus, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law. The forum was jointly organized by the School of Finance of Zhongnan University of Economics and Law and the Innovation and Talent Base for Digital Technology and Finance. During the forum, the 111 Talent Base of the School of Finance formally signed strategic cooperation agreements with Massey University (New Zealand), the University of Wollongong (Australia), and Macau University of Science and Technology to jointly establish an International Joint Research Center. Meanwhile, participating experts engaged in in-depth exchanges and discussions on the theme of “Collaborative Innovation of Digital Technology and Finance.” Attendees included Yi Li, Deputy Director of the International Exchange Department and Deputy Director of the Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs Office of the university; Dawei Jin, Dean of the School of Information Engineering; Long Shi, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the School of Information Engineering; Minggui Yu, Dean of the School of Finance; Yongbin Lyu, Associate Dean of the School of Finance; Professor Jin Shi, Chief Expert of the 111 Talent Base; Xianming Sun, Executive Deputy Director of the 111 Talent Base; and other faculty representatives.

The opening ceremony of the forum and the launching ceremony of the Joint Research Center were hosted by Yongbin Lyu, Associate Dean of the School of Finance and Deputy Director of the 111 Talent Base. Minggui Yu, Dean of the School of Finance and Co-Director of the 111 Talent Base, delivered a speech, extending a warm welcome to the international partners who had traveled from afar. He noted that the 111 Talent Base has become an important national platform for exploring the integration of digital technology and finance at the School. The signing of these multiple strategic cooperation agreements will further strengthen the School’s shared vision of pursuing academic excellence and deepening regional impact. Dean Minggui Yu stated that the School will continue to make concerted efforts in the three strategic pillars—cutting-edge scientific research, outstanding talent cultivation, and in-depth academic exchanges—and will work with all partners to jointly build an internationally influential academic community in digital finance.

Subsequently, Professor Alexander Molchanov, Associate Dean of the School of Economics and Finance at Massey University, Professor Chengkun Liu, Director of the Institute for Sustainable Development at Macau University of Science and Technology, and Professor Xiaofei Pan, Head of the Finance Discipline at the School of Business, University of Wollongong, delivered speeches as representatives of the partner universities. They expressed their gratitude to Zhongnan University of Economics and Law for its gracious invitation and spoke highly of the 111 Talent Base's bridging role in promoting international academic cooperation in digital finance. They also expressed their expectation for achieving substantial outcomes in areas such as joint training and cross-border research projects in the future.

Under the witness of all attending guests, the 111 Talent Base of the School of Finance formally signed strategic cooperation agreements with representatives from Massey University, the University of Wollongong, and Macau University of Science and Technology.

Professor Jin Shi, Chief Expert of the 111 Talent Base, delivered the closing speech at the signing ceremony. He stated that the signing of these cooperation agreements not only consolidates and deepens the existing academic mutual trust among the parties but also marks a strategic launch for collaborative innovation at the frontiers of digital finance. He expressed his hope that the Joint Research Center, building on the disciplinary strengths of each university, will continue to produce leading outcomes in key areas and contribute sustained momentum to the building of an international academic community.

After the signing ceremony, the forum proceeded to the keynote report session. The first academic report was chaired by Professor Jin Shi. Professor Alexander Molchanov of Massey University then delivered an academic report entitled “Liquidity Network and Firm Characteristics,” followed by Professor Xiaofei Pan of the University of Wollongong, who presented a report entitled “Artificial Intelligence and Corporate Diversification.”

The second academic report session was chaired by Professor Sichong Chen. Professor Chengkun Liu from Macau University of Science and Technology delivered an academic report entitled “Analysis of the Impact of Regional Knowledge Networks on Corporate Renewable Energy Technology Innovation,” and Dr. Tao Shen presented a report entitled “Research on Market Spillover Effects Among Segments of China's Photovoltaic Industry Chain.”

The third academic report session was chaired by Professor Xianming Sun. Associate Professor Ji Wu from Massey University delivered an academic report entitled “Covering up corporate fraud with biodiversity disclosure: Evidence from China,” followed by Dr. Xingyuan Gu from Zhongnan University of Economics and Law with a report entitled “Capturing the Dynamics of Venture Capital Syndication: A Deep Learning Approach,” and Dr. Weiyi Zhao from Zhongnan University of Economics and Law with a report entitled “FinTech Platforms and Asymmetric Network Effects: Theory and Evidence from Marketplace Lending.”

At the conclusion of the forum, Associate Dean Yongbin Lyu delivered the closing speech. He expressed his sincere gratitude to the attending guests for their wonderful presentations, noting that the forum served not only as a convergence of cutting-edge academic ideas but also as an important starting point for deepening international collaboration. He expressed his hope that all parties would, building on the Joint Research Center, continue to produce leading research outcomes in the frontier fields of digital finance.

The successful hosting of this forum has built a high-level interdisciplinary academic dialogue platform for scholars at home and abroad, further expanded the international academic network of the 111 Talent Base of the School of Finance in the field of digital finance, and injected new momentum into serving the national digital economy development strategy and cultivating interdisciplinary financial talents with a global perspective.