Promoting the Academic and Research Cooperation Prospects with China: ICEF Delegation Visits China’s Top Universities
The partnership relations between ICEF and some of China’s top universities are in active phase. This past summer ICEF supported its undergraduate and graduate students joining the summer schools in China.
Hosting the delegates were Fudan University, Shanghai University, Shanghai JiaoTong University and East China Normal University in Shanghai, Nanjing University in Nanjing and Zhejiang University in Hangzhou. These major universities rank high in global ratings as providers of quality research and training, attracting students from all over the world. With highly convenient and extensively landscaped campuses, highly qualified faculties, and world-known R&D achievements, they offer comfort and high quality of learning.
ICEF and its partners had on their discussion agenda prospects for joint research projects, exchange opportunities, double degree programmes, and international events. From January 2025, it will be possible for ICEF master’s students to go on exchange to Shanghai Jiao Tong University – Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance (SAIF), the latter holding a top place in Asia University Rankings.
Dr. David Lee of SAIF, who co-directs Master of Finance Programme, said in his comment about the SAIF-ICEF partnership: “We welcome a wider exchange and cooperation with your school.” Behind this newly established partnership are the promising prospects of mutually enriching academic and professional development.
Shanghai, one of the world’s largest financial centers, is home to many international banks, financial corporations and stock exchanges, offering unique opportunities for hands-on learning and internships. By joining this exchange, our students will be able to experience Shanghai’s dynamic banking environment and establish useful contacts.
On their part, the team of Shanghai Jiao Tong University expressed their interest in recruiting ICEF’s undergraduates to their Master of Finance Programme. “We will be glad to see the brightest of our undergraduates among our master’s students,” said Lin Yang, Head of Master of Finance Programme at SAIF.
The ICEF-SAIF programme will have funding to support the scholarships for talents. Employers worldwide see SAIF Master of Finance graduates as highly qualified professionals who show excellent performance in international banks and financial corporations.
Established in 1896, Shanghai Jiao Tong University is one of China’s oldest and most prestigious universities. It is affiliated with the Ministry of Education of China and is a member of the C9 League of China’s top nine schools. SJTU ranks 4th in Shanghai Ranking and 45th in the QS World University Ranking 2025. Times Higher Education ranking placed it 43rd in 2024 and 25th best university with programmes in Business and Economics.
The face-to-face contact and discussions helped the sides to identify touchpoints and plan for vibrant interaction in diverse fields of international cooperation.
The talks at Fudan University saw the start of the discussion with its School of Economics of the joint master’s program in financial economics. Also, provisional arrangements are in place concerning faculty exchange and joint seminars/workshops with Zhejiang University School of Economics, ECNU School of Economics and Management, and business schools of Nanjing University and Shanghai University.
Professor Zhikai Wang, Deputy Director at Zhejiang University School of Economics, fully supports the prospects of cooperation, describing its start as constructive and promising: “We could start with student and teacher exchange and go on to organize joint conferences. Next May we are holding the international conference on China-Central Asia Cooperation and we will be glad to see you among its participants.”
ICEF, in turn, will see the scholars of the Chinese universities among participants of its International Conference on Financial Economics and International Conference on Applied Economics, scheduled to take in ICEF this autumn.
“These steps are designed to expand the academic horizons for our students, graduates and teachers. They also help to strengthen the economic ties between Russia and China. Alongside their role as platforms for knowledge exchange and innovation, universities are now key players in the economic dialogue and facilitators of strategic partnerships at national level," Vladimir Sokolov, Head of ICEF International Laboratory of Financial Economics, comments the outcomes of the visit and the prospects of cooperation.
China continues to invest heavily in the development of its higher education sector, implementing large-scale development and sponsorship schemes. One such scheme was Project 985, launched in 1998 to create world-class education institutions by funding activities such as infrastructure development, scientific research and international cooperation. Another prolific scheme, Project 211, started in 1995 aiming to upgrade the quality of teaching and research at more than 100 major universities. Notably, all universities that hosted ICEF delegates are members of these projects.
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