SFB Celebrated its 30th Anniversary with Conference on High-Quality Development of Business Education

On November 16^th, the School of Finance and Business (SFB) at Shanghai Normal University (SHNU) held the 30th Anniversary of its establishment and the Conference on High-Quality Development of Business Education at the Eastern Music Hall, Xuhui Campus. Professor Wen YUAN (President of SHNU), Mr. Zhenhua ZHOU (President of the Shanghai Economic Society), Professor Remen Chun-Wei LIN (Official Mentor of SFB AACSB Accreditation and Provost of Asia University), Associate Professor Bing DAI (Vice President of the Shanghai Administration Institute), Ms. Jianhong SHENG (Consultant of the Economic and Financial Committee of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC)), Associate Professor Huijun ZHU (Deputy Party Secretary and Vice President of SHNU), Mr. Yi QIU (Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Xinhua News Agency Shanghai Branch), as well as representatives from domestic and international universities, enterprises, SFB alumni, and faculty and student representatives attended the conference. The conference was hosted by Ms. Chunli ZHANG, Party Secretary of SFB.

The conference featured the promotional video of SFB, titled Reflecting on 30 Years of Progress and Looking Ahead. The video reviewed the development and transformation of SFB over the past thirty years, from its inception to its growth and progress.

Professor Jianghui LIU, Dean of SFB, delivered a speech in which he expressed his gratitude to the university's Party committee, faculty, staff, alumni, and all sectors of society for their support. He emphasized that SFB will uphold the value of "Honors originate from responsibilities" and, with the nine strategic initiatives (PRIDESHIP) at its core, work towards its high-quality development. The goal is to build a high-level business school that aligns with the unique characteristics of SHNU and the positioning of Shanghai as an outstanding global city.

Professor Françoise Perna, Vice President of Université Clermont Auvergne (UCA), extended her congratulations via video. Professor Kangyin LÜ, Vice President of the National Collaborative Alliance of Economics and Management (Business) Schools of Normal Universities and Dean of the School of Economics and Management at Northeast Normal University, delivered a congratulatory message on behalf of the alliance. The conference also received congratulations from more than twenty universities across the country.

Professor Xuncheng MAO, Former Dean of SFB, spoke on behalf of the past leadership, reflecting on the development of SFB over the past thirty years and extending best wishes for its future. Ms. Chunli ZHANG and Dean LIU presented flowers to former party secretaries, deans, and those who have contributed to the development of SFB as a gesture of gratitude. Mr. Shenghan XU, the first leader of SFB, also extended his best wishes for the future of SFB.

Professor Hongmei SUN, Faculty Representative of SFB and Leader of the Accounting Discipline, and Ms. Fei XIE, the first graduate of SFB (Class of 1994) and the President of Zhejiang Century Huatong Group, both delivered speeches, offering their blessings to SFB from different perspectives.

Mr. Jiahua SHI, a 2001 alum, Minister of the Organization Department of the Party Committee of SHNU, and Director of the University Office; Mr. Gang HAN, a 1999 alum and Minister of the Graduate Work Department of the Party Committee of SHNU; Mr. Yichun LÜ, a 2006 alum and Chairman of ManateeTrading Co., Ltd.; and Mr. Tao ZHANG, CEO of Shanghai Brain Medical Digital Technology Co., Ltd., jointly unveiled the establishment of the Finance Industry Alumni Club and the Health Industry Alumni Club.

A Special Contribution Award Ceremony was held during the conference to honor alumni and companies that have made outstanding contributions to the construction and development of SFB. President YUAN, 1998 alumni of SFB, Associate Professor DAI, and Associate Professor ZHU presented awards to representatives of the winning companies, such as the Xuhui Branch of Bank of China and Shanghai Kingstar Software Technology Co., Ltd., as well as outstanding alumni representatives.

President Wen YUAN delivered the closing remarks, emphasizing that SFB should leverage Shanghai's strategic location and SHNU's comprehensive strengths to advance business education with distinctive university characteristics and contribute to the city's economic and social development. She outlined three key expectations for SFB: first, to stay true to its mission and cultivate talents with a global vision, innovation mindset, and practical capabilities; second, to strengthen research and serve national and regional development; and third, to deepen international collaboration and support Shanghai in becoming a globally influential modern metropolis.

The 30th Anniversary of SFB's Establishment and the Conference on High-Quality Development of Business Education concluded successfully with a performance of the Shanghai Normal University Song by the student choir.

As part of SFB's 30th anniversary celebrations, a series of international and domestic academic forums on business education development were held. On November 15^th , the Deans' Forum on High-Quality Business Education Development in the Era of Technological and Industrial Transformation took place at the UNESCO Teacher Education Centre, bringing together deans and scholars from over 20 business and management schools across China. The forum was chaired by Ms. Chunli ZHANG, with Mr. Zaiyong LIN, Party Secretary of SHNU, delivering the welcome address. He reflected on SFB's 30-year journey and invited insights on the future of high-quality business education. The discussions focused on the challenges and opportunities of business education in the new era, with the aim of advancing discipline development, talent cultivation, and academic collaboration that nurture high-caliber business professionals suited for future societal needs.

On November 15^th, the SHNU-UVU-UCA International Teaching Forum on Business Education was held at SFB. Co-hosted by SHNU, UCA, and Utah Valley University (UVU), the forum was moderated by Associate Professor Sixue JIA from SFB. Professor Mingjun JIANG, Vice President of SHNU, delivered the opening remarks, emphasizing that while artificial intelligence poses challenges to traditional business education, it also presents unprecedented opportunities for cultivating future business leaders. He underscored the need to update curricula and teaching methodologies that drive educational innovation. Experts from the three universities then engaged in discussions on "Challenges and Opportunities of Business Education in the Era of AI", focusing on the transformative impact of AI on business education and strategies for developing interdisciplinary talent with AI literacy and innovation capabilities.

On November 16^th, SFB hosted an alumni homecoming event that created a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The Alumni Roundtable Forum, themed "The Development of New Productive Forces," brought together school leaders, faculty, and alumni to discuss industry trends and business education, covering topics such as digital intelligent transformation, investment, and healthcare. Alumni also attended a recital performance, Return and Set Sail Again, in the Learning Commons on the first floor of SFB. Created and performed by students under the guidance of teachers, the flash-style performance narrated SFB's 30-year journey in education, showcasing the spirit and artistic achievements of its students.

SFB is embarking on a new journey, dedicated to contributing to SHNU's development into a leading, innovative, and high-caliber university in teacher education, while also supporting Shanghai's goal of becoming a globally influential and modern socialist metropolis.